Everhart,Glenn
From:	jaf@yrl.co.uk
Sent:	Wednesday, April 29, 1998 12:36 PM
To:	Info-VAX@Mvb.Saic.Com
Subject:	ANN: AscToHTM/AscToTab 2.3 released.  Free to VMS users
This is to announce the release of version 2.3 of AscToHTM and AscToTab.  

BOTH PROGRAMS ARE FREE TO VMS USERS.  

Yezerski Roper offer other free OpenVMS software, details of which can be 
found at

	http://www.yrl.co.uk/~yr/free/
	  
AscToHTM converts ordinary text files into one or more interlinked HTML pages,
whilst AscToTab is more specialised and converts plain text files into HTML 
tables.  Fuller descriptions are given below.

Both programs are also available under Windows, AscToTab as a freeware 
console program, AscToHTM as fully Windowed shareware in which form ZDNet has
awarded it 5 stars (their highest award).

The download page for the OpenVMS versions of both programs is

        http://www.yrl.co.uk/~jaf/a2hvms.html

(they're bundled together in the same .zip files)

The home pages are

        http://www.yrl.co.uk/~jaf/ASC2html.html
        http://www.yrl.co.uk/~jaf/ASCtoTab.html

The biggest change in AscToHTM in this release is the introduction of wildcard 
support, and the ability to create a hyperlinked "directory page" linked to 
all the files converted and their contents.

The changes to AscToTab in this release are minor.


What AscToHTM does
------------------

AscToHTM converts text files into one or more linked HTML pages.
It detects and correctly handles the following :

        - indent levels
        - bullet points (plus numbered, alphabetic and roman numeral bullets)
        - headings (numbered, underlined or capitalised)
        - tables
        - ascii art and diagrams
        - software code samples
        - definitions
      	- emphasised and quoted text

It adds hyperlinks to

        - all forms of URL (http:, ftp:, gopher: etc)
        - references to USENET groups
        - email addresses
        - cross-references to numbered sections
        - words or phrases identified in a user-supplied dictionary

It can generate

        - a separate contents list
        - a directory page linked to each file and their contents
        - DOS compatible filenames (if required)
        - many smaller files (one per section or sub-section as required)

To each generated page it can add

        - Title
        - Colours and background images
        - standard user-supplied header and footer
        - style sheet
        - META tags for keywords and description
        - Javascript

It has a pre-processor that supports

        - production of variant documents (e.g., for Internet and intranet
          publication),
        - use of embeded HTML
        - use of include files


What AscToTab does
------------------
AscToTab converts tables of information held in ordinary text files
into fully fledged HTML tables.  It doesn't require comma-separated
lists, instead it attempts to

  - analyse and identify the number and position of columns
  - identify the table header
  - calculate the alignment of data in each cell

  - spot entries that span multiple columns
  - spot (to a limited extent) entries that span multiple rows.

In addition, you customise certain table attributes.

--
John A Fotheringham (or JAF for short :^)            http://www.yrl.co.uk/~JAf
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Author of ASCII->HTML utility AscToHTM - http://www.yrl.co.uk/~jaf/ASC2html.html
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