The PC/Mac Foils to HTML Conversion Package wwwfoil

This Help Page is Out of Date and Describes "Legacy" Conversion Program wwwfoil.pl which is greatly enhanced and incorporated in WebWisdom System

Please see WebWisdom Description for more Information

Version 0.71 June 21,1995
CookBook section from Nancy McCracken added

Version 0.72 July 3,1995
some modest support for Powerpoint Presentations added.
Version 0.721 July 6,1995
Further examples are at front

This document describes program wwwfoil freely available by FTP from NPAC.

Here is an annotated example of both Persuasion Input, Output and various control and template files

Foilsets manipulated by various versions of this program may be found as follows:

Ida1/fullindex.html
Ida2/fullindex.html
asopmaster/fullindex.html
asopscript/fullindex.html This is a Script
compsci95/fullindex.html
crpcappls/fullindex.html
hpcs95/fullindex.html This is a script involving over 12 independent foilsets
hpcs95master/fullindex.html : This is control and overall foils for previous mixed script
infomall95/fullindex.html
infovision95/fullindex.html
niikids/fullindex.html
npacdbover/fullindex.html
progparaA/fullindex.html
progparaB/fullindex.html
reumaster/fullindex.html
reuscript/fullindex.html This is a Script
webserver/fullindex.html
webwindows/fullindex.html
wwwhelp/fullindex.html


And here are some foilsets for the Virtual University!!

These come from CPS600 taught spring semester 1995 at Syracuse University

cps616overview/fullindex.html
cps616collab/fullindex.html
cps616threads/fullindex.html
cps616compress/fullindex.html
cps616perl/fullindex.html
cps616rdbms1/fullindex.html
cps616rdbms2/fullindex.html
cps616webdbms/fullindex.html

GIF images used in this class are being collected together. Current collection is stored in:

This illustrates use of wwwfoil.pl to manipulate purely user generated information outside Powerpoint and Persuasion

/docs/presentations/by_module/fox/1995/screendumps/kidsweb/fullindex.html
/docs/presentations/by_module/fox/1995/screendumps/phy105/fullindex.html
This was generated from user constructed (on UNIX) outline file:
ftp://ftp.npac.syr.edu/pub/docs/presentations/by_module/fox/1995/screendumps/phy105/processed


Table of Contents

Purpose of Program
Converting Persuasion Outline form to HTML. Also specifying mix of foilsets to be used in a single presentation. Some general discussion of Philosophy.
The CookBook
This program wwwfoil has to many options and so here is a quick cookbook for basic utility which keeps most options at their default
Additional Useful Programs
This lists some small utilities I found useful
Pluses and Minuses of Persuasion Outline Format
Also describes format itself and hints as how to best use to optimize accuray of conversion
How to Convert Powerpoint Foils
The less satisfactory support for Powerpoint
Options Specifying Strategy for particular run and used in initial input file
Describes foilsets to be used and processed and how to mix them together
Use of Program
How to set up processing and assumed structure of file system
Data Format or Options used to elaborate meaning of original and processed foilsets
Options to be used internally to original and processed data files
Options used to describe processing of Individual Foilset
These augment information contained in Outline file.
Options used to describe template files
These are read from WWWTEMPLATE file read in CONTROL options.
Special Syntax allowed in Template files themselves
These are syntax allowed in files defined in WWWTEMPLATE described above.
Format of URL Aliases
This is in standard syntax adopted by NPAC

Purpose of Program

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wwwfoil is designed to process the text outline file produced by Adobe Persuasion and convert to HTML. It will also do several other useful tasks needed in preparing online presentations for education. These include:


The Beginning User's CookBook


These are Cookbook instructions for running wwwfoil prepared by Nancy McCracken.
Make a directory for foils. In this directory, you will have a subdirectory for each foilset, and you should copy the files "wwwalias" and "wwwfoil.pl". The first file you will change or extend to be your collection of aliases of URL's used in your foilsets. The latter file is the wwwfoil program.


To make each foilset, make a directory, In this directory, copy all the following files:
control1 perswww tempabsgif tempmixedhtml temptitleabs control2 processed tempabshtml tempsepgif temptotalhtml options runwwwfoil1 tempfullhtml tempsephtml outline runwwwfoil2 tempfullindex temptitle.


The files that you will definitely need to change to fit your talk are:
control1 and outline - if you are starting from a Persuasion outline.
control2 and processed - start with these if you are making up a foilset that didn't come from Persuasion, otherwise you may edit them after the first run of the script which produces processed from outline.
options and perswww -

The files that start with "temp" are templates for the formatted www pages, and are changed optionally to your style.
You will also need to create a subdirectory called seporggifdir. It should either contain the gifs of your foils or links to the gifs of your foils. The only exception to creating this directory is if every foil uses the Getgiffrom: option which specifies the location of the gifs in the processed file.

All of these files are described in more detail in the other parts of current help file wwwfoilhelp. This also describes how to run the wwwfoil program, using the scripts "runwwwfoil1" and "runwwwfoil2".

After the wwwfoil program is run, it produces files and directories as follows:
abstemp, perstemp, fullhtml.html, fullindex.html, mixedhtml.html, normal,sephtmldir, seporggifdir, talktitle.html,titleabs.html,totalhtml.html


You can then use any of the html files, such as fullindex.html, for viewing.


Additional Small Useful Utilities


SGML Subset to Persuasion Outline Format
sgmltopers.pl is designed to convert the subset of SGML used in our old version of Publisher to Persuasion Outline format
ASCII to Persuasion Outline Format
asciitopers.pl is designed to convert Ascii file produced by our old version of Publisher to Persuasion Outline format
Macintosh to UNIX Format Correction
mactounix.pl corrects minor glitch (ascii ') in bringing text outline files from Macintosh to UNIX
Create Links in seporggifdir
makelink.pl creates links in directory seporggifdir to GIF files transferred from Macintosh. It corrects for erratic inconsistent naming conventions
Check that GIFs are plausible and Present
checkseporggifdir.pl checks through GIF files on directory seporggifdir to see that present and have plausible size

On the Pluses and Minuses of the Persuasion Outline Format


Introduction

Note that the only open easily manipulatable file produced by Persuasion is the text outline file. This is an incomplete record of information in the foils which we correct to some extent by linking HTML to GIF versions of foils. The outline file is an incomplete record of information in the foil as it discards formatting and image(multimedia) data. We view wwwfoil as transition technology until some entrepreneur produces WebPersuasion or WebPowerpoint which properly integrate presentation preparation with the Web.


Why should you use HTML versions?

There are some important guidelines which if followed will enhance accuracy of HTML produced by wwwfoil.

Persuasion's Outline Format

This is trivial!! The overall foilset title is the first line. All foil titles are indented one tab; all bullets two or more tabs with number of tabs reflecting level of indentation. Note wwwfoil ignores the Outline foilset title but instead takes foilset title from FOIL title of FIRST foil. Also by default, wwwfoil assumes that abstract of presentation is contained in foil 2. This default can be overridden in Processing Options.



General Philosophy of FoilWorld


Foilworld consists of a set of unit entries called foils. These are helpful on the Web because their size (around one page) is convenient for browsing. In the overhead projector view of foilworld, each foil is displayed by an overhead projector and described by a presenter. The presenter has prearranged a more or less fixed order of foils (a presentation) but this can be changed dynamically based on intuition of presenter and audience questions.

On the web, a foil consists of the same unit in several different forms (GIF, HTML) and with (expected addition) of buttons to play prerecorded video or audio from presenter. Each foil conatins the essence of a subconcept. Subconcepts are linked together to describe larger concepts. Foils tend not to go into detail. On the web, this detail is accessed through hyperlinks to more detailed documents or audio words of wisdom. In the overhead version, the presenter gives out references as paper or citations for further detail.

For serious education, we need a lot of foils to describe the web of knowledge offered by our virtual university. This creates a society of foils which has the following structure. We have a set of basic foilsets which are like tribes or modules. All foils belong to one foilset although often they are copied to others. Foilsets can be scattered over the world. The presenter creates dynamic organizations called presentations using a script to select suitable foils from one or more foilsets. These foilsets are selected through the great wisdom of the presenter from the best available material throughout the world.

wwwfoil reads the presenters script (travel plan) and proposed file template. Foils are cast into this template and equipped with signposts allowing navigation to neighboring foils and to related resources.The hitchhiker on the web of knowledge will travel through a given presentation seeking out as necessary further information from either the raw foilsets or other hyperlinked documents. We have several types of tribes. Currently we have those created by Persuasion(HTML,GIF), Powerpoint(HTML,GIF), Powerpoint(SGML,HTML,GIF), Framemaker and other Latex engines (Postscript,HTML,GIF) which can be mixed and matched. Often we also use screendumps of particular Web sites of interest and these are cast into such a template. We expect a new generation of native Webfoils who will as a supertribe inherit the earth. However InfoMall has yet to spin off this company to create the native Webfoilmaker.


Use of wwwfoil on Powerpoint Presentations


If the attribute powerpoint is specified in file PROCOPTIONS , then the presentation is assumed to come from a Powerpoint presentation where I tried many different ways of processing outline file. I first saved in RTF format and tried RTF to HTML and various outputs produced by Microsoft word. All ways produced on my examples rather erratic results producing an outline file which required some hand manipulation. We settled on saving as "Text with Layout" from Microsoft Word. Further Powerpoint does not (as far as we know) offer a convenient way of extracting GIF versions of the foils. There is no export facility as in Persuasion.

Use of Program -- Processing and File System Structure

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Basic use is: wwwfoil.pl CONTROL

where the file CONTROL defines the the overall desired processing including foilsets to be used etc. There are many further files read and written by wwwfoil -- namely:

We also define directories


Basic Format of key:value Syntax files

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wwwfoil uses a simple MIME like format key:value. Continuation lines are indicated by Contd: or blank at start of following lines. The Blank is dangerous as can be confused with tab used for identing.
Note that case is ignored in key (part before colon) but in general not in value field.

As described under contd:, CONTD: (here is only time case significant in key ) has the special meaning of indicating that a true newline separates current continuation line from the previous value line.


Most information used by wwwfoil is in a common simple MIME like format key:value where particular values of keys allowed are described below for each file.

Options used in CONTROL to define Overall Strategy of wwwfoil

Back to Contents!
This is the first vocabulary file to be read and contains a set of options to define a foilset or a mix thereof. Each set of options for a foilset must be ended with a load command. A foilset mix references "loaded" individual foilsets and itself needs a script command and no load command. There is no significance to order options appear in CONTROL file.
Now here are the options used in CONTROL to specify control strategy
We use for this file a simple MIME like format key:value described above.

Contd: <field>
The field is viewed as a continuation of previous value or list or field.
Note that CONTD: implies that continuation should be considered as having a true newline at the start of line. See earlier for more information.
Label: <field>
field is printed label of foiilset -- optional but strongly recommended unless foilset not to be used in a "mixed" set this run.
Load:
Instructs wwwfoil to load foilset specified currently. Must be present if this foilset is to be used either in a mix or a single foilset processing run.
Makelink: <field>
field is UNIX directory which hold links to GIF files used in this presentation. Makelink need not be present and should only be used if you wish to set up such a directory. It is typically used to set up directory containing set of separate GIF files for a foilset mix. This only woirks if templates imply same directory name to hold GIF files in each member of the mix.
Master: <field>
field is nickname of foilset which is Master for current foilset. The Master foilset defines overall parameters of mixed foilset.
It must be present in a foilset mix and is ignored for a single foilset processing run. Note that you are not required to use any foils from master foilset. If script file specifies a foilset to be loaded the Master foilset is defaulted to this.
Name: <field> or Nickname: <field>
field is nickname by which foilset is referred to in script for foilset mix. Optional but recommended. It is defaulted to value of label.
Original: <field>
This is required for a foilset and field is Unix file name of data defining this foilset. The file can either have original persuasion outline format or be in "processed" form with additional user edits such as htmlline: .... from a previous run of wwwfoil.
Processed: <field>
This is optional and field is Unix file name of file to which processed results of a SINGLE foilset are to be written. Typically only used when original file is in Persuasion "outline" and not processed ">">">">">">"<">">">">">">">">">">">">">">">">">">">">">key:value>">">">">">">" syntax .
Procoptions: <field>
This is required for each foilset and is the file specifying processing and other overall foilset specific information as described later.
Relative:
If this attribute is present, generate if possible relative and not absolute path names in symbolic links used in directories specifying GIF files to use.
Note relative file names can be safer as absolute names are different for UNIX and Servers
Script: <field>
field is UNIX file name of file defining script for foilset mix. If field is string single or simple, then create a presentation consisting solely of current foilset. In this case Script command must be after the necessary Load command. in case where field is a file name, then we have a mix and Load should not be present.
wwwdir: <field>
field is base directory for this foilset or foilset mix where information will be written. It defaults to current directory.
Do not end directory name with /.
wwwserver: <field>
field is World Wide Web server of this foilset. It is only required if you are mixing foilsets with different server URL's.
wwwtemplate: <field>
field is UNIX file name of file defining template files and the meaning of abbreviations used in template files. It is required for any foilset or foilset mix.

Most information used by wwwfoil is in a common simple MIME like format key:value where particular values of keys allowed are described below for each file.

Options used in SCRIPT to define foilset mix produced by wwwfoil

Back to Contents!

This file defines the foilset mix in terms of range of foils described below and allows intermixing of lines in same format as that of processed data.
We use for this file a simple MIME like format key:value described above.

Bullet1: <field>
The field holds text field of level 1 bullet
Bullet2: <field>
The field holds text field of level 2 bullet
Bullet3: <field>
The field holds text field of level 3 bullet
Bullet4: <field>
The field holds text field of level 4 bullet
Contd: <field>
The field is viewed as a continuation of previous value or list or field.
Note that CONTD: implies that continuation should be considered as having a true newline at the start of line. See earlier for more information.
Endhtml:
End section of html where we will not convert HTML special characters
foils: <field>
field is of form range1,range2,range3 ....
where theindividual foil ranges are separated by blanks or commas. Each range can specify single foils or a range. A generic foil specification is denmoted specfoil where a range is then specfoilA-specfoilB. Each specfoil is of form nickname/number where nickname is Nickname of foilset. If absent nickname is taken to that of current Master. The values of numbers are either numerical (remember foils start at 1) or the special values:
begin: same as 1
end: Last foil in foilset.
abstract: Abstract of foilset.
Html:
Start section of html where we will not convert HTML special characters
Htmlline: <URL>
Insert Image specified in HTML at this point (no < > conversion done here!)
Title: <field>
The field holds Title of foil

Most information used by wwwfoil is in a common simple MIME like format key:value where particular values of keys allowed are described below for each file.

Options used to elaborate meaning of original and processed files

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These options are used in processed file PROCESSED produced by wwwfoil. They can also be used in ORIGINAL outline file to clarify meaning of this file.

We use for this file a simple MIME like format key:value described above.

Abstract:
Abstract of document follows in "foil" format except title should be ignored. End with endfoil: command. Abstract can be a foil if beginfoil: also present
Author:<field>
The fieldspecifies authors of document
Beginfoil: <name/number>
Start a new file with given name and number
Bullet1: <field>
The field holds text field of level 1 bullet
Bullet2: <field>
The field holds text field of level 2 bullet
Bullet3: <field>
The field holds text field of level 3 bullet
Bullet4: <field>
The field holds text field of level 4 bullet
Contd: <field>
The field is viewed as a continuation of previous value or list or field.
Note that CONTD: implies that continuation should be considered as having a true newline at the start of line. See earlier for more information.
Date:<field>
The field is date on which presentation given
Datemod:<field>
The field is date on which presentation last modified
Endfoil:
End of current foil which must come in matched beginfoil: endfoil: pairs
Endhtml:
End section of html where we will not convert HTML special characters
Event:<field>
The field is event corresponding to foil presentation
Getgiffrom:<field>
The field is UNIX file where GIF version of foil to be found. Note this is defaulted to be Abstract.gif or n.gif in directory seporggifdir for abstract and foil n respectively with conventional templates. User is responsible either for putting GIF in such a directory referenced in template or for inserting a getgiffrom command for each foil. Note the Getgiffrom file is linked symbolically to a conventionally named file in seporggifdir directory
Html:
Start section of html where we will not convert HTML special characters
Htmlline: <URL>
Insert Image specified in HTML at this point (no < > conversion done here!)
Somemissing:
Generate for this foil message that image corrects some missing information
Criticalmissing:
Generate for this foil message that image corrects critical missing information
Nogifversion:
No extra (gif) Image should be pointed to (automatically) for this foil
Runningtitle:<value>
The value is running title of set to be used on each foil
Seealso:
Generate for this foil message that image adds little more information
Signature: <field>
The field holds Signature for bottom of foil
Source: <field>
The field holds Original source of Information
Title: <field>
The field holds Title of foil
Titleset: <field>
The field holds Title of foilset

Most information used by wwwfoil is in a common simple MIME like format key:value where particular values of keys allowed are described below for each file.

Options used to describe processing of data

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These are options allowed in PROCOPTIONS

We use for this file a simple MIME like format key:value described above.

Abstract: <value>
Abstract of document. If value is set to foil (default) the abstract will be taken from nontitle part of second foil. Otherwise value is taken as UNIX file name from which to read abstract which should be in foil format. If value ise to none, no abstract will be looked for.
Author:<field>
The fieldspecifies authors of document
Addsource:<value>
The value is foil label to be generated for beginfoil:
Blanks: <Number>
Number Blanks or tab define a bullet ident
Bulletsongif:
This command (with attribute field ignored) forces full HTML (all bullets) onto so-called GIF files. Normally it is assumed that GIF image has everything that bullets do and so bullet text is ignored. htmlline: text fields are put on GIF files as it is assumed this is added by user.
Contd: <field>
The field is viewed as a continuation of previous value or list or field.
Note that CONTD: implies that continuation should be considered as having a true newline at the start of line. See earlier for more information.
Date:<field>
The field is date on which presentation given
Datemod:<field>
The field is date on which presentation last modified
Endhtml:
End section of html where we will not convert HTML special characters
Event:<field>
The field is event corresponding to foil presentation
Html:
Start section of html where we will not convert HTML special characters
Powerpoint: Blanklimit, bullet1,bullet2,bullet3,bullet4,bullet5
This indicates that outline came from Powerpoint saved in "Text with Layout" produced from RTF format version of Outline. There should be 6 entities in value field which are comma separated.
Blanklimit is a number such that if line starts with no bullet and less than this number of blanks, it is assumed to be a continuation line from previous line. bullet1,bullet2,bullet3,bullet4,bullet5 are single characters such that if they begin a line (possibly preceded by white space), this line starts a bulleted line of level N if character is bulletN.
Somemissing: <list>
The list is comma or blank separated list of foil numbers for which message that image corrects some missing information should be given
Criticalmissing: <list>
The list is comma or blank separated list of foil numbers for which message that image corrects critical missing information should be given
Nogifversion: <list>
The list is comma or blank separated list of foil numbers for which no extra images should be pointed to
Runningtitle:<value>
The value is running title of set to be used on each foil
Seealso: <list>
The list is comma or blank separated list of foil numbers for which message that image adds little more information should be given
Signature: <field>
The field holds Signature for bottom of foil
Source: <field>
The field holds Original source of Information
Titleset: <value>
Specify title of foil set. If Titleset value is set to foil (default), the foil set title will be taken from the title of first foil




Most information used by wwwfoil is in a common simple MIME like format key:value where particular values of keys allowed are described below for each file.

Options used to define Template file format for World Wide Web Pages Produced by wwwfoil

Back to Contents!
We use for this file a simple MIME like format key:value described above.

General Parameters

Aliasfile: <field>
<field> is UNIX file name defining URL aliases in standard format.
Beginalias:
This indicates that following alias statements are to be read until an endalias: command is reached.
Comment: <field>
<field> is a comment ignored by wwwfoil.
Contd: <field>
The field is viewed as a continuation of previous value or list or field.
Note that CONTD: implies that continuation should be considered as having a true newline at the start of line. See earlier for more information.
Endalias:
This command ends a set of alias statements.

Specify Template Files


The following define the Template files in terms of type and directory structure.The commands are executed in sequential order and assume that one starts in directory defined by wwwdir variable. File names which do not begin with a slash(/) are assumed to be relative to this directory. Those beginning with a slash are deined relative to wwwserver root. the commands cd.. (go up one level) or mkdir: (null directory is original "home" defined by wwwdir) allow one to redefine directory back to what you started. Note that set of file definitions is ENDED by a nickname: command.

cd..:
Go back to parent directory of current directory. No field entry is needed.
nickname: <field> or label:<field>
field is nickname of this file or directory used in template files. This nickname refers to file defined in PREVIOUS mkfile: , mkdir: , template: , and type: commands.
mkdir: <field>
field is UNIX file name of directory to be created. All further instructions asto files and directories are relative to this directory. mkdir: with null field returns to original starting directory.
mkfile: <field>
field is name of UNIX file name to be defined by type:
template: <field>
field is UNIX file name of template to be read for this file. The format of this file is defined later.
type: <field>
field defines type of file with following options:
Overall:
This implies a general template with titles, abstracts etc.
Fullhtml:
This is a file contains foils where some or all are given with full GIF or HTML.
Sephtml:
This defines a SET of files -- one for each foil -- where each is HTML
Sepgif:
This defines a SET of files -- one for each foil -- where each is a GIF file.
Seporggif:
This defines a SET of files which already EXIST containing the set of GIF images for each foil.
Other:
Any other file. No action required but nickname can be used in template.
Directory:
Used internally to denote a directory created by mkdir: . Should not be used on input.

HTML Format

In the following <field> values should contain {} which will be replaced with actual value of corresponding field for appropriate foil or foilset. Note that ALL of these except those beginning Abstract/,Foil/ or Script/ are applied recursively (one level deep) and so can include other definable quantities.

Abstract/bullet1: <field>
<field> is format of upper level bullets of Abstract Definition.
Abstract/bullet2: <field>
<field> is format of second level bullets of Abstract Definition.
Abstract/bullet3: <field>
<field> is format of third level bullets of Abstract Definition.
Abstract/bullet4: <field>
<field> is format of fourth and higher level bullets of Abstract Definition.
Abstract/htmlline: <field>
<field> is format of an htmlline defined in abstract.
Abstract/title: <field>
<field> is format of the title defined in abstract.
Date: <field>
<field> is format of date (presentation date defined in processing options originally but stored in processed file)
Datemod: <field>
<field> is format of datemod (modification date defined in processing options originally but stored in processed file)
Event: <field>
<field> is format of event (event where presentation used and defined in processing options originally but stored in processed file)
Extfoil#: <field>
<field> is format of an Exterior (padded) number used to identify files.
Foil/bullet1: <field>
<field> is format of upper level bullets of Abstract Definition.
Foil/bullet2: <field>
<field> is format of second level bullets of Abstract Definition.
Foil/bullet3: <field>
<field> is format of third level bullets of Abstract Definition.
Foil/bullet4: <field>
<field> is format of fourth and higher level bullets of Abstract Definition.
Foil/htmlline: <field>
<field> is format of an htmlline defined in abstract.
Foil/title: <field>
<field> is format of the title defined in abstract.
Localfoil#: <field>
<field> is format of an local (unpadded) number used to identify foils internal to a file.
Missing: <field>
<field> is format of missing ( text defining "missing" status of particular foil as specified by Somemissing, Criticalmissing, Nogifversion or Seealso typically in processing options originally but stored in processed file)
Missing2: <field>
<field> is format of missing ( text defining "missing" status of particular foil as specified by Somemissing, Criticalmissing, Nogifversion or Seealso typically in processing options originally but stored in processed file). Missing and Missing2 are treated identically but provided so can define two distinct formats.
Next:<field>
<field> is format of button to produce clickable access to next foil in presentation. This specifies graphic and {} is replaced by appropriate number in padded style.
Nextlocal:<field>
<field> is format of button to produce clickable access to next local (in same file) foil in presentation. This specifies graphic and {} is replaced by appropriate number in local non-padded style.
Nextlocal2:<field>
<field> is format of button to produce clickable access to next local (in same file) foil in presentation. This specifies graphic and {} is replaced by appropriate number in local non-padded style. Nextlocal and Nextlocal2 have same processing. They are provided so you can specify two distinct formats for such a button.
Prev:<field>
<field> is format of button to produce clickable access to previous foil in presentation. This specifies graphic and {} is replaced by appropriate number in padded style.
Prevlocal:<field>
<field> is format of button to produce clickable access to previous local (in same file) foil in presentation. This specifies graphic and {} is replaced by appropriate number in local non-padded style.
Prevlocal2:<field>
<field> is format of button to produce clickable access to previous local (in same file) foil in presentation. This specifies graphic and {} is replaced by appropriate number in local non-padded style. Prevlocal and Prevlocal2 have same processing. They are provided so you can specify two distinct formats for such a button.
Runningtitle: <field>
<field> is format of runningtitle (running -- printed -- title of foilset defined in processing options originally but stored in processed file)
Signature: <field>
<field> is format of signature text (text to appear at bottom of foil and defined in processing options originally but stored in processed file)
Script/bullet1: <field>
<field> is format of upper level bullets of script line.
Script/bullet2: <field>
<field> is format of second level bullets of script line.
Script/bullet3: <field>
<field> is format of third level bullets of script line.
Script/bullet4: <field>
<field> is format of fourth and higher level bullets of script line.
Script/htmlline: <field>
<field> is format of an htmlline defined in script line.
Script/title: <field>
<field> is format of the title defined in a script line.
Source: <field>
<field> is format of source (original source of presentation material defined in processing options originally but stored in processed file)
Titleset: <field>
<field> is format of titleset ( title of foilSET defined in processing options or as title of first foil originally but stored in processed file)


Options used to define what can be used in Template files for World Wide Web Pages Produced by wwwfoil

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The template files whose UNIX name is given in template: command use a simple macro substitution where things to be substituted are enclosed in curly brackets {replace}. The <replace> items are replaced by strings as defined earlier and also by a set of special actions defined below.

Note concept of current foilset. This is given foilset if only processing one. In a mixed presentation, current foilset is usually master foilset but can be set to an individual foilset if foilsetnickname used in command such as described below. {loopfoilset} also sets current foilset to be members of the presentation and not the master.

The following {Strings} can have file indicator before them.

The file Indicator is one of three types

The strings allowing this are:

Examples would be:

Overall Commands

{loopfoils}
Loop over current foilset until {endloop}
{loopfoilset}
Loop over foilsets in current script.
{loopscript}
Loop over current script until {endloop}
{readabstractl}
Set up current abstract -- NO output is produced.
{readfoil}
Set up current foil -- NO output is produced.
{select}
Only output those foils where GIF is needed i.e. ignore those with nogifversion: or seealso: set.

Special Output Macros

{Aliaslist}
Produce a list of URL's used via aliases and which foils referenced them
{bullets}
Produce all the bullets and htmlline: lines defined for current foil.
{localfoil#}
Generate local foil number (no padding)
{extfoil#}
Generate external foil number padded to 4 digits with initial zeros.
{Fullaliaslist}
Produce a list of aliases read in even if they are not used
{missing} or {missing2}
Execute these defined in Template File Definition to generate an appropriate GIF access message.
{next} {nextlocal} {nextlocal2}
Execute these defined in Template File Definition to generate an appropriate access to next foil.
{prev} {prevlocal} {prevlocal2}
Execute these defined in Template File Definition to generate an appropriate access to previous foil.
{urlsonly}
Only produce the extra htmlline:'s in current foil. Used to accompany full GIF's which have title and bullets already.

Format of File defining a set of URL Aliases

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This uses standard NPAC URL alias format but processing is built into wwwfoil. Each alias is defined by a line with 6 fields separated by @. This then looks like.


key@URL@Blue Link@Comment@Author@Date


Only the first two fields are essential. The typical format for USING alias is {key}(blue link) to generate string blue link linked to full URL associated with key. The special form {key}() uses as string the default blue link given in this alias file. The fields are:

  1. key @ The key or abbreviation or alias of this URL
  2. URL @ The URL associated with with alias. The URL can have any alias used in it and aliases are recursively resolved AFTER all are input.
  3. Blue Link @ Default string to be used as linking text
  4. Comment @ Any comment or further explanation
  5. Author @ The originator of this alias
  6. Date @ The date alias originated.