** PD/Shareware / 330 Words **

HTML2TXT 2

** On Reader Disk logo **

Utility, all Ataris
Thomas Sahlin
http://user.tninet.se/~jyc891w/software/html2txt/


** HTML2TX1.GIF here **
** HTML2TX2.GIF here **

HTML2TXT 2, programmed by Thomas Sahlin in Sweden, converts HTML files to ASCII text files and has been re-written and released as "Registerware" (the original release was freeware). The interface offers batch conversion options, logfile, iconification and both BubbleGEM and ST-Guide help.

This release produces excellent converted files which is what the program is designed to do. There's full support for lists and indentations, and HTML2TXT 2 recognises the CSS property text-align and formats text accordingly. Width and align properties of <HR> tags are also handled correctly. Tables are converted into lists, which works well and aids readability.

I do have some minor niggles about the interface but don't let these put you off using HTML2TXT 2 which produces excellent results.

I found the conversion options confusing. Each option is explained in the hypertext along with example settings to perform a variety of tasks such as "Converting HTML files into Atari text files" and it would be useful if these tasks could be selected from a dialog instead of or alongside the existing options.

The most serious limitation is the lack of Drag&Drop support which means you can't drag a file for automatic conversion onto the HTML2TXT 2 icon or move files from the desktop or between buttons in the batch conversion window.

HTML2TXT 2 creates a PRGLINKS folder on the root of your C: where it stashes a file called HTML2TXT.LNK to set the path to HTML2TXT.PRG which seems a bit heavy handed - an environmental variable or entry in the PATH string would seem a better solution.

Because there's no menu bar or navigation buttons between the separate dialogs you cannot move between the batch file and options screens except by exiting the program and restarting.

Under MagiC 6 the window frame obscures the extreme right of the dialog buttons and the mouse leaves droppings.

Joe Connor