BuildHTML - A textfile to HTML builder


Status:

Freeware. © 2001 I. W. Logan. Please distribute unaltered in the archive supplied.

Purpose:

To build HTML3.2 or 4.01 (Transitional) compliant webpages from text files which may or may not include 'primitive' dot+letter markup.

Use:

Drag a text file to the application's window or icon. Select the HTML type if required. Click on create to open a save dialogue.

Note: this file will work.

Method:

Create a HTML file from a text file by analysing its structure and converting to headings, paras lists or tables as sensible.

The first line is converted into the page <title> and also repeated as a <h1> heading. (see 'User Customisation', below)

Any lines surrounded by two or more line ends are treated as <h2> headings.

Tables are generated if a tab appears anywhere in a line. To make a contiguous table, lines must also be contiguous. The <table> tags are generated automatically. If the last character of any table cell is a colon (:) that cell will be given <th> tags.

Paragraphs are generated where two or more lines are contiguous.

A simple means of marking up (a one letter 'dot-code') is added to give some control over output, and to make it possible to create lists.
.|  - remark
.b  - bold
.e  - emphasised
.g  - strong
.l  - big
.i  - italic
.p  - para (forces lines on their own to be paras)
.q  - blockquote (use twice - at start and at end of section)
.r  - linebreak
.u  - underline
.-  - horizontal rule
.<space>  - unordered list item. <ul> tags will be automatically generated to precede and follow list items.
.<n>  - heading <n>umber

NB letter 'dot-code' is not case-sensitive.

Where required, all characters within the textfile are converted to legal entities including the MS silly ones between 128 and 159 inclusive.

User Customisation

Headers and footers

Inside this application, you will find an application called '!MyRes'. Make a copy of this file in a convenient place adjacent to the webpages you are constructing. This contains three files which you can customise to suit your needs.

The '!MyRes' application can also be renamed, and multiple copies made and switched between if needs be. If you rename it, also rename the sprite in '!Sprites' to suit. Please note that '!MyRes' only takes effect when double-clicked on. If you wish to switch between different sets of resources, simply double click on them as required, and wait a couple of seconds for the system changes to take effect.

Inside '!MyRes', 'header' and 'footer' files contain customisable HTML markup. You can modify their contents to suit your own purposes. When you select 'User-defined header/footer' these files will be used. User-defined strings can also be used in these files.

User-defined Strings

The 'user_strs' file contains up to 10 lines, each being a string which you can define for your needs.

These strings can be automatically inserted in the header, footer and file to be processed, by typing one in the range ^0^ -^9^ where you wish that string to be inserted. In addition, the following special codes will insert the strings as shown:

The letters used are not case-sensitive

(Note that a small dodge was used to retain the '^' characters in the list above)

There's also a default 'user_strs' file in the 'Resources' directory within BuildHTML.

History

1.00c (30-Sep-1999)  Added simple markup.
1.00d (06-Oct-1999)  Added remark, fixed '<' bug.
1.10a (04-Jun-2001)  Added user-defined strings, custom headers and footers.
1.10b (19-Jun-2001)  Found and fixed a 'large table' bug.
1.10g (16-Oct-2001)  A few minor mods to take us up to HTML 4.01.
1.10j (27-May-2002)  Added detection of table headers using colons.
1.10n (08-Oct-2003)  Datasave fault found and rectified.

To do:

Get tables to accept some simple markup. At present the dot is lost but not the letter!

Tidy up the output a bit!


27th May 2002