PGOETZ@LOYVAX.BITNET (04/04/89)
Regarding Gary Gray's question about a program to format documentation: I think you just described a word processor. Of course, you'll have to get one like Applewriter, which works with text files, rather than Appleworks, which is off in its own file format world. Phil Goetz
ggray@wpi.wpi.edu (Gary Gray) (04/05/89)
In article <8904031854.aa02477@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> PGOETZ@LOYVAX.BITNET writes: >Regarding Gary Gray's question about a program to format documentation: I >think you just described a word processor. Of course, you'll have to get >one like Applewriter, which works with text files, rather than Appleworks, >which is off in its own file format world. > >Phil Goetz In some sense, yes. What I am writing is the part of the word processor that actually prints out the documents. The method I will use is generic enough that any word processor capible of creating a text file can create nicely formatted text on all machines. If EVERYONE had Applewriter (I don't) or even Appleworks, there would be no need for this, since you could simply include the formatted text and allow the user to load it into his word processor and print it in whatever format he wanted. But, alas, there is no such standard, and you get manuals that either are not formatted at all, or are invariably in the wrong format for what you want to do. By releasing a PD document printer, I hope to establish some sort of standard so people don't have to waste their time editing a manual to get it into the right format. This program will help generate more comprehensive documentation for share/free ware, and perhaps broaden the appeal of these types of programs. -- _____________________________________________________________________________ _ | / _ ar \/ ggray@wpi.bitnet | << generic clever and witty saying >> \_| ra / ggray@wpi.wpi.edu |
ALBRO@NIEHS.BITNET (04/06/89)
Have you ever used Freeprinter, the companion program (public domain) for Freewriter? If not, you probably should check to make sure it doesn't already do what you have in mind.