Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!ames!amdahl!oliveb!sun!news From: news@sun.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.text.desktop Subject: UNIX and VENTURA Publisher Message-ID: <28267@sun.uucp> Date: Wed, 16-Sep-87 19:46:07 EDT Article-I.D.: sun.28267 Posted: Wed Sep 16 19:46:07 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 19-Sep-87 09:08:11 EDT Distribution: comp Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Mtn View, CA Lines: 64 Approved: desktop-request%plaid@sun.com It's a very happy marriage. Ventura Publisher was designed to read a plethora of MS-DOS word processor formats as well as files stored in readable ASCII format. It was also designed to allow one to imbed, prior to WYSIWYG manipulation, formatting controls; much like one enters in-line codes for troff, Tex, Script, etc. Recently our firm was requested to prepare a demo of a newsletter for a Washington based scientific special interest group. I chose to compose the text using vi on our UNIX system. Why? I like vi and I like looking at my Wyse-30's screen a whole lot more than at our Wyse-700 1280x800 screen on the AT. What I was able to do, within an readable-ASCII-only environment was: + enter tag names + select fonts and point sizes + enter in special characters like em dashes and copyright symbols. I was then able to download the filee to the AT, bring up Ventura, read in the file and see a sample of something ALMOST ready to be used. WYSIWYG is great for lots and lots of things - but do you want to WYSIWYG a 100 page book? I don't. Ventura let's you take the best of both world. And although it works well with any editor (and allows the same in-line command insertion techniqes) I prefer my UNIX system for composition. AT's are expensive. Wyse-30 terminals are $280. If your shops does a lot of document preparation you might consider this route. IN-LINE COMMANDS Having said a few things about this I'll present a few examples. They should be self-explanatory. If not, drop me a note and I'll provide more info. The United States Constitution is our nation's living document and guide to our laws and system of government<196>from the works of... tells Ventura to switch to Zaph Chancery, returns to the font in use prior to last selection, says go to bold AND italics, sets style to normal, <196> is an em dash. In-line commands are always within the angle brackets and are NOT case sensitive. = . You can also combine them like . As for tags - if you have something you know, even before entering into the neat world of WYSIWYG, is a headline then @headline = SMITHSONIAN ADVISOR will save you time once in Ventura. Tag names ARE case sensitive. Conclusion - UNIX is but one environment in which the benefits of VENTURA PUBLISHER can be made more apparent. We'll have a troff/nroff to Ventura converter shortly... David Geller Electric Logic Washington, D.C. ---------------------------------------- Submissions to: desktop%plaid@sun.com -OR- sun!plaid!desktop Administrivia to: desktop-request%plaid@sun.com -OR- sun!plaid!desktop-request Paths: {ihnp4,decwrl,hplabs,seismo,ucbvax}!sun Chuq Von Rospach chuq@sun.COM Delphi: CHUQ We live and learn, but not the wiser grow -- John Pomfret (1667-1703)