

The README file                                                M.T. Rose
                                                  Invisible Worlds, Inc.
                                                               June 1999


                                xml2rfc

1. Introduction

   This is a package to convert memos written in XML to the RFC format.

   If you don't want to install any software, you can use the web-based
   service[2].

2. Requirements

2.1 Tcl/Tk version 8.0

   You need to have Tcl/Tk version 8.0 running on your system. Tcl is a
   scripting language, Tk is Tcl with support for your windowing system.

   To get a source or binary distribution for your system, go to the
   Scriptics website[3] and install it. If you get the binary
   distribution, this is pretty simple.

   Of course, you may already have Tcl version 8.0. To find out, try
   typing this command from the shell (including the "MS-DOS Prompt"):

       % tclsh80

   If the program launches, you're good to go with Tcl version 8.0.

   If you are running under a windowing system (e.g., X or Windows),
   you can also try:

       % wish80

   If a new window comes up along with a "Console" window, then you're
   good to go with Tk version 8.0.

2.2 TclXML version 1.1.1

   You need to also have TclXML version 1.1.1 running on your system.
   TclXML is a Tcl package that parses XML.

   We've included a copy of TclXML in this release, you can also look
   in the TclXML site[4].





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   For example, on Unix, you'd probably put the files somewhere under

       /usr/local/lib/tcl/

   or

       C:\Program Files\Tcl\lib\tcl8.0\TclXML-1.0\

   depending on whether you're on UNIX or Windows.

3. Testing

   Now test your installation.

3.1 Testing under a windowing system

   Type this command from the shell:

       % xml2rfc.tcl

   A new window should come up that looks like this:

       +------------------------------------------------------------+
       |                     Convert XML to RFC                     |
       |                                                            |
       |  Select input file: ____________________________  [Browse] |
       |                                                            |
       | Select output file: ____________________________  [Browse] |
       |                                                            |
       |               [Convert]               [Quit]               |
       |                                                            |
       +------------------------------------------------------------+

   Fill-in the blanks and click on [Convert].

3.2 Testing without a windowing system

   Type this command from the shell:

       % tclsh80

   If the program launches, type this command to it:

       % source xml2rfc.tcl







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   and you should see these three lines:

       invoke as "xml2rfc inputfile outputfile"
              or "xml2txt inputfile"
              or "xml2html inputfile"

4. Next steps

   Read either rfc2629.txt[1] or rfc2629.html. In particular, Section 3
   has some good information.

4.1 xml2rfc-specific Processing Instructions

   A "processing instruction" is a directive to an XML application. If
   you want to give directives to xml2rfc, the PIs look like this:

       <?rfc keyword="value"?>

   The list of valid keywords are:

       keyword     default     meaning
       =======     =======     =======
       compact     no          when producing a .txt file, try to
                               conserve vertical whitespace

       toc         no          generate a table-of-contents

       private     ""          produce a private memo rather than
                               an RFC or Internet-Draft.

       header      ""          override the leftmost header string

       footer      ""          override the center footer string

       sortrefs    no          sort references

       symrefs     no          use anchors rather than numbers for
                               references

       background  ""          when producing an .html file, use this
                               image

   Remember, that as with everything else in XML, keywords and values
   are case-sensitive.

4.2 xml2rfc-specific Limitations

      The "figure" element's "title" attribute is ignored.
      The "xref" element's "pageno" attribute is ignored.


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References

   [1]  Rose, M.T., "Writing I-Ds and RFCs using XML", RFC 2629, June
        1999.

   [2]  http://memory.palace.org/author.html

   [3]  http://www.scriptics.com/software/8.0.html

   [4]  http://www.zveno.com/zm.cgi/in-tclxml/


Author's Address

   Marshall T. Rose
   Invisible Worlds, Inc.
   660 York Street
   San Francisco, CA  94110
   US

   Phone: +1 415 695 3975
   EMail: mrose@not.invisible.net
   URI:   http://invisible.net/




























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