| … | |
… | |
| 18 | |
18 | |
| 19 | As far as I know, and have gathered from the newsgroups, Psion does not want |
19 | As far as I know, and have gathered from the newsgroups, Psion does not want |
| 20 | or is not able to release the data formats of the saved files of their |
20 | or is not able to release the data formats of the saved files of their |
| 21 | internal applications. I am trying to reverse engineer these data formats |
21 | internal applications. I am trying to reverse engineer these data formats |
| 22 | and to document them for general use. At this moment, I understand their |
22 | and to document them for general use. At this moment, I understand their |
| 23 | Word, TextEd, Sketch, MBM and Record files. I want this information to |
23 | Word, TextEd, Sketch, MBM, Clipart and Record files. I want this information |
| 24 | be available to everyone, in order to write better file conversion utilities |
24 | to be available to everyone, in order to write better file conversion |
| 25 | for popular (non-)Windows programs. |
25 | utilities for popular (non-)Windows programs. |
| 26 | |
26 | |
| 27 | All documentation is written in Psion 5 Word. Fortunately, the utilities |
27 | All documentation is written in Psion 5 Word. Fortunately, the utilities |
| 28 | in this package can translate it to HTML and other formats. |
28 | in this package can translate it to HTML and other formats. |
| 29 | |
29 | |
| 30 | Unlike all other files in this package, the *.psi files in the directory |
30 | Unlike all other files in this package, the *.psi files in the directory |
| … | |
… | |
| 38 | |
38 | |
| 39 | THE LIBRARY |
39 | THE LIBRARY |
| 40 | =========== |
40 | =========== |
| 41 | |
41 | |
| 42 | libpsiconv is a library of routines that you can link against your own |
42 | libpsiconv is a library of routines that you can link against your own |
| 43 | application. It allows you to read Psion 5 files, and helps you output |
43 | application. It allows you to read Psion 5 files. Note that it comes |
| 44 | more commonly used files. Note that it comes under the GNU General |
44 | under the GNU General Public License; that means that you can only link |
| 45 | Public License; that means that you can only link it to programs which |
45 | it to programs which are also covered by that license. You can contact |
| 46 | are also covered by that license. You can contact me if you need other |
46 | me if you need other license terms. |
| 47 | license terms. |
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| 48 | |
47 | |
| 49 | Libpsiconv consists of two parts. The parser reads the Psion file into its |
48 | The following formats can be read at this moment: |
| 50 | internal data structures. The generator reads these data structures and |
49 | Word Word processor files |
| 51 | generates an output file in some other format. Libpsiconv is written to make |
50 | TextEd OPL editor files |
| 52 | it easy to add generators, without having to modify the parser side. |
51 | Sketch Picture files |
| 53 | Actually, it is a lot easier to write a generator than to modify the parser! |
52 | MBM Alternate picture format; several pictures can be combined in it |
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53 | ClipArt Internal picture format; several pictures can be combined in it |
| 54 | |
54 | |
| 55 | The parser is quite good at the moment. Page layout codes are not yet |
55 | The parser is quite good at the moment. Page layout codes are not yet |
| 56 | read, but almost everything that is described in the documents in the |
56 | read, but almost everything that is described in the documents in the |
| 57 | format directory is supported by it. Of course, it can also not yet |
57 | format directory is supported by it; but it can not yet cope with |
| 58 | cope with inserted objects (ie. documents in some other format) and |
58 | inserted objects (ie. documents in some other format). |
| 59 | other as of yet undocumented things. |
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| 60 | |
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| 61 | The current HTML target is not very ideal. HTML is just not made to |
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| 62 | represent detailed layout considerations: it is a document description |
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| 63 | language. Still, the output is quite readable already. Of course, headers |
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| 64 | and footers are not displayed, because there is no notion of pages in |
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| 65 | HTML. Tabs are also difficult; they are not supported yet. This can be |
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| 66 | solved using tables, but it is quite hard to do it correctly. Some other |
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| 67 | things are just approximated too. |
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| 68 | |
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| 69 | The HTML4 target uses style sheets. You need a not-too-old browser for |
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| 70 | this to display correctly. Generally, the output of this generator is |
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| 71 | of higher quality than the normal HTML generator's. |
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| 72 | |
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| 73 | A plain TEXT target just grabs all text, without any futher conversions. |
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| 74 | |
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| 75 | I would very much like to add other targets, like (La)TeX, RTF (Rich Text |
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| 76 | Format) and XML (for AbiWord). If other people want to work on this, please |
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| 77 | let me know! Of course, you could also write your own conversion applications |
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| 78 | just using my data format description. Native import/export filters for |
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| 79 | some word processors would be very welcome! |
|
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| 80 | |
59 | |
| 81 | Documentation is scarce; please examine the source code or the example |
60 | Documentation is scarce; please examine the source code or the example |
| 82 | psiconv program. Some things may also be found in the doc subdirectory. |
61 | psiconv program. Some things may also be found in the doc subdirectory. |
| 83 | |
62 | |
| 84 | |
63 | |
| … | |
… | |
| 89 | more commonly used formats. It is linked against libpsiconv, and can |
68 | more commonly used formats. It is linked against libpsiconv, and can |
| 90 | handle anything that it can. |
69 | handle anything that it can. |
| 91 | |
70 | |
| 92 | Please enter `psiconv --help' if you want to know about its syntax. |
71 | Please enter `psiconv --help' if you want to know about its syntax. |
| 93 | |
72 | |
|
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73 | The current HTML3 target is not very ideal. HTML is just not made to |
|
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74 | represent detailed layout considerations: it is a document description |
|
|
75 | language. Still, the output is quite readable already. Of course, headers |
|
|
76 | and footers are not displayed, because there is no notion of pages in |
|
|
77 | HTML. Tabs are also difficult; they are not supported yet. This can be |
|
|
78 | solved using tables, but it is quite hard to do it correctly. Some other |
|
|
79 | things are just approximated too. |
|
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80 | |
|
|
81 | The HTML4 target uses style sheets. You need a not-too-old browser for |
|
|
82 | this to display correctly. Generally, the output of this generator is |
|
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83 | of higher quality than the normal HTML generator's. |
|
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84 | |
|
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85 | A plain TEXT target just grabs all text, without any futher conversions. |
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86 | |
|
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87 | The RTF target is not finished yet; in fact, it is no usable at all |
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88 | right now. |
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89 | |
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90 | All ImageMagick graphic output formats are supported; depending on how |
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91 | you compiled ImageMagick, this is betwee 20 and 50 different formats. |
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92 | Your favorite one should be somewhere in there... |
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93 | |
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94 | I would very much like to add other targets, like (La)TeX, RTF (Rich Text |
|
|
95 | Format) and XML (for AbiWord). If other people want to work on this, please |
|
|
96 | let me know! Of course, you could also write your own conversion applications |
|
|
97 | just using my data format description. Native import/export filters for |
|
|
98 | some word processors would be very welcome! |
|
|
99 | |
| 94 | Psiconv is licensed under the GPL. Please read the included file COPYING |
100 | Psiconv is licensed under the GPL. Please read the included file COPYING |
| 95 | for exact licensing information. Please contact me if you need some other |
101 | for exact licensing information. Please contact me if you need some other |
| 96 | licensing terms. |
102 | licensing terms. |
| 97 | |
103 | |
| 98 | |
104 | |
| … | |
… | |
| 100 | ============================ |
106 | ============================ |
| 101 | |
107 | |
| 102 | Starting with version 0.2, psiconv should keep all namespaces unpoluted. |
108 | Starting with version 0.2, psiconv should keep all namespaces unpoluted. |
| 103 | Starting with version 0.4, the conversion routines are linked into a |
109 | Starting with version 0.4, the conversion routines are linked into a |
| 104 | (static or shared) library. Version 0.5 has autoconf and libtool support, |
110 | (static or shared) library. Version 0.5 has autoconf and libtool support, |
| 105 | and should run on many more platforms. |
111 | and should run on many more platforms. Version 0.6 has support for |
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112 | graphics. |
| 106 | |
113 | |
| 107 | High on the TODO list are input routines for Sketch, MBM and Record files. |
114 | High on the TODO list are input routines for Record files. |
| 108 | Sheet files will be next. I am running into some trouble understanding |
115 | Sheet files will be next. I am running into some trouble understanding |
| 109 | Data and Agenda files, but with a little luck, I'll figure it out after |
116 | Data and Agenda files, but with a little luck, I'll figure it out after |
| 110 | all. This is more long-term though. |
117 | all. This is more long-term though. |
| 111 | On the output side, I hope RTF will soon be done. This will allow most |
118 | On the output side, I hope RTF will soon be done. This will allow most |
| 112 | office tools to read the Psion files. |
119 | office tools to read the Psion files. |
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