Make text into table

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Tobias Escher
Posts: 202
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:32 pm

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Tobias Escher »

Hi Martin,
it is several dozen topics, each containing several blocks of text. Each block needs to become a table.
All in all I estimate about 300-320 tables in 70 topics or so. So it is not hundreds of tables in a single topic :)
I was hoping H+M could create a table out of the text like Word can (I was aware of this function in Word/Excel, this is why I asked for it).

I spent days typing in all these lines (they are file names of files in our applications) by hand and now it seems I need to spend additional days making tables out of them.
I really hope the H+M developers can add a feature like this some day (especially because it is available in Word), that would tremendously help me...

I'd still love to check out your application - there will be "single tables" and there it could come in very handy given that I do not have Word on my work PC.
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Martin Wynne
Posts: 2656
Joined: Mon May 12, 2003 3:21 pm
Location: West of the Severn, UK

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Tobias Escher wrote:It is several dozen topics, each containing several blocks of text. Each block needs to become a table.
All in all I estimate about 300-320 tables in 70 topics or so.
Hi Tobias,

How are the blocks separated in the topics? How much other stuff is included in these topics in addition to the tables? Do all the tables require just one additional (empty) column?

Would it be feasible to copy the relevant topics to a separate folder, run a utility on that folder, and copy them back to the H&M project folder? This would do the entire conversion in one go and take only a few minutes at most.

But it requires that the blocks are separated in some identifiable way, such as a table title line in a different style or formatting, or a horizontal bar, or a line containing a specific string such as say @@@@@, or a prefix on the first line of text for each table, such as an underscore (all of which the utility could remove).

Hopefully you have already included some such identifying separation. If you could attach one of these topic files, or a link to your Webhelp, it would be easier to see what is involved.

I write lots of utilities for my own use to modify and create H&M topic files, but it does require that I know precisely what I'm dealing with. :)

regards,

Martin.
Last edited by Martin Wynne on Fri May 13, 2016 11:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Simon Dismore
Posts: 454
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 1:29 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Simon Dismore »

Tobias Escher wrote:it is several dozen topics, each containing several blocks of text. Each block needs to become a table.
All in all I estimate about 300-320 tables in 70 topics or so... I was hoping H+M could create a table out of the text like Word can... I spent days typing in all these lines (they are file names of files in our applications) by hand and now it seems I need to spend additional days making tables out of them.
Tobias, sorry to interrupt but you have not been going about this in an efficient way. If you had explained the transformation you need in general terms first, you would have saved time and got better advice. Here are some suggestions:
  • To create a list of file names, in a command window dir >mylist.txt. The text file will contain the filenames so you don't need to copy-type them. Check the parameters to dir (the command to get the syntax is dir /?) to ensure you are getting the output you want. If you would prefer something more graphical, try using SnagIt which can capture the text from Windows Explorer folder displays.
  • Styled RTF files (exported from Microsoft Word or Open Office Write) are your new best friends for preparing the topics, because when Help and Manual imports from RTF it uses heading levels to create new topics. If you can save in RTF and you haven't tried this yet you are missing out on a lot of import functionality that ec-Software spent weeks building and testing. @Tim, the documentation should emphasize this more.
  • If you know how to apply styles in Word (or Write) you can quickly assemble a file containing tens or hundreds of topics. Knowing how to search and replace styles is particularly useful, because you can do all sorts of clever things (at least in Word) to recognize particular formats and/or strings as indicating new topic titles.
  • Once you have a sample RTF file containing a few topics, try importing it as a new project in H&M. Polish this technique until it is worth doing for all your topics.
  • Given a new project containing all these topics, you can now copy them to an existing project or include them as snippets.
I know this is blunt but spending days typing filenames by hand should never happen again!
Last edited by Simon Dismore on Fri May 13, 2016 11:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Martin Wynne
Posts: 2656
Joined: Mon May 12, 2003 3:21 pm
Location: West of the Severn, UK

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Hi Simon,

Tobias says he doesn't have Word. I know the feeling, it is a program I utterly hate and my heart sinks whenever I have to use it.

Like me, he does have OpenOffice, although I use it very rarely. My favourite for anything text based is and always has been PagePlus.

regards,

Martin.
Simon Dismore
Posts: 454
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 1:29 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Simon Dismore »

Martin Wynne wrote:Tobias says he doesn't have Word. I know the feeling, it is a program I utterly hate and my heart sinks whenever I have to use it. Like me, he does have OpenOffice, although I use it very rarely. My favourite for anything text based is and always has been PagePlus.
Yes, I've just seen that in the other thread, so I've updated my last to refer to RTF rather than specifically Word. Because of the absence of update history that might look a bit odd, but you were right to call me out on it.

Unfortunately Word and Excel do have quirks that I imagine have been kept for historical compatibility, and are not as widely understood nowadays as they were in the early 2000s. But they are by a vast margin the Windows apps used for managing text and data. For Help & Manual to prosper in the Windows ecosystem, inter-operability with Microsoft is essential. Having been surprised by the table-pasting feature earlier this afternoon I don't think EC-Software's existing marketing and support documentation makes clear how much they've achieved in this area.
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Martin Wynne
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Joined: Mon May 12, 2003 3:21 pm
Location: West of the Severn, UK

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Simon Dismore wrote:but you were right to call me out on it.
Hi Simon,

I wasn't calling you out, just adding to the conversation. :)

Yes, I was mighty surprised to find that table pasting from spreadsheets has been in TRichView for years and hence in H&M since HM4.

I don't dispute that the whole world uses Word. Just not me. As so often in this life, I find myself in a minority of 1. :?

regards,

Martin.
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Martin Wynne
Posts: 2656
Joined: Mon May 12, 2003 3:21 pm
Location: West of the Severn, UK

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

As an aside, here is a table in PagePlus. Rotated and still editable. And displayed as either a functional spreadsheet or a text table, according to need.
page_plus_table.png
You can in fact copy and paste this table into H&M, although it becomes an embedded image in the process.

And joy of joy, PagePlus supports overwrite mode in the editor, which is so time-saving in editing numeric tables and lists. We haven't had that in H&M since HM3. :(

Martin.
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Tobias Escher
Posts: 202
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:32 pm

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Tobias Escher »

Hi Martin, hi Simon!

Thanks for sticking with me!

I did indeed phrase that poorly. Of course I did not type the file names letter by letter by hand. I used WinDirPrint to get the filenames as text and then pasted them into H+M. Still took a few days because it is hundreds of folders.

I actually listed the content of one topic earlier in the thread. Its always a headline (either style "Headline 2" or "Headline 3") followed by "Normal" formatted text with 1 name per line. I have attached one such xml topic directly from H+M in full (see below). Most topics look like this.

Yes, at present only one additional column is required.
I guess my use cases are always pretty special. I was (wrongly) assuming that H+M had such a feature to convert text to tables. Just as I was (wrongly) assuming that variables could be used in repositories. That is one other thing that easily costs an hour of my time each week or so.

Martin: I had a look at Page Plus. It seems to be something like InDesign, just more affordable. I would love to hear why you like it in conjunction with H+M. I might be getting it if it helps me better prepare things for use within H+M.

Again thanks a lot for your help!!!

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="../helpproject.xsl" ?>
<topic template="Default" status="Under Construction" lasteditedby="Novatlan" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="../helpproject.xsd">
  <title translate="true">Articulations</title>
  <body>
    <header>
      <para styleclass="Heading1"><text styleclass="Heading1" translate="true">Articulations</text></para>
    </header>
    <para styleclass="WebHelp_IntroBlock"><text styleclass="WebHelp_IntroBlock" translate="true">All Orchestral Tools collections focus on providing a versatile pallet of articulations to help you shape your sound.</text></para>
    <para styleclass="WebHelp_IntroBlock"><text styleclass="WebHelp_IntroBlock" translate="true">This section lists all articulations contained in Metropolis Ark I.</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Normal" style="text-align:justify;"></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading3"><text styleclass="Heading3" translate="true">District I - Orchestra</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Finkenstein Strings (High)</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Strings High Legato 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Strings High Sustains 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Strings High Sustains Unison</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Strings High Tremolo Unison</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Strings High Spiccato 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Strings High Spiccato Unison</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">07. Strings High Spiccato Blurred 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">08. Strings High Portato Long Unison</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">09. Strings High Portato Short Unison</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">10. Strings High Bartok Pizzicato Col Legno 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">11. Strings High Crescendo Long Unison</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">12. Strings High Crescendo Short Unison</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">13. Strings High Swell Unison</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">14. Strings High Tremolo Decrescendo Unison</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">15. Strings High Glissandi Up 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">16. Strings High Glissandi Cluster 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Wolfenstein Strings (Low)</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Strings Low Legato 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Strings Low Sustains 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Strings Low Tremolo 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Strings Low Spiccato 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Strings Low Portato Long 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Strings Low Portato Short 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">07. Strings Low Bartok Pizzicato Col Legno 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">08. Strings Low Crescendo Long 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">09. Strings Low Crescendo Short 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">10. Strings Low Swell 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">11. Strings Low Tremolo Decrescendo 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">12. Strings Low Glissandi 8va</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Holbein Bassoons a4</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Bassoons a4 Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Bassoons a4 Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Bassoons a4 Marcato Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Bassoons a4 Marcato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Bassoons a4 Crescendo Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Bassoons a4 Crescendo Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">07. Bassoons a4 Crescendo Fluttertongue</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">08. Bassoons a4 Swell Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">09. Bassoons a4 Swell Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Barnak Contrabassoons a4</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Contrabassoons a4 Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Contrabassoons a4 Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Contrabassoons a4 Marcato Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Contrabassoons a4 Marcato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Contrabassoons a4 Crescendo Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Contrabassoons a4 Crescendo Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">07. Contrabassoons a4 Crescendo Fluttertongue</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">08. Contrabassoons a4 Swell Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">09. Contrabassoons a4 Swell Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Kommandanten Trumpets a4</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Trumpets a4 Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Trumpets a4 Staccatissimo</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Trumpets a4 Staccatissimo Cluster</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Trumpets a4 Marcato Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Trumpets a4 Marcato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Trumpets a4 Crescendo Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">07. Trumpets a4 Crescendo Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">08. Trumpets a4 Crescendo Fluttertongue</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">09. Trumpets a4 Crescendo Long Cluster</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">10. Trumpets a4 Crescendo Short Cluster</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">11. Trumpets a4 Swell</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Schwarzdorn Horns a9</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Horns a9 Legato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Horns a9 Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Horns a9 Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Horns a9 Staccato Cluster</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Horns a9 Marcato Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Horns a9 Marcato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">07. Horns a9 Crescendo Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">08. Horns a9 Crescendo Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">09. Horns a9 Crescendo Fluttertongue</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">10. Horns a9 Crescendo Long Cluster</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">11. Horns a9 Crescendo Short Cluster</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">12. Horns a9 Swell Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">13. Horns a9 Swell Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">14. Horns a9 Octave Rips</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Rotdorn Horns a3</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Horns a3 Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Horns a3 Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Horns a3 Marcato Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Horns a3 Marcato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Horns a3 Crescendo Long </text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Horns a3 Crescendo Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">07. Horns a3 Crescendo Fluttertongue</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">08. Horns a3 Swell Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">09. Horns a3 Swell Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Friedrich Bass Trombones a3</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Bass Trombones a3 Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Bass Trombones a3 Staccato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Bass Trombones a3 Marcato Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Bass Trombones a3 Marcato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Bass Trombones a3 Crescendo Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Bass Trombones a3 Crescendo Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">07. Bass Trombones a3 Crescendo Fluttertongue</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">08. Bass Trombones a3 Swell Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">09. Bass Trombones a3 Swell Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Koenigsberger Cimbassi a3</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Cimbassi a3 Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Cimbassi a3 Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Cimbassi a3 Marcato Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Cimbassi a3 Marcato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Cimbassi a3 Crescendo Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Cimbassi a3 Crescendo Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">07. Cimbassi a3 Crescendo Fluttertongue</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">08. Cimbassi a3 Swell</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Hindenburg Tubas a3</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Tubas a3 Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Tubas a3 Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Tubas a3 Marcato Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Tubas a3 Marcato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Tubas a3 Crescendo Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Tubas a3 Crescendo Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">07. Tubas a3 Crescendo Fluttertongue</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">08. Tubas a3 Swell</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading3"><text styleclass="Heading3" translate="true">District II - Choir</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Viktoria Choir (High)</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Choir Women Legato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Choir Women Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Choir Women Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Choir Women Marcato Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Choir Women Marcato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Choir Women Glissandi & FX</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Aarauer Choir (Low)</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Choir Men Legato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Choir Men Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Choir Men Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Choir Men Marcato Long</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Choir Men Marcato Short</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Choir Men Glissandi & FX</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading3"><text styleclass="Heading3" translate="true">District III - Percussion</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Kopernikus Percussion</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Epic Percussion Ensemble</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Epic Percussion Hits</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Drake Piano</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Piano</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading3"><text styleclass="Heading3" translate="true">District IV - Band</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Kornmesser Guitar Ensemble</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Guitar Ensemble Power Chords</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Guitar Ensemble Alternative Power Chords</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Guitar Ensemble Double Power Chords</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Guitar Ensemble Single Strokes</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Kornmesser Guitar L</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Guitar Left Power Chords</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Guitar Left Single Strokes</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Guitar Left Tremolo</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Guitar Left Tremolo Muted</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Kornmesser Guitar R</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Guitar Right Power Chords</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. Guitar Right Alternative Power Chords</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">03. Guitar Right Double Power Chords</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">04. Guitar Right Single Strokes</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">05. Guitar Right Tremolo</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">06. Guitar Right Tremolo Muted</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Troppauer Bass</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. E-Bass Single Strokes</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">02. E-Bass Shorts</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><br/><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Gardeschützen Drumset</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Normal" translate="true">01. Drumset</text></para>
  </body>
</topic>
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Martin Wynne
Posts: 2656
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Location: West of the Severn, UK

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Hi Tobias,

That's great. You have this string

Code: Select all

<text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"
at the beginning of each table and nowhere else. Which I can therefore use as an identifier.

So assuming all the topics are the same, I can write a simple utility to convert all your tables in all your topics with a single click. :)

Yes PagePlus is low cost. If you don't want the very lastest version straightaway it can be extremely low cost. If you download the free starter version and give them your email address, Serif will keep offering you various later versions at lower and lower prices until you finally bite. Once you have done that, they will start offering you the latest version at prices well below the published price. The free version is at: http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/

(No connection, just a happy user for many years. Their other software is ok, but PagePlus is the star.)

I don't much use it with H&M for text -- for that use Notepad++ from: https://notepad-plus-plus.org/

But PagePlus is useful to create images for screenshots if you want to add fully formatted callouts and complex text wrapping.

regards,

Martin.
Tobias Escher
Posts: 202
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:32 pm

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Tobias Escher »

Hi!

Yes, usually it is Non TOC Headline, but sometimes it can also be Headline 2 or 3.
The better identifier is the fact that the text that needs to become a table is ALWAYS "Body Text" (yes, I know it is "Normal" here in the XML, but I have since changed it to Body Text). Would it be possible to instead search for the "Body Text" blocks?

Haha, nice marketing stunt with Serif... I'll get the free version and will let them send me emails, then finally bite :)
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Martin Wynne
Posts: 2656
Joined: Mon May 12, 2003 3:21 pm
Location: West of the Severn, UK

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Tobias Escher wrote:Yes, usually it is Non TOC Headline, but sometimes it can also be Headline 2 or 3.
The better identifier is the fact that the text that needs to become a table is ALWAYS "Body Text" (yes, I know it is "Normal" here in the XML, but I have since changed it to Body Text). Would it be possible to instead search for the "Body Text" blocks?
Hi Tobias,

Now don't start changing things. I need a unique identifier at the start of each table. And nowhere else. What you posted works fine for that. Maybe every table starts 01 ? Which would be a more reliable indicator than any of the style stuff. But if this is going to work, every table in every topic must be the same. It's no good if some of them start 00 or aa or whatever.

regards,

Martin.
Last edited by Martin Wynne on Sat May 14, 2016 11:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
Tobias Escher
Posts: 202
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:32 pm

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Tobias Escher »

Ok, then Non TOC Headline will be fine. That should cover about 80% of all tables, which would be a HUGE relief!
Unfortunately the tables don't all start at 01, some start at 00 :( But Non TOC Headline will be fine.
Or would it be possible to make the "start thing" a variable? That would be perfect! If not NON Toc will be awesome.
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Martin Wynne
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Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Tobias Escher wrote:Unfortunately the tables don't all start at 01, some start at 00
If that's the only difference, I can handle that to use either. The important thing is that I know about it. I don't want to write code which fails because you didn't tell me something. :(

Perhaps you could create a dummy topic containing all the variations and post it here? And then don't change anything until after the conversion.

You will need to create a new folder somewhere on your computer (or a USB stick) into which you can save my exe file, and within that 2 sub-folders INPUT and OUTPUT. Copy and paste all the topic XML files which you want converted into the INPUT folder. They won't be modified in any way. Leave the OUTPUT folder empty. After conversion, the new XML topic files will be in there, and you can copy them back to your project. Is all that ok? I'm not going to include any idiot-proofing whatsoever in the utility (I normally write these things for my own use) so you need to follow the instructions to the letter. If you make a typo and create the folder as OUTPOT it will crash.

It's a nice sunny day here, so I will leave this now until this evening.

regards,

Martin.
Tobias Escher
Posts: 202
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:32 pm

Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Tobias Escher »

Hi Martin,

here's a topic that should contain all possible variations that can occur.
I will make triple sure that all topics look exactly like this and I will not change any text styles anymore.

Thanks so much!!!

Tobias

Code: Select all

<topic template="Default" status="Under Construction" lasteditedby="Novatlan">
  <title translate="true">TablesExample</title>
  <body>
    <header>
      <para styleclass="Heading1"><text styleclass="Heading1" translate="true">TablesExample</text></para>
    </header>
    <para styleclass="WebHelp_IntroBlock"><text styleclass="WebHelp_IntroBlock" translate="true">A intro text that just remains as it is</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading3"><text styleclass="Heading3" translate="true">This is a Heading3 heading</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Sometimes this Non-TOC-Headline follows</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">01. first line of the table</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">02. and the second line</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">a new headline</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">00. this one begins with two zeroes</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">00. sometimes multiple lines can begin with the same number, I hope that is no problem</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">01. Firecracker 10&apos;&apos; Singles & Rolls</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">02. Firecracker 10&apos;&apos; Dynamics</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading3"><text styleclass="Heading3" translate="true">here&apos;s a big Heading3 again</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">and another non-TOC-Headline</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">00. Celesta Multi</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">01. Celesta Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">02. Celesta Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"></para>
    <para styleclass="Non-TOC Headline"><text styleclass="Non-TOC Headline" translate="true">Vibraphone</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">00. Vibraphone Multi</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">01. Vibraphone Normal Mallet Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">02. Vibraphone Normal Mallet Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">03. Vibraphone Soft Mallet Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">04. Vibraphone Soft Mallet Staccato</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">05. Vibraphone Tremolo</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">06. Vibraphone Rotator Slow Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">07. Vibraphone Rotator Fast Sustains</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">08. Vibraphone Glissando Up Sustained</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">09. Vibraphone Glissando Down Sustained</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading3"><text styleclass="Heading3" translate="true">Another Heading3, but this time the table will begin immediately afterwards</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">00. Templeblocks Multi</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">01. Body Percussion</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">02. Shakers</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">03. Castanets</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">04. Claves</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">05. Templeblocks 1</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">06. Templeblocks 2</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">07. Templeblocks 3</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">08. Templeblocks 4</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">09. Woodblocks</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">10. Tambourine 1 Singles & Rolls</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">11. Tambourine 1 Dynamics</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">12. Tambourine 2 Singles & Rolls</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">13. Tambourine 2 Dynamics</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">14. Headless Tambourine 1</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">15. Headless Tambourine 2</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">16. Guiro</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">17. Guiro Dynamics</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading2" style="text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid;"></para>
    <para styleclass="Heading3"><text styleclass="Heading3" translate="true">and same here, note that the counting starts with one again, not with zero</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">01. Sleigh Bells</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">02. Railroad Bell</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">03. Ship Bells</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">04. Finger Cymbals</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">05. Windmaker</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">06. Cab Horns</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">07. Drumsticks</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">08. Vibraslap</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">09. Bird Call</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">10. Cuckoo</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">11. Duck Call</text></para>
    <para styleclass="Body Text"><text styleclass="Body Text" translate="true">12. Fog Horn</text></para>
  </body>
</topic>
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Martin Wynne
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Re: Make text into table

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

Hi Tobias,

Thanks for that. The lines immediately preceding and following each table are not consistent.

However, all the tables begin with either 00 or 01. Is that true for all the tables in all the topics?

Are there any blank lines in any of the tables? As far as I can see the only way to find the end of a table reliably is to wait for the numeric count to fail. A blank line in a table would therefore terminate that table.

The table style in H&M is normally "Default". However, you can create other table styles if you wish, and it would be a lot easier to set them all at this stage rather than have to change them one at a time later. I will add an edit box on the dialog to set the table style.

regards,

Martin.
Last edited by Martin Wynne on Sat May 14, 2016 12:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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