[Announce] TextHelper

[Don Hawkinson]

TextHelper is simple editor based on the MultiLineEditor class from
the IBM Open Class Library.  I have added some text manipulation
functions and support for printing on HP Deskjet and Lazerjet
printers.  TextHelper is not intended to replace E or EPM or
any functional editor. Its value is mainly the ability to print in
Landscape or Portrait mode, in 12 cpi or 16.5 cpi or proportional, 
in 6 lpi or 8 lpi, with or without line numbers, with or without a 
3 hole punch margin, and in any combination of those options.

This is an early beta copy of TextHelper and this file is all
the documentation that is available.

Most of the features and functions of the program should be obvious.
But if you really believe that , I have a couple of large bridges
for sale.

One feature that is not obvious is a special file naming option.
If you highlight or mark a descriptive phrase and then select
Save As under the file menu, the marked text will be used as the file
name.  This only works if your drives are formatted as HPFS.

I have the print options working. The program expects you to
be sending the printing to a printer that is HP PCL 3 compatible.
If your printer works with DJPrint, it should work with TextHelper.

If the text loaded into TextHelper does not have hard coded line
wrapping or has been de-wrpped, you can format the text for printing
by changing the size of the TextHelper window and the size of the 
display font. The font size will not be used by your printer, but the 
length of the displayed lines will be used when the text is printed.
Sort of wysiwyg printing.  This allows you to use the word wrapping
of TextHelper to format the text for printing. The word wrapping is
a part of the IBM Open Class Library and will not be a part of DJPrint

I have not added the header and pagination formatting to TextHelper
because I was not sure if would be used. Let me know what you think.

I am interested in bug reports, comments on how the TextHelper
works or doesn't work, and suggestions for functions and
improvements.

I can give you an example on using TextHelper.

1:  Load TH.TXT (this file) into TextHelper
2:  Mark the numbered section and select CUT from the edit menu.     
3:  Open new copy of TextHelper 
4:  Paste the printer list into the new copy of TextHelper.
    You could skip steps 3 & 4 and leave the text in the Clipboard
5:  Now select De-wrapping under the Edit menu.
    This turns off word wrapping, so it must be reselected under
    the Options/Display menu.  You will also need to change the
    font to System Proportional size 10
6:  Restore the cut text.
7:  Now resize the horizontal dimention of the TextHelper window
    and then press F6 to get the size of the longest line after
    wrapping.  
8:  Repeat step 7 until longest line is 116 to 119 characters.
9:  Under the Options/Printer menu: select compresed print,
    3 hole punch margin,Portrait mode, and the desired printer
10: Select Print under the File menu.        

The program may be downloaded at:
http://home.tulsaconnect.com/dwhawk/th.zip