court@rpi.edu (Court Demas) (04/18/91)
I just read a few (minor) flames to Borland about using RTF for the Help Compiler stuff. Welp, anybody who actually _bought_ MS Windows 3.0 (or any other version for that matter) surely received MS _Write_(!). I can't see any reason for using anything else BUT Write for the Help Compiler - why use something huge like Word? court (now, if only _my_ BC++ would arrive :)
oneel@heawk1.rosserv.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Bruce Oneel ) (04/18/91)
In article <zmmgl0h@rpi.edu> court@rpi.edu (Court Demas) writes: From: court@rpi.edu (Court Demas) Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer Date: 18 Apr 91 11:49:26 GMT Distribution: comp.os.msdos.programmer Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY Lines: 11 Nntp-Posting-Host: cary102.its.rpi.edu I just read a few (minor) flames to Borland about using RTF for the Help Compiler stuff. Welp, anybody who actually _bought_ MS Windows 3.0 (or any other version for that matter) surely received MS _Write_(!). I can't see any reason for using anything else BUT Write for the Help Compiler - why use something huge like Word? court (now, if only _my_ BC++ would arrive :) Does Write do RTF? I didn't see that option, but I didn't look too hard. bruce -- | Bruce O'Neel | internet : oneel@heasfs.gsfc.nasa.gov| | Code 664/STX | span : lheavx::oneel | | NASA/GSFC Bld 28/W281 |compuserve: 72737,1315 | | Greenbelt MD 20771 | AT&Tnet : (301)-286-4585 | Thats me in the corner, thats me in the spotlight, losin' my religion -- rem
cadsi@ccad.uiowa.edu (CADSI) (04/18/91)
From article <zmmgl0h@rpi.edu>, by court@rpi.edu (Court Demas): > > > I just read a few (minor) flames to Borland about using RTF for the > Help Compiler stuff. Welp, anybody who actually _bought_ MS Windows 3.0 > (or any other version for that matter) surely received MS _Write_(!). > I can't see any reason for using anything else BUT Write for the Help Compiler > - why use something huge like Word? Since when does Write output RTF format files??? |----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |Tom Hite | The views expressed by me | |Manager, Product development | are mine, not necessarily | |CADSI (Computer Aided Design Software Inc. | the views of CADSI. | |----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
toma@sail.LABS.TEK.COM (Tom Almy) (04/19/91)
In article <zmmgl0h@rpi.edu> court@rpi.edu (Court Demas) writes: > I just read a few (minor) flames to Borland about using RTF for the >Help Compiler stuff. Welp, anybody who actually _bought_ MS Windows 3.0 >(or any other version for that matter) surely received MS _Write_(!). >I can't see any reason for using anything else BUT Write for the Help Compiler >- why use something huge like Word? Probably because MS Write won't produce RTF files! At least I don't see a way. -- Tom Almy toma@sail.labs.tek.com Standard Disclaimers Apply
court@rpi.edu (Court Demas) (04/19/91)
Since when did Write output RTF files? Since they put in the little clicky box before you save (MS Word Format..).. court
wolf@netcom.COM (Buckskin Tech.) (04/23/91)
court@rpi.edu (Court Demas) writes: >Since when did Write output RTF files? >Since they put in the little clicky box before you save (MS Word Format..).. >court For the record: RTF is *not* the same as MS Word format. RTF is a structured plaintext formatting language that Microsoft Word happens to write. The "MS Word" option in Windows Write refers only to the Microsoft Word native file format, which is not RTF. Since RTF is plaintext, you can create an RTF file with any text editor. HOWEVER, you will need to be very familiar with the structures that RTF defines as well as the overal format of RTF before you can get anywhere. Summary: 1: use MS Word, Ami Pro, or another word processor that can output documents RTF. 2: get the RTF spec from Microsoft and create the RTF file by hand. 3: wait 'til someone comes up with a simple RTF generator (anyone? anyone?) - Wolf
rhys@cs.uq.oz.au (Rhys Weatherley) (04/23/91)
In <1991Apr22.191500.13692@netcom.COM> wolf@netcom.COM (Buckskin Tech.) writes: >3: wait 'til someone comes up with a simple RTF generator (anyone? anyone?) I'm "sort of" working on something like this at the moment (I have neither the money nor the inclination to buy a RTF-able wordprocessor). My idea is to provide another file format (not another one :-) which is more human readable and human editable using standard ASCII editors, plus a translator to compile my format into RTF. I'm going to be working flat-tack on it this week and I hope to have something (albeit restricted to a small subset of the help system's capabilities) fairly soon. Basically my file format is a little like TeX (don't worry if you don't know what that is) and the commands in it are supposed to reflect the structure of a help system rather than some bizzare super-portable wordprocessor format like RTF (whoever heard of using footnotes for specifying keywords and things!). Hopefully you'll be able to type in things like (this is just an example) the following: \topic{File Menu Commands}{filemenu} \keyword{File} \browse{mainmenu:003} The following commands appear on the file menu: \xref{New}{filemenunew} \xref{Open}{filemenuopen} \topic{Edit Menu Commands}{editmenu} \keyword{Edit} \browse{mainmenu:002} The following commands appear on the edit menu: \xref{Cut}{editmenucut} \xref{Paste}{editmenupaste} \topic{Open a file}{filemenuopen} \keyword{Open} \browse{filemenu:010} .... Using my system will entail another step in building a help system, that of compiling my format into RTF, but I think this is a small price to pay to get something that is more manageable and a great deal cheaper. Comments, ideas, etc can be sent to me at the e-mail address below. Rhys. +=====================+==================================+ || Rhys Weatherley | The University of Queensland, || || rhys@cs.uq.oz.au | Australia. G'day!! || +=====================+==================================+
jpn@genrad.com (John P. Nelson) (04/26/91)
>Since RTF is plaintext, you can create an RTF file with any text editor. >HOWEVER, you will need to be very familiar with the structures that RTF defines >as well as the overal format of RTF before you can get anywhere. Could someone who knows post a capsule summary of RTF format? I don't want to do anything fancy - how about a list of the 5 or so commands (constructs) that you need to use in ANY RTF file? I just want to use the Help compiler, and I'm not about to spring for a new word processor, not just for that! john nelson uucp: {decvax,mit-eddie}!genrad!jpn domain: jpn@genrad.com