Guide2txt  by John Marchant (aka 'Gnome')   Version 1
=========
Purpose
--------
  To convert amigaguide files into "normal" ascii text, and insert pagefeeds
every n lines - where n is 63 by default, but can be changed by a command
argument.

Usage
-----
  Gguide2txt <input guide filename> <output filename> [lines per page]

The two filenames must include the path. Lines per page is 63 by default.
If pagefeeds are not wanted, enter [lines per page] as zero.

If the input file is not a guide, it will be unchanged on the output
file (except for the pagefeeds).

Background
-----------
 Guide files usually irritate me.  The concept is fine, but it is often
very difficult to find the information I want, particularly if there is a
poor index or no index.  One of the problems of looking up something is
that you don't always know what you need to look up.  I liken using a guide
to searching a dark room with a torch.  You have to keep spotlighting small
areas and inspecting them. But with a "proper document", you can bring it
into your favourite editor (I use CygnusEd), and scroll up and down, so
easily gaining a broader picture. You are now floodlighting your room!
You CAN do this with a guide file, but it's so messy.

 So I tried several converter programs, and none of them satisfied me.  One
of them put in pagefeedsafter every node.  And since this guide then had
many pages with only a few lines on them, the converted file produced yards
of blank paper when I printed it.

Features
---------
There may be a few "unwanted features". The only one I know of at present
is the treatment of lines like the following in MRB_Backups.guide.

@{" The Backup File Selector " 
        ALink "MRBackup:Help/MRB_FileSelector.guide/main" }

This becomes, in the converted text:-

 The Backup File Selector         ALink "MRBackup:Help/MRB_FileSelector.guide/main" }

i.e. When a link is split onto a new line, the program flow malfunctions.

Since lines like this only occur in 2 guides out of about 50 that I tested,
I decided to take no action at present.  I might attend to this is a later
version.

Also, linewrap is not implemented at present. If I can summon the interest
and energy, I'll do something about this one day. Not many guides seem to
use long lines, anyway.

Any Problems
--------------
  I don't really want to make a big thing of this little utility I knocked
up for my own use; but if you really want to contact me, you can send a
message to:

 Fidonet: 2:2500/167.15     usenet: gnome@martinac.demon.co.uk

Or you can send Fax or Fidonet crash mail to my BBS on +44 01234 212752.
"Moonlight BBS" is open to receive ONLY between the hours of 18:00 and
08:00 UK time.