TextFormatter

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TextFormatter's are programs that take a plain ascii input file (like any other compiler) and produce formatted ASCII, PostScript?, or a printer specific language (like PCL - HP PrinterControlLanguage).

Text Formatter Family:



This helps address the problem that a TextEditorIsNotAWordProcessor?.

Such programs are interpreters for markup languages. They interpret formatting commands embedded in the text to generate the desired output.

The earliest example I can think of was Digital Equipment Corporation's RUNOFF, which was the ancestor of the Unix nroff, troff, and groff programs. The limitations of RUNOFF caused a Carnegie Mellon University PhD? candidate named Brian Reid to produce Scribe, a text formatter which addressed the problems. Rights to Scribe were sold by Brian to a company called Unilogic, Ltd when he left CMU, and it was offered as a commercial product, appearing on IBM mainframes among other places.

WordStar used this strategy, via the "." commands, but combined the formatter with the word processor, rather than having it as a separate program.

Adobe's Postscript language is another example, though people don't normally write Postscript code. It's usually generated by programs that output to Postscript, and interpreted by printers such as HP LaserJets? that have PostScript? support added.

--DMcCunney


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Last edited July 14, 2012 10:38 pm (diff)
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