DEC Runoff to any modern format conversion - MORE INFO

[Robert Jarratt]

I have had a go with some of Tom's files but I have encountered some
problems. It seems the files have some commands in them that are not
recognised by any of the versions of runoff that I have. I have tried on VMS
5.5-2, 7.3 and 8.4.

The commands that are not recognised include (not a full list):

.style header
.autotitle
.ebb
.fta
.referencepoint

I have a vague recollection that DEC had some other internal version of
runoff, and I wonder if these commands are for such a version.

Anyone know?

Regards

Rob

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Tom
> Gardner
> Sent: 06 June 2015 00:55
> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
> Subject: RE: DEC Runoff to any modern format conversion - MORE INFO
> 
> Hi
> 
> Thanks for all the ideas.
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently there is nothing off the shelf; I have sent copies of one of
the two
> manuals to three of us who indicated they would try something and will be
> happy to do the same for anyone else.
> 
> 
> 
> AFAIK, DEC RUNOFF is only similar to other runoffs in that it uses a
period
> "." at the beginning of a line to designate a command.    Most . commands
> span the single line but some have multi-line and/or multi file
implications. E.g.
> 
> 
> 
> Something like
> 
> .HL 1 Overview of MSCP Subsystem
> 
> Converts to
> 
> <h1 style="text-align:left;"> Overview of MSCP Subsystem</h1>
> 
> Most of the conversions are obvious but some are a bit more complex, in
> particular the
> 
> .require command which apparently assembles the chapter files into a book.
> 
> .referencepoint command which is some form of anchor, perhaps for an index
> since so far it always seems to follow a HL command so maybe
> 
> .HL 1 Overview of MSCP Subsystem
> 
> .referencepoint overvw_mscp_sub
> 
> Converts to
> 
> <h1 name="overvw_mscp_sub" ID="overvw_mscp_sub" style="text-align:left;
> "> Overview of MSCP Subsystem</h1>
> 
> With the ID being called from a Table Of Contents built to include the
full name
> and page number
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like a multipass converter would be the way to go.  Anyhow this
is a bit
> beyond my current coding skill but if anyone else wants to try a converter
I'd
> like to work with them
> 
> 
> 
> Tom
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Gardner [mailto:t.gardner at computer.org]
> Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2015 10:47 AM
> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
> Subject: DEC Runoff to any modern format conversion or DEC MSCP protocol
> specs
> 
> 
> 
> Hi
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have multiple DEC Runoff (.rno extension) files for the manual on DEC's
MSCP
> protocol.  I'd like to convert them to a modern format.  The manual is
dated
> circa 1992 incorporating ecos thru MSCP23-4 and is revision 2.4 (or
> 
> later) of MSCP.  What appears to be an early version (Apr 1982 rev 1.2) is
at
> <http://www.textfiles.com/bitsavers/pdf/dec/disc/UDA50/AA-L619A-
> TK_MSCP_basF
> n>
> http://www.textfiles.com/bitsavers/pdf/dec/disc/UDA50/AA-L619A-
> TK_MSCP_basFn
> 
> s_82.pdf
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've searched for a convertor without much luck,  there is a VMS Pascal
> converter at  <https://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/support/rnototex>
> https://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/support/rnototex which converts to LaTex
> which can then be converted to pdf, but I don't have any DEC equipment.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone know of a converter or perhaps other already converted manuals at
> 
> other revision levels (e.g. rev 1.2   at link above)?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If not, anyone running VMS Pascal  or OpenVMS v6.1 (or later) willing to
try a
> conversion to LaTex?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DECs Runoff is a markup language that sort of looks like an early HTML, so
I
> suppose I could try a grep conversion to HTML, or just strip out the
markup.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any other ideas?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tom
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>