From: bchtantw@nuscc.nus.sg (Dr Tan Tin Wee)
Subject: Re: Term Project Help
Organization: National University of Singapore
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 04:44:40 GMT

keithf@Nimitz.mcs.kent.edu (Keith Fuller) writes:
: I am seeking to do a hypertext based term project for a UNIX system.
: Is there some sort of utility I could convert to X-Windows?
: Is there some sort of convention for which I could write my own utility?
: Anyone have any ideas?
: Below is my first attempt at a term project proposal,
: but my instructor wants to know if there are some pre-existing standards.
: 
: 	kman -- a hypertext based text file browser program.
: 
: format:
: % kman filename
: 
: kman acts as a file browser except that it scans the file for special
: character sequences to allow the user to jump to different parts of
: the current file or to different files.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, why not take a lot at Earl Fogel's
unix port of the DOS program HYGLOS from MaxThink.
I think you can ftp from access.usask.ca   
If not, ask fogel@usask.ca.

Fogel's search engine looks for files within angle brackets.
We have modified this to execute unix commands and scripts.
So if you point to say the less command, you can essentially jump to
a specified part of another file, in a quick and dirty way. 
Ftp from  /pub/biocomp/gcgmenu.tar.Z   at nuscc.nus.sg to take
a look at how we modified it for our own purposes as a menuing system.

: 
: This utility is destined to revolutionize the way documentation is
: written and will usher in the age of the paperless world.  Kman
: will have an unprecidented environmental impact that will be remembered
: throughout all history.
: 
: kman features the following:
: 
: - last three lines show available commands
: 
: - available commands are:
:        q -- quit
: {ctrl} j -- {page} down
: {ctrl} k -- {page} up
:        n -- select next hyperjump.  At any time there may be several choices
:             on the screen for a hyperjump.  This command cycles through
:             them and places the cursor on the one selected.
we use the arrow keys to go up and down.

:        z -- make the hyperjump
Press return and that will do.
`: 
:        b -- come back from a hyperspace jump to where you were before
:
right arrow key goes in, left arrow key comes back 
So the ideas we have added to Fogel's are similar to the HYGLOS ones,
and are similar to yours.  So you should find Fogel's and our code
useful as reference points for your project. 

: The following example shows how kman processes hypertext:
: <start example>
: 
: 		UNIX file commands
:         	------------------
: 
: UNIX is essentially a file system + a bunch of commands.  Even the 
: user-interface, or the "shell", is nothing more than a command.
: There are two popular shells, namely the original @@sh and the newer @@csh.
: !!sh_help
: !!csh_help
: 
: Here is what we can show you:
: @@What are files, anyway
: >>what_are_files
: @@How to copy files
: >>cp_files
: @@Deleting files
: >>rm_files
: 
: ::what_are_files
: Files are where you store your data between login sessions
: 
: ::rm_files
: Use rm .* * to get rid of all your files.  Try it now!
: 
: ::cp_files
: Type "man cp" at the % prompt for more info about copying files.
: 
: <End example>
: 
: What does this mean?  
: @@ -- precedes a word that is offered as a hyperspace jump
: !! -- corresponding hyperspace file to jump to
: >> or << -- jump to label within file
: :: -- precedes a label for a "local hyperspace jump"
: 
-- 
    Tin-Wee TAN                        /  INTERNET: bchtantw@nuscc.nus.sg
    Dept of Biochemistry               /  BITNET:   BCHTANTW@NUSVM
    National University of Singapore   /  Tel:      (65)-772-3678
    Singapore 0511                     /  Fax:      (65)-779-1453