1 Introduction

This document describes the "policies" used by AscToHTM and related programs (AscToRTF, AscToTab) when converting unformatted text files into HTML or RTF output files.

The policies take the form of rules or instructions that the program must follow. They fall broadly into two types.

• Analysis Policies. These describe rules for how the input text file is to be understood. In many cases these rules will be determined by a process of analysis. In other cases (or when the analysis goes wrong), these policies may need to be set by hand.
  
  
• Output Policies. These describe rules and extra information to be used when generating the output HTML or RTF files. In almost all cases these have to be set manually by the user.

When regularly converting the same, or similar, files it is possible to load a set of policies from file. These are called "policy files", and take the form of ordinary text files, with one policy per line. This allows users to easily edit such files and their policies.

CONTENTS LIST

2.1 Policy Names and descriptions

2.1.1 British and American spellings of Colour

2.2 Policy values

2.2.1 Yes/No values
2.2.2 Numerical values
2.2.3 Text strings
2.2.4 HTML colours
2.2.5 Section/Heading levels
2.2.6 Lists of names

2.3 Policy scope

2.3.1 Dynamic analysis policy
2.3.2 Dynamic output policy
2.3.3 Fixed analysis policy
2.3.4 Fixed output policy

3.1 Placing policies in a "policy file"

3.1.1 Saving and loading policy files
3.1.2 policy files for your document
3.1.3 Partial policy files
3.1.4 Full policy files
3.1.5 Naming policy files

3.2 Changing policies via the user interface
3.3 Changing policies by using command line options
3.4 Changing policies by using preprocessor directives
3.5 Changing policies by using the Settings menu
3.6 Changing policies by editing a Policy file

4.1 Policies added in Version 5.0
4.2 Policies added in Version 4.1
4.3 Policies added in Version 4
4.4 Policies added in Version 3.3
4.5 Policies added in Version 3.2

Active Link Colour
Add <BR> to lines with URLs
Add contents frame if possible
Add contents list
Add emphasis and bold markup
Add Frame border
Add mail headers to contents list
Add navigation bar
Add NOFRAMES links
Allow automatic centring
Allow definitions inside PRE
Allow email beginning with numbers
Author URL
Attempt TABLE generation
Automatic centring tolerance
Background Colour
Background Image
Bookmark URL
Bottom margin (in cm)
Break up long HTML lines
Bullet char
Center first heading
Character encoding
Check domain name syntax
Characters to use for bullets
Check indentation for consistency
Colour data rows
Column boundaries have zero width
Column merging factor
Comment generation code
Concatenate results into one file
Contents frame background colour
Contents frame text colour
Contents Frame width
Contents style code
Convert TABLE X-refs to links
Copyright URL
Could be blank line separated
Create FTP links
Create Gopher links
Create NEWS links
Create Telnet links
Create a log file
Create hyperlinks
Create mailto links
Cross-refs at level
Default Font
Default TABLE alignment
Default TABLE border colour
Default TABLE border size
Default TABLE caption
Default TABLE cell alignment
Default TABLE cell padding
Default TABLE cell spacing
Default TABLE colour
Default TABLE delimiter character
Default TABLE even row colour
Default TABLE header cols
Default TABLE header rows
Default TABLE html attributes
Default TABLE html cell attributes
Default TABLE layout
Default TABLE odd row colour
Default TABLE width
Definition char
Definitions file
Directory Description
Directory Keywords
Directory Script file
Directory Title
Directory filename
Directory footer file
Directory header file
Directory return hyperlink text
Display messages
Document Author
Document Base URL
Document Category
Document Comments
Document Company name
Document Description
Document Keywords
Document Manager
Document Style Sheet
Document Subject
Document Title
DOS filename root
Error reporting level
Expect alphabetic bullets
Expect blank lines between paras
Expect Capitalised Headings
Expect code samples
Expect Contents List
Expect Embedded Headings
Expect multiple COLSPAN values
Expect Numbered Headings
Expect Numbered bullets
Expect Roman Numeral bullets
Expect Second Word Headings
Expect Underlined Headings
Expect sparse tables
External contents list filename
First Section Number
First frame page number
First line indentation (in blocks)
Fixed Font
Font stretch factor (in percent)
Footer frame background colour
Footer Frame depth
Footer frame text colour
Generate diagnostics files
Generate external contents file
Generate WinHelp project file
Heading Font
Heading key phrases
Hanging paragraph position(s)
Headings Colour
Header frame background colour
Header Frame depth
Header frame text colour
Help body background colour
Help file citation
Help file copyright notice
Help title background colour
Highlight Definition Text
HTML footer file
Fragments file
HTML header file
HTML Script file
HTML version to be targeted
Hyperlinks on numbers
Ignore multiple blank lines
Ignore table header during analysis
Include document section(s)
Indent headings in Directory
Indent position(s)
Input directory
Input file has page markers
Input file has change bars
Input file contains DOS characters
Input file contains Japanese characters
Input file contains UNICODE characters
Input file is double spaced
Input file contains MIME encoding
Input file contains PCL codes
Keep it simple
Keep original table lines in output
Language (for proofing)
Largest allowed <Hn> tag
Left margin (in cm)
Lines to ignore at end of file
Lines to ignore at start of file
Link Dictionary file
Look for MAIL and USENET headers
Look for bullets
Look for character encoding
Look for diagrams
Look for horizontal rulers
Look for hanging paragraphs
Look for indentation
Look for preformatted text
Look for quoted text
Look for short lines
Look for underlined text
Look for white space
Make Directory
Make Windows Help source file
Max length of candidate table lines
Maximum level to show in contents
Max length of heading links
Min HTML file size
Min chapter size
Minimise HTML file size
Minimum TABLE column separation
Minimum automatic <PRE> size
Minimum ruler length
Mirror Margins
Monitor tag generation
New Paragraph Offset
New browser window name
New frame link window name
NOFRAMES link URL
Number of levels in contents frame
Number of words to include in filename
Omit <HEAD> and <BODY> from output
Only allow explicit FTP links
Only allow pages to be viewed in frames
Only use known groups
Open frame links in new window
Open links in new browser window
Output directory
Output file extension
Output frame name
Output log filename
Output policy file
Output policy filename
Page Width
Page marker size (in lines)
Paper size
Place document in FRAMES
Preserve file structure using <PRE>
Preserve line structure
Preserve new paragraph offset
Preserve underlining of headings
recognize '-' as a bullet
recognize 'o' as a bullet
Recognised USENET groups
Right margin (in cm)
Rule set to be used
Scope for font tags
Search for definitions
Look for this and that emphasis
Short line length
Shortcut Icon URL
Show file Titles in Directory
Smallest allowed <Hn> tag
Split at page markers
Split level
Style File
Suppress all colour markup
Suppress INFO messages
Suppress TAG ERROR messages
Suppress URL messages
Suppress WARNING messages
Suppress program ERROR messages
TAB size
Table Extending factor
Table Font
Table of contents Font
Text Colour
Text command file
Text justification
Top margin (in cm)
Treat each line as a paragraph
Unvisited Link Colour
Use .HTM extension
Use <CODE>..</CODE> markup
Use <DL> markup for defn. paras
Use <EM> and <STRONG> markup
Use <P> markup for paragraphs
Use CSS to implement fonts
Use DOS filenames
Use Preprocessor
Use any existing contents list
Use first heading as Title
Use first line as Heading
Use first line as Title
Use Landscape mode
Use main footer in footer frame
Use main header in header frame
Use numbered sequence in file names
Use of RTF Styles
Use original bullet text
Visited Link Colour
WinHelp Resource File

Converted from a single text file by AscToHTM © 1997-2004 John A. Fotheringham