nPDF
What it should do
Allow PDF files to be read on the Newton, in at least some form.
What is the point of such an app
They're everywhere man.... everywhere!
How to do it
It is presumably not feasable to have Newton
based PDF reader. However, an alternative mix of text and simple graphics might
be possible, thereby allowing a PDF to be browsed on the Newton. The way to
do this would be to write a drag and drop application for the desktop machine
that converts the PDF into a newton feasable form, and possibly uploads it to
the Newton. Several methods spring to mind.
Convert the PDF to
- a Newton book, with basic RTF level text and/or depth and colour adjusted
graphics.
- a XML type format for an appropriate Newton reader
- HTML for a Newton web browser
- RTF for reading in Works or Notes
- RTFD (a RTFD capable reader is needed for the Newton (? a Works plugin perhaps?)
before this would be useful.
- a paperback book (text only)
- a task specific, newton based 'nPDF' application format that is designed
to maximise the suitablity of a PDF for the Newton, while maximising the retention
of PDF specific qualities
Perhaps the best way would be as an extension to the Escale
project, where dragging and dropping a PDF on escale (or a specific derivative
application) would turn it into a newton book (according to preset preferences),
and potentially upload it to the newton via the various methods that application
provides.
Status
A Newton PDF reader is not under development.
However, projects that convert PDFs to HTML, XML. and RTF are
under development for mac, PC, and JAVA. Search the net for more.
Here are some places -
- Web
- Macintosh
- Text lightning - convert PDF
to RTF, convert postscript to RTF. RTF files can be imported to Works
and Notes via NCU. Commercial.
- pdf2html
conversion - complicated download and install. (OS X - Unix savvy
required).
- PDFtoHTML - Converts
PDFs to HTML or XML (OS X - Unix savvy required)
- PC
- PDFtoHTML - Converts
PDFs to HTML or XML
- Probably many more apps...
- JAVA
- PDF Converter
for Newton
Turns PDFs into a form specifically suited
to the Newton. PDFs are converted into an output
(images) suitable for web browsers (HTML), Newton Book Maker, or for the
Newton ToolKit (NTK). Because they are images, the newton file will be
2-10 times the size of the original PDF. It is written for JAVA 2, and
therefore does not run in mac OS 8-9 (which lacks the JAVA runtime).
Contact person
Try Hendrik Lipka <mailto:hli@hendriklipka.de>