Contents
      	

1     Introduction
2     Installation
3     How AscToTab works
4     Running AscToTab
4.1   Execution from a command line
4.2   Drag'n'Drop execution 
4.3   Refining your results
5     HTML markup produced
5.1   <TABLE> statement 
5.1.1 BORDER=n attribute
5.1.2 CELLPADDING=n attribute
5.1.3 CELLPADDING=n attribute
5.1.4 BGCOLOR="colour" and BORDERCOLOR="colour" attributes
5.2   <CAPTION> statement
5.3   <TH> statements
5.4   <TD> statements
6     Customising your conversions
6.1   Policy files
6.2   Preprocessor commands
6.2.1 The BORDER command
6.2.2 The CELLSPACING and CELLPADDING commands
6.2.3 The BGCOLOR and BORDERCOLOR commands
6.2.4 The CAPTION command
6.2.5 The HEADING_ROWS command
6.2.6 The HEADING_COLS command
7     Purchasing AscToTab
7.1   How do I purchase AscToTab (trick question)?
8     Contacts on the Web
8.1   The home page
8.2   E-mail
8.3   Support
9     Known problems
10    Change History
10.1  Version 1.00 (December '97)



1     Introduction
------------------

      [AscToTab] is a specific ASCII to HTML conversion tool.  It converts
      plain text files to HTML tables.

      [AscToTab] has evolved out of the technology used in [AscToHTM], the 
      general-purpose text to HTML conversion utility.  The AscToTab
      technology will form a subset of AscToHTM in later releases.

      The HTML version of this document has been produced using AscToHTM, and
      no post-processing has been done to the HTML pages produced.  
      It has been generated from a single source document and a few small 
      configuration files.  

      This document describes AscToTab V1.0, which is available as postcardware
      from December 1997.  [AscToHTM] is available as shareware.  It's likely
      that any later versions of AscToTab may also become shareware.

      AscToTab is made available for download via the Internet from
      [AscToTab download location].


2     Installation
------------------

      AscToTab is downloadable as a .ZIP file from [AscToTab Download location].
      You should download the version best suited to your needs.

      Once downloaded, simply unzip the files and move them to a suitable 
      location.

      AscToTab V1.0 runs as a console application ("DOS program") under Windows,
      and from the command line under OpenVMS.
    

3     How AscToTab works
------------------------

      AscToTab looks at the layout of your text file and tries to spot the
      column boundaries in your table.  It doesn't require comma- or 
      tab-delimited values - though it may additionally support these
      in later versions.

      Having detected your column positions, it attempts to detect if your
      table has a header.

      Finally it outputs your table, paying attention to the following

      	- Data alignment.  The alignment of a column is checked, and
          where suitable, numerical values are right-aligned.

        - Column-spanning.  Where a value appears to span two or more columns
          the COLSPAN attribute is used, and the alignment re-calculated

        - Table headers.  Where the heading is underlined, this is detected
          and the header row(s) are marked up using <TH> markup.

        - Cell entries that span multiple lines.  Where possible, this is 
      	  detected and the entries are added together with <BR> inserted to 
          preserve the original layout.

        - Blank lines.  Usually omitted, unless they appear to be separators.

        - Border.  Added unless a number of user-supplied lines are detected
          in which case these are shown, and the HTML border omitted.

      In addition to it's automatic features, AscToTab can be customised to
      give even better output.  See [section 6] for details.


4     Running AscToTab
----------------------

4.1   Execution from a command line

      From a command prompt (Windows or OpenVMS) you can type

        AscToTab <textfile> [<policy file>]

      Where

      	<textfile> 

      	Name of file to be converted.  The output will
      	be the same name with a ".html" extension

      	If the <textfile> is of the form "@<filename>", then
      	AscToTab will read the file <filename> line-by-line
      	and convert the files listed in that file.

      and

      	<policyfile>	  

      	Is a "policy" file used to customise the conversion see 6.1.
      


4.2   Drag'n'Drop execution 

      Create an Icon for AscToTab and simply drag'n'drop files onto it.
      The results will be identical to those obtained by typing in the
      filenames as described in 4.1.


4.3   Refining your results

      If all goes well the resultant HTML will be satisfactory.
      However, you can customize the conversion in two ways:-

      	- Use a policy file (see 6.1)

      	- Use pre-processor commands (see 6.2).


5     HTML markup produced
--------------------------

5.1   <TABLE> statement 

5.1.1 BORDER=n attribute

      AscToTab will default to a BORDER=2 unless

      a) A BORDER preprocessor command is encountered (see 6.2.1)

      b) It determines that the user has added their own lines


5.1.2 CELLPADDING=n attribute

      AscToTab will only add CELLSPACING if a CELLSPACING 
      preprocessor command is encountered (see 6.2.2).


5.1.3 CELLPADDING=n attribute

      AscToTab will add CELLPADDING if:-

      a) It enounters a CELLPADDING command  (see 6.2.2)

      b) A BORDER is present.  The default is CELLPADDING=4


5.1.4 BGCOLOR="colour" and BORDERCOLOR="colour" attributes

      AscToTab will add these attributes is it encounters BGCOLOR
      or BORDERCOLOR commands (see 6.2.3).


5.2   <CAPTION> statement

      AscToTab will add a caption if it encounters a CAPTION 
      command (see 6.2.4)


5.3   <TH> statements

      AscToTab will use <TH>..</TH> markup whenever it determines that a
      cell forms part of the header.

      AscToTab will attempt to automatically detect headers by looking for
      a single separator line near the top of the file.

      Alternatively the HEADING_ROWS command (see 6.2.5) will be
      used to specify the number of header lines.

      AscToTab will set the ALIGN and COLSPAN attributes as best it can.


5.4   <TD> statements

      AscToTab will use <TD>..</TD> markup for most of the cells in
      the table.

      If the HEADING_COLS command (see 6.2.6) is encountered,
      the first few columns will additionally use <STRONG>...</STRONG> markup.

      AscToTab will set the ALIGN and COLSPAN attributes as best it can.


6     Customising your conversions
----------------------------------

6.1   Policy files

      Policy files are an [AscToHTM] feature that may be added to later versions
      of AscToTab.

      They are not available in AscToTab V1.0.


6.2   Preprocessor commands
----------------------------

      The preprocessor is a feature shared with [AscToHTM].  Essentially you
      insert commands into your source file that tell AscToHTM how you
      want various aspects of your file converted.

      The preprocessor looks for lines that begin with a special character
      sequence "$_$_".  All the AscToTab commands add "TABLE_" to this, making
      the relevant prefix "$_$_TABLE_".  This sequence *must* appear at the 
      start of the source line with no leading white space.  Each command 
      must be wholly contained on a separate line.

      Command are best placed at the top of the source file.

6.2.1 The BORDER command

      $_$_TABLE_BORDER       5

      This command specifies the BORDER attribute. 
      A value of 0 means "none".


6.2.2 The CELLSPACING and CELLPADDING commands

      $_$_TABLE_CELLSPACING       5
      $_$_TABLE_CELLPADDING       5

      These command specify the values of the CELLSPACING and CELLPADDING 
      attribute. 

      A value of 0 means "none".


6.2.3 The BGCOLOR and BORDERCOLOR commands

      $_$_TABLE_BGCOLOR		AntiqueWhite
      $_$_TABLE_BORDERCOLOR	#FF2345

      These commands sepcify the values of the BGCOLOR and BORDERCOLOR
      attributes.


6.2.4 The CAPTION command

      $_$_TABLE_CAPTION		Ooo! what a pretty table

      This command specifies the value of <CAPTION>...</CAPTION> markup to
      be added to the table.


6.2.5 The HEADING_ROWS command

      $_$_TABLE_HEADING_ROWS       4

      This command tells AscToTab how many lines of text are to be treated
      as part of the header.  This should be the number of lines as it
      appears in the source file, including any blank lines.


6.2.6 The HEADING_COLS command

      $_$_TABLE_HEADING_COLS       1

      This command tells AscToTab how many columns (if any) at the start of 
      each line should be marked up in <STRONG>...</STRONG> markup.


7     Purchasing AscToTab
-------------------------

7.1   How do I purchase AscToTab (trick question)?

      You don't.  It's free.  Or rather Version 1.0 is postcardware, later
      versions may become shareware priced at around 5 or $10.

      It you really like the program, send a postcard to

      	John A Fotheringham
        c/o Yezerski Roper
      	Applicon House
      	Exchange Street
      	Stockport
      	SK3 0ET

      	UK

      If you *really, really* like the program, send cash to encourage further
      development.

      You could also look at [AscToHTM], which shares the same technology, and
      will include AscToTab.  AscToHTM is shareware in the Windows version.


8     Contacts on the Web
-------------------------

8.1   The home page

      At time of writing [Yezerski Roper] (whom I work for) have graciously
      allowed me to give [AscToTab] and [AscToHTM] a home page.  

      Yezerski Roper are the most intelligent software house it's 
      ever been my privilege to be associated with.  We're based in the UK 
      and offer OpenVMS and Windows NT systems, and are currently
      developing state-of-the-art products which will allow companies
      to exploit the full communications potential of the Internet.

      Oh yeah... and they pay me as well :)

      AscToTab and AscToHTM are "hobbies".

      If you have problems locating the home page and suspect it has moved,
      go to [AltaVista] and enter

      		+"John A Fotheringham" +AscToTab

      to locate any new home page.


8.2   E-mail

      E-mail any feedback to jaf@yrl.co.uk.  Sadly, we cannot guarantee any
      replies.


8.3   Support

      A limited amount of support is available by emailing jaf@yrl.co.uk.  
      Sadly, we cannot guarantee any replies, though we do try to be helpful.

      Over time a user's FAQ may appear.


9     Known problems
--------------------

      None.  (Ignorance is bliss)


10    Change History
--------------------

10.1  Version 1.00 (December '97)

      Initial release of command line version as postcardware.
