Macros to Convert WordPerfect 5.1 Files to HTML

contents

1 Introduction
The macros convert a document into HTML format, they are available for WordPerfect 5.1 only. The markup follows HTML-2, with HTML-3 (draft) and/or Netscape extensions optional.

They were written specifically for the task of converting Southampton University Computing Services "Information Centre Documents" into HTML format. These documents are written by several different authors using a common template. Headings, etc., are all laid out using WordPerfect styles. The results of the conversion can be seen on the web at:

http://www.soton.ac.uk/cp/ic_docs/

The macros can be used with simple documents without styles. In that case, a user may only have to install the macros and run them. No knowledge of HTML and little knowledge of WordPerfect is required.

When documents do use styles then a better conversion to HTML can be obtained, but the user will have to know both enough HTML and WordPerfect to write a style file conforming to HTML. Some examples of style files are included in the .ZIP file, including style files matching the WordPerfect VIP templates used at Southampton for Agenda, Letter, Memo, Minutes and Report documents.

2 Elementary Use


First install the macros (see file setup.wp).

The steps in using these macros to convert a simple WP file to HTML format: 

1).  Retrieve the file from disc.

2).  Run the macros by entering the command <Alt-F10>HTML

3).  When you are prompted for the name of the style file, just
     press <Enter> or <Return>.

4).  At the end you will be prompted for a title to be included
     in the <Title> field of the document, and then for the
     filename for the .HTM file.

5).  Move the file on to your web server.

3 More Advanced Use
To cope with a more complicated WP file, which may include graphics, styles, etc., the steps are: 
1).  If there are styles in the document then prepare a style
     file with HTML markups to replace the existing styles.

2).  Edit the macro HTMLOPTS to suit the document to be
     converted.  See file SETUP.WP for more details on the
     HTMLOPTS macro.  You may put the name of your style file in
     HTMLOPTS to avoid being asked it every time the macros are
     run.

     It may be necessary to modify other macros to suit local
     requirements, see DETAILS.WP.

3).  Create pre- and/or post- files as required to suit local
     conventions.  You may use SOTON.PRE and SOTON.END as
     models.

4).  Retrieve the file from disc, and generate the document if
     necessary.  "Document 2" must be empty.

5).  Run the macros by entering the command <Alt-F10>HTML

     You may be asked for names for Figure and/or Equation
     files.  Enter the names of the inline-graphics files to be
     used in conjunction with the HTML file.  You will also be
     prompted for the name of each graphic file to sent to disk.

     You will be prompted for a title to be included in the
     document, and then for the filename for the .HTM file.

6).  Move the file on to your web server.

7).  Prepare any necessary figure and equation graphics files,
     and place them on the web server also.
If you have several files to convert then the process may be batched up. An example HTMLBTCH macro is included, this will not run on your machine as file and directory names will be different. The example file shows how the settings in HTMLOPTS may be overridden for specific documents.

4 What The Macros Do
Where the action is governed by the settings in macro HTMLOPTS, this is indicated by "(optional)". 
          http://www.uni-passau.de/~ramsch/iso8859-1.html
     or
          http://www.soton.ac.uk/devpages/ref/keychar.html

     are made.

5 The Main Macros

 
HTMLBTCH  An example of how to convert a series of documents
          without user interaction. Note: this is included as an
          example only, and must be changed to suit your
          directories and filenames.

HTMLTABL  shows the markup of ISO Latin characters and Greek and
          Maths characters (using .GIF files), and the
          conversion of other, non-ASCII characters.

HTML      Calls the conversion macros in the correct order.

HTMLOPTS  Sets variables to control the conversion.

          You may edit this to include the name of your style
          file, and to change other options as required.

6 Other Files
File SETUP.WP provides help on editing the HTMLOPTS macro, etc.

File DETAILS.WP lists all the macros, and outlines what each does.

A number of example style files, with extension .STY, are included. One may be useful as a starting point in writing your own. Files AGENDA.STY, LETTER.STY, MEMO.STY, MINUTES.STY, and REPORT.STY are suitable for use where standard University of Southampton templates have been used. The file IC_DOCS.STY is suitable for SUCS Information Centre Documents, and is the most elaborate.

Files SOTON.PRE and SOTON.END are examples of "pre" and "post" files.

File README is the plain ASCII version of WP5.1 file README.WP, and README.HTM is README.WP after conversion using IC_DOCS.STY.

File LINK_UP is a Unix shell script which marks up a given string as a hyperlink wherever it occurs in all .html files in the current directory. Multiple calls of LINK_UP can be used on a set of documents to hyperlink them to each other.

7 Ventura Support


Macros HTML-BV and HTML-LV were written with the help of Adam Warren of Southampton University Computing Services to aid the conversion into HTML format of documents written using the Ventura DTP package. The macros may be switched on by an option set in HTMLOPTS.

The macros are used as a stage in the production of the pages to be found under 

     http://www.soton.ac.uk/~connect/
You would almost certainly need to add additional conversions to cope with your own Ventura documents.

8 Limitations, Etc.
Please note that these macros are slow: the conversion of this document to HTML takes over two minutes on my 66MHz 486-machine.

Due to bugs in WP, or for other reasons, attempts to batch-process many files in one go often fail in a non-repeatable fashion.

The following are not handled by the Macros:

Other limitations include: The Macros have been tested on the following version of WordPerfect only: 
     5.1  DOS       English Language (UK)
Email dja@soton.ac.uk accounts of any bugs/fixes and/or improvements, etc., that you want to pass on. Please be sure to quote the version date set in macro HTML-A.

9 Copyright, Etc.
These macros are the intellectual property of my employer, the University of Southampton, but neither I nor the University will accept any liability for them whatever.

The macros are copyright of the University of Southampton, but may be freely used, altered and distributed. I ask the following:


David Adams
Southampton University Computing Services (SUCS)
1st. February 1996.
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