favwrite - Homepage Maker Files

favwrite -- Homepage Maker  (Linix 64 bit Version)
instructions     May 14, 2024.  rpi 4, using version bookworm

 


- For proper viewing you may need to enable Word Wrap under edit.


CONTENTS
===================================
-- ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
-- INTRODUCTION
-- HOW TO USE
     - Quickstart
     - Making favorite lists
     - cascading style sheet
     - Shell Script File Support (optional)
-- FILES INCLUDED
-- INSTALLATION
-- PERMISSIONS
-- REMOVAL
-- COMPATABILITY
-- DRAWBACKS
-- ADDITIONAL NOTES
-- SUPPORT/DISCLAIMER


ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
===================================
 This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
 WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
 General Public License for more details.  You should have received a
 copy of the GNU General Public License version 2 along with this program.  If
 not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

See License.txt for license.

Some programming algorithms/code may be found in the src folder



INTRODUCTION
===================================
	Some websites have long names and some have short names.  
Repeatedly typing in the same web address for a frequently visited site can be annoying.

	Favwrite is a program that converts a text file of urls into a web page with a title.  You can easily access your favorite websites or folders by clicking the links on the web page.  Each of the web or folder links on the web page will open in a new window.  Read the HOW TO USE section for instructions on use.


Features include:

 * all web links open in a new window
 * title groups of your favorite web links
 * use a cascading style-sheet to customize favwrite file appearances
 * command-line option/Shell Script file support

Benefits include:
 
 * convenient access to your favorite web pages
 * create small portable web pages that can be used on any internet enabled      computer
 * easier login to websites

 
HOW TO USE
===================================

Quickstart:
There are 4 steps to create an HTML file of your favorite links:
1.  Start favwrite.out.  In the directory containing favwrite; type "./favwrite.out" at a terminal.
2.  Specify the name of a text file contaning web links.       
(file must be located in same directory as program)

3.  Type the name of the web page file to be created 
    from the text file.  
4.  Give a title to the web page your making.


You can also use the fav.sh shell script for faster creation of web pages,
NOTE:
If at any time you want to abort the program press Alt+F4 on the keyboard.


WARNING!
If you specify names of html files that already exist, they will be overwritten.


Making Favwrite Lists:
----------------------------------

Favwrite lists are simply text files that you create before you use favwrite to convert them into web pages.  You need to specify one web address per line.  You can push the Enter key to go to the next line.

Most web addresses should be written using 'http://'
  for example http://www.hotmail.com . 

You can also specify links to folder names.


Cascading Style Sheet
----------------------------------
(favwrite.css)

The files created by favwrite can be used with cascading style sheets.  The name of the sheet needs to be titled 'favwrite.css' and placed in the same directory as favwrite webpages.  By editing this file you can easily customize the appearance of favwrite pages.


Shell Script File Support (optional)
----------------------------------
homepage updater script (fav.sh)

Favwrite only supports the following command line option (without quotes):

"textfile.txt htmlfile.htm title" 


By default this Shell Script file will update 'homepage.htm' with the links you provide in homepage.txt with the title of homepage.

It contains the line (without quotes):
"favwrite.out homepage.txt homepage.htm Homepage"

You can right click the Shell Script file, to add more options to it.

You will also want to edit the preferences so it is executable.


Only the following three type of single-word arguments can be accepted:

textfile.txt -- Can be any textfile name without spaces.  It should contain a list of websites.  

htmlfile.htm -- Can be any web page file name without spaces.  The name should end in .htm or .html  

title -- Sould be a single title for the webpage without spaces.


FILES INCLUDED
===================================

readme.txt   -- this file
favwrite.out -- the main program
favwrite.css -- favwrite cascading style sheet
homepage.txt -- text file for your homepage
homepage.htm -- html file for your homepage 
license.txt  -- license for this program GPL ver 2.0

fav.sh -- Shell Script file to automatically create homepage.htm from homepage.txt 

/src/
algorithm.txt  -- steps used to write favwrite. 
favwrite.cpp -- source code for favwrite.
changelog.txt  -- list of changes within program


INSTALLATION
===================================
Extract the files to a directory of your choice.  Make sure you have the correct permissions to execute favwrite.out.  
Use the command g++ -std=c++98 favwrite.cpp
Rename a.out to favwrite.out

Use the command sudo chmod +x favwrite.out to make the program executable.
Next, move favwrite.out file out of the src folder and into the src fol
Use the command "./favwrite.out" to run the program by itself or execute the shell script fav.sh to easily pass commands to it.


PERMISSIONS
==================================
You can give the files full access with chmod 777 or
chmod 755: Only owner can write, read and execute for everyone


You will have to possibly make fav.sh executable by doing a chmod +x on it.

references on file permissions: https://linuxhandbook.com/chmod-command/
https://linuxconfig.org/chmod

REMOVAL
===================================
use the following command: rm -r specifying the correct folder that program files are in.


COMPATABILITY
===================================
The favwrite program hopefully can be used with any flavor of *nix if compiled for the hardware, it is written in C++98. 


In order to view web pages you will need a web browser.
The web pages you make are viewable from any computer with an internet browser.
In order to make a list of your favorite web links you will need a text editor that supports the ASCII format 
such as Gedit.


DRAWBACKS
===================================
 * This program lacks a graphical user interface.
 * url lists cannot be edited from within the program
 * more error trapping
 * ???

ADDITIONAL NOTES
===================================
Favwrite lists, text file names, and titles are limited to approximately 250 characters in length.

If web page html files you specify are marked as read-only or have the same name as text files you will get an error message: 

===
'An Error occurred while opening the file.'
'Please disable the read-only attribute for the web page you named.'

To prevent this from happening simply right-click the files and make sure the read-only box is unchecked.
Also make sure that the name of the text file and html file you type are not the exact same. 
===

If files/pages don't open the way you want try adding: http:// 
to the url.

===
If get errors compiling remember to use a dash in: -std=c++98 
when compiling

===


SUPPORT/DISCLAIMER
===================================
Use this program at your own risk.