Introduction

This document describes how to use the HTMLDOC software, version 1.8.23. HTMLDOC converts Hyper-Text Markup Language ("HTML") input files into indexed HTML, Adobe® PostScript®, or Adobe Portable Document Format ("PDF") files.

HTMLDOC supports most HTML 3.2 elements, some HTML 4.0 elements, and can generate title and table of contents pages. It does not currently support stylesheets.

HTMLDOC can be used as a standalone application, in a batch document processing environment, or as a web-based report generation application.

No restrictions are placed upon the output produced by HTMLDOC.

History

Like many programs HTMLDOC was developed in response to a need our company had for generating high-quality documentation in printed and electronic forms. For a while we used FrameMaker® and a package from sgi that generated "compiled" Standard Generalized Markup Language ("SGML") files that could be used by the Electronic Book Technologies ("EBT") documentation products (EBT is now owned by INSO.) When sgi stopped supporting these tools we turned to INSO, but the cost of their tools is prohibitive to small businesses.

In the end we decided to write our own program to generate our documentation. HTML seemed to be the source format of choice since WYSIWYG HTML editors are widely (and freely) available and at worst you can use a plain text editor. We needed HTML output for documentation on our web server, PDF for customers to read and/or print from their computers, and PostScript for our own printing needs.

The result of our efforts is the HTMLDOC software which is available for UNIX® and Microsoft® Windows®. Among other things, this software users manual is produced using HTMLDOC.

Organization of This Manual

This manual is organized into tutorial and reference chapters:

• Chapter 1 - Installing HTMLDOC
• Chapter 2 - Getting Started
• Chapter 3 - Generating Books
• Chapter 4 - HTMLDOC from the Command-Line
• Chapter 5 - HTMLDOC from a Web Server
• Chapter 6 - HTML Reference
• Chapter 7 - GUI Reference
• Chapter 8 - Command-Line Reference
• Appendix A - GNU General Public License
• Appendix B - Book File Format
• Appendix C - Release Notes

Support

Commercial support is available from Easy Software Products. Information can be found at the HTMLDOC web page, "http://www.easysw.com/htmldoc".

Encryption Support

HTMLDOC includes code to encrypt PDF document files using the RC4 algorithm with up to a 128-bit key. While this software and code may be freely used and exported under current US laws, other countries may restrict your use and possession of this code and software.

Copyright, Trademark, and License Information

The Adobe Portable Document Format is Copyright 1993-1999 by Adobe Systems Incorporated. Adobe, FrameMaker, and PostScript are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Incorporated.

The Graphics Interchange Format is the copyright and GIF^SM is the service mark property of CompuServe Incorporated.

Compaq, Digital, and Tru64 are registered trademarks of Compaq.

Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.

IRIX and sgi are registered trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc.

Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

MacOS is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.

Microsoft, Windows, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows NT, and Windows XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Red Hat and RPM are registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc.

Solaris is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.

SPARC is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Inc.

UNIX is a registered trademark of the X/Open Company, Ltd.

HTMLDOC is copyright 1997-2002 by Easy Software Products. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

A copy of the GNU General Public License is included in Appendix A of this manual. If this appendix is missing from your copy of HTMLDOC, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.

This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group and FLTK project.