Version 1.5 - May 1997
If you don't know any, ask your local post office and inform yourself on how to make a payment to The UNICEF.
The amount of the offer is what you want, but please do it!
Before launching this program on your computer, please read carefully the following paragraph, and continue only if you agree with the terms written below.
THE HTTX AUTHOR IS IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR MORAL AND/OR MATERIAL DAMAGES THAT HIS PROGRAM MAY CAUSE TO PEOPLE OR THINGS. THE PROGRAMMER GAVE THE BEST FOR LIMITING THE PROBLEMS THAT HTTX MAY CAUSE, BUT HE IS NOT ABLE TO GUARANTEE THE EFFICIENCY IN ALL THE SITUATIONS. USING HTTX, YOU, THE USER, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL MORAL, MATERIAL, CIVIL AND PENAL THINGS.
WARNING:
Many of HTML documents are under Copyright, and are not freely
distributables, nor if converted in plain text format. The author decline
every responsibility for the utilization of the files generated with HTTX.
All of the programs mentioned in this document are properties of their respective owners.
The executable program, the source code and the ideas on its basis are EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY of Gabriele Favrin. All rights reserved.
HTTX is freeware, NOT public domain. It may be spread only if the executable file and the documentation will remain unchanged. It's allowed to distribute the files in archives different than LhA, but it's not allowed the compression of the individual files using PowerPacker or similar tools.
The insertion of HTTX or its parts in cover disks of magazines is granted only with the authorization of the author.
Commercial utilization of this package is exclusively allowed to AmiTrix and Yvon Rozijn (AWeb).
Aminet, Fred Fish, Meeting Pearls and Amy Resource staffs are authorized to insert HTTX in their public domain software collections.
HTTX (HTml > TXt) is a program born to convert files from HTML format, used for viewing files on World Wide Web, to pure ASCII. There are analogous products, but since none of that has completely satisfied my needs, I started to make one by myself.
I don't say this is the best or the fastest one but surely it has some functions unpublished on similar Amiga programs till now.
C: directory or in your current path.
HTTX MUST be only launched from Shell.
Command syntax:
HTTX InputFile [OutputFile] [options]
Parameters in square brackets are optional. It's simply required to provide a valid HTML file ("InputFile").
If there is no OutputFile specified, the OutputFile will use the following
notation by default: InputFile.txt (e.g. "test.html" will be saved as
"test.html.txt"). If a path is specified for OutputFile, that file will be
saved in the specified directory.
Examples:
HTTX data:txt/html/aboxe.html
The file "aboxe.html" will be saved in the directory "data:txt/html/" as
"aboxe.html.txt"
HTTX data:txt/html/aboxe.html ram:aboxe.txt
The file "aboxe.html" will be converted and saved into ram disk as "aboxe.txt"
HTTX data:txt/html/aboxe.html data:txt/
The file "aboxe.html" will be saved in the directory "data:txt/" and converted
as "aboxe.html.txt"
HTTX offers many options on how to control the generated document.
Default: 77 - Minimum: 15 - Maximum: 255
Default: 3 - Minimum: 1 - Maximum: (LEN value - 10) / 3
Not to use if the converted text will go on message areas, like Fidonet or Usenet newsgroups.
Default: OFF (styles are not converted).
IMPORTANT: the ANSI option adds Escape codes (ASCII 27), forbidden on FidoNet, and strongly not recommended for a non personal use (broadcast) of converted text.
Default: OFF (8 bit chars are not converted).
Default: HRMODE=1 (lines are inserted using the minus "-" character).
Examples:
If NOALIGN option is ON, both the above lines will start on left margin, this saves characters.
Default: OFF (alignment is rightly converted).
Default: OFF (title is not saved as comment, but inside the file).
Example:
HTTX ram:children.html SITE=http://www.unicef.org
will start the file with "URL : http://www.unicef.org"
Note: this option has priority on GETNOTE, so specifying a site this will be used, also if the option is active.
Default: OFF (without this option the URL will not be added).
Default: OFF.
Default: OFF (title and URL may be added).
Default: OFF (links not added).
Default: OFF (ALT-text not added).
Default: OFF (HTTX uses standard DTD rules).
USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK: conversion of text or binary files may cause unpredictable results.
Normally, HTTX considers valid an HTML file when:
This option should be specified if the three above conditions are false, even if the file is an HTML document.
Default: OFF (automatic check of file).
Default: OFF (converted file is saved to disk).
printer.device will convert standard ANSI codes and end-of-lines to the ones used by specific Printer, set with the "Printer" program, located in the "Prefs" drawer.
This option is required if you want to print the converted document, especially if the ANSI option is enabled, because ANSI codes used for conversion are different from the printer ones, which are more generic.
Previous version of HTTX used a solution like "HTTX aboxe.html prt:", which is now to avoid.
The option automatically enables QUIET option, and turns off FILENOTE and STDIO options.
Default: OFF (document is displayed on screen or saved to a file).
If APPEND is ON, the converted text will be added to the end of the specified file.
Default: OFF (overwrite output file, if already exists).
For informations on external configuration, see section 5.2.
Default: OFF (HTTX searches for the configuration).
This options turns NOCFG OFF.
For informations on external configuration, see section 5.2.
Default: OFF (HTTX loads the httx.prefs configuration file).
WARNING: if active, this option also hides error messages. Anyway, the AmigaDOS error codes are always returned.
Default: OFF (HTTX output is displayed).
If not specified, HTTX uses the default settings.
When conversion is finished, if QUIET option is OFF, HTTX will show:
HTTX supports an external configuration, that is a text file that includes the most used options, not to be typed every time you launch the program.
By default (except when NOCFG option is set, or CFG option with a different filename) HTTX searches the "httx.prefs" file in the ENV: directory.
It's possible to create multiple configurations, for example one to use for file conversion and another one to use for print, creating different configuration files and enabling the CFG option with the name of the file (it's unnecessary to specify ENV:).
Example:
HTTX aboxe.html
Converts "aboxe.html"; using default configuration (httx.prefs).
HTTX aboxe.html PRINT CFG=httxprt.prefs
Converts "aboxe.html" using the configuration file called httxprt.prefs
located in the directory ENV:.
The file must contain just the options and their possible parameters. It's allowed to write an option per line, for better readability.
Available options (for description see section 5.1.) are the following:
Parameters specified on command line override the ones specified in configuration file. If the options exist, they will be toggled. Examples:
If a configuration file has the following line:
IMG GETNOTE LEN=70
and on command line you write:
HTTX aboxe.html IMG
the result is IMG turned on because it's present in configuration line, but turned off again because it's also present in command line.
HTTX aboxe.html LEN=74
LEN is both present in configuration file and command line, but this one overrides the previous value. LEN is now set to 74.
External configuration files are in effect system variables, managed with SetEnv and GetEnv.
System variables are located in ENVARC: directory (on disk) and ENV:
(generally on RAM). So, the contents in ENV: are valid only for the current
session, while the contents in ENVARC: are also valid after a reset.
To permanently save a configuration file, copy it both in ENV: and ENVARC:.
HTTX configuration may be whole managed using the plugin for the AWeb WWW browser.
From shell:
SetEnv httx.prefs "options"
httx.prefs is the default filename. You can use the name you want. Options must be included between quotation marks to be compatible with some kind of shells (like csh).
The configuration file must be saved to ENV: (to use in current session) and to ENVARC: (to future use, after having turned off the machine).
Use your favourite text editor (Ed, Cygnus Editor, GoldEd, and so on). Remember to save the file to ENVARC: if you want to permanently store changes.
When execution terminates, HTTX puts out the appropriate AmigaDOS Return Code (RC), reusable within scripts to determine if the conversion was successfull or not. See your AmigaDOS handbook for a complete list of error codes.
In case of error, if QUIET is off, the appropriate AmigaDOS message will be displayed.
Following there's a list of the most common errors. If the system is localized, messages are displayed in the appropriate language. See your AmigaDOS manual for further information.
HTTX can show other errors, due to wrong use of commands or options:
Finally, there are a few warnings which may be displayed. The conversion will be executed, but there can be situations altering the final result:
Q. "ANSI styles (bold, italic, underline, blue) stop after first line."
A. ANSI standard says the end of line don't cause a style to stop. So, the
problem is in the text viewer programs, not in HTTX. Standard shell and
Multiview, for example, work correctly.
Q. "Converted text from HTTX appears centered, but in the original document it isn't."
A. This can happen with bad written pages, with alignment TAGS followed by
tables (which are left aligned by default). To solve the problem use the NOALIGN option.
Q. "Sometimes alignment doesn't work, wordwrap and lists are not correctly formatted".
A. It's the text included between <PRE> or <LISTING> TAGS. HTTX copies the
text as is, without formatting. This choice was made because often that
kind of text contains sources that the author wishes to keep as is.
Q. "Some pages are not correctly converted..."
A. There may be many reasons: layout based on tables (actually not full
supported. See section 8), errors on HTML source (HTTX is quite
tolerant, but there are limits) or errors on HTTX engine. If you think
the page is correct, send me an E-mail with its URL.
(E-Mail: favrin@tin.it, FidoNet: 2:333/726.8)
Q. "How can I directly use HTTX from AWeb or Directory Opus?"
A. About AWeb, users of release 3.0 or better can use the enclosed Arexx plugin.
HTTX can be used from Directory Opus by creating a button configured as follow (Directory Opus 4.12):
New Entry/AmigaDOS:
C:HTTX {f} {d}
(replace C: with path where HTTX is)
With this configuration file selected from "source" directory will be converted to text and saved to the "destination" directory.
By activating "Do all files" flag it's possible to convert more than
one file, by selecting them and clicking the HTTX button.
Q. "How can I improve the performance of HTTX?"
A. To speed up the conversion, try using a filesystem with block of 1024
bytes, like RAM disk. If memory is almost full or fragmented, saving to RAM disk will slow down the conversion process.
This section talks about some thematics of HTML and its implementation in HTTX. The reading of this paragraph is not required to learn the use of HTTX.
What is supported:
What is not supported:
These TAGS will be probably implemented in future releases of HTTX.
Implementation of the standard:
Beyond every communication, problem, bug report, advise or other things, a comment about HTTX will be appreciated, and segnalation of actions toward corporations who takes care of children (see CHILDWARE).
E-Mail : favrin@tin.it
FidoNet: 2:333/726.8
Please write me in italian or english, thank you.
HTTX support page:
http://www.logicom.it/personal/poing/httx/
Betatesting of version 1.5:
This english documentation (translated from the italian one):
Betatesting of AWeb Plugin:
Very much thanks to Yvon Rozijn for having wanted HTTX inside AWeb II and for this great year!
Thanks to W. v. Oortmerssen for the splendid AmigaE, used to realize HTTX.
Finally special greetings to whom wrote me about HTTX and to whom use it!
V1.1a (January 1997)
V1.1b
V1.5 (May 1997)
HTTX is a program in continuous growth, because I daily use it, so I notice lacks or improvements.
If you don't know any, ask your local post office and inform yourself on how to make a payment to The UNICEF.
The amount of the offer is what you want, but please do it!