More About HTML Converter

This section includes the following topics:

• Running the GUI Version of the HTML Converter
  • Choosing files within folders to convert
  • Choosing a backup folder
  • Generating a log file
  • Choosing a conversion template
  • Choosing version scheme
  • Converting
  • Exit or convert more files
  • Details about templates
• Running the converter from the command line

Running the GUI version of the HTML Converter

The HTML Converter is contained in the JDK, not the JRE. To run the converter, go to the lib subdirectory of your JDK installation directory. For example, if you installed the JDK on Window on the C drive, then cd to

C:\sdk1.4.2\lib\

The converter (htmlconverter.jar) is contained in that directory.

To launch the converter type:

C:\sdk1.4.2\lib>..\bin\java -jar htmlconverter.jar -gui

Launching the converter on UNIX/Linux is analogous.

Windows Alternative

To launch the converter using Window Explorer, navigate to the following directory:

C:\j2sdk1.4.2\bin

(or to <sdk_location>\bin if it is not located in the directory shown above) then double-click on the HtmlConverter.exe application.

Unix/Linux Alternative

cd to <sdk_location>/bin—for example /home/jones/j2sdk1.4.2/bin—then enter:

HtmlConverter -gui

The HTML Converter window will appear:

Choosing files within folders to convert:

To convert a single file withing a folder, you may specify the path to the file and include the file name; you may also browse to the file a select it. To convert all files within a folder, you may type in the path to the folder, or choose the browse button to select a folder from a dialog.  Once you have chosen a path, you may supply any number of file specifiers in "Matching File Names". Each specifier must be separated by a comma. You may use * as a wildcard. Finally, if you would like all files in nested folders matching the file name to be converted, select the checkbox "Include Subfolders".
 

Choosing a backup folder:

Windows

The default backup folder path is the source path with an "_BAK" appended to the name; e.g., if the source path is c:/html, then the backup path would be c:/html_BAK.  The backup path may be changed by entering a path in the field labeled "Backup Files to Folder:", or by browsing for a folder.

Unix (Solaris):

The default backup folder path is the source path with an "_BAK" appended to the name; e.g., if the source path is /home/user1/html, then the backup path would be /home/user1/html_BAK. The backup path may be changed by typing a path in the field labeled "Backup Files to Folder:", or by browsing for a folder.
 

Generating a log file:

If you would like a log file to be generated, go to the Advanced Options screen (Edit>Options) and check "Generate Log File". Enter a path in the text field, including the name of the log file; or use the browse button to set the path (including log file).  The log file may be an existing one or a new one. The log file contains basic information related to the conversion process.
 

Choosing a conversion template:

A default template will be used if none is chosen.  This template will produce converted html files that will work with IE and Netscape.  If you would like to use a different template, you may choose it from the menu on the main screen.  If you choose "Other Template ..." from the menu, you will be allowed to choose a file to be used as the template.  If you choose a file, be sure that it is a template.

Choosing a version scheme

Note: The specified version mentioned below is the version of the JRE you use to launch the converter; e.g., 1.4.2. The first two numbers in the version indicate the family; e.g., 1.4.3_02 is in the 1.4 family. For an explanation of product version numbers, see Note on Version Numbers in the section called Using OBJECT, EMBED and APPLET Tags in Java Plug-in.

There are two choices here:

Converting:

Click the "Convert..." button to begin the conversion process.  A dialog will show the files being processed, the number of files processed, the number of applets found, and number of errors.

Exit or Convert More Files:

When the conversion is complete, the button in the process dialog will change from "Cancel" to "Done".  You may choose "Done" to close the dialog.  You can then exit the Java Plug-in HTML Converter program, or select another set of files to convert.

Details about templates:

The template file is the basis behind converting applets.  It is simply a text file containing tags that represent parts of the original applet.  By
adding/removing/moving the tags in a template file, you can alter the output of the converted file.

Supported Tags:

Below are four templates that come with the HTML Converter. You can make up others and put them in the template folder to use them.

default.tpl— the default template for the converter. The converted page can be used in IE and Navigator on Windows to invoke Java Plug-in. This template can also be used with Netscape on Unix (Solaris)

<!-- HTML CONVERTER -->
<OBJECT classid="clsid:E19F9330-3110-11d4-991C-005004D3B3DB"
$ObjectAttributes$ codebase="$CabFileLocation$">
$ObjectParams$
<PARAM NAME="type" VALUE="$MimeType$">
<PARAM NAME="scriptable" VALUE="false">
$AppletParams$
<COMMENT>
<EMBED type="$MimeType$" $EmbedAttributes$
$EmbedParams$ scriptable=false pluginspage="$NSFileLocation$"><NOEMBED>
</COMMENT>
$AlternateHTML$
 </NOEMBED></EMBED>
</OBJECT>

<!--
$ORIGINALAPPLET$
-->

ieonly.tpl — the converted page can be used to invoke Java Plug-in in IE on Windows only.

<!-- HTML CONVERTER -->
<OBJECT classid="clsid:E19F9330-3110-11d4-991C-005004D3B3DB"
$ObjectAttributes$ codebase="$CabFileLocation$">
$ObjectParams$
<PARAM NAME="type" VALUE="$MimeType$">
<PARAM NAME="scriptable" VALUE="false">
$AppletParams$
$AlternateHTML$
</OBJECT>

<!--
$ORIGINALAPPLET$
-->

nsonly.tpl — the converted page can be used to invoke Java Plug-in in Navigator on Windows and Solaris.

<!-- HTML CONVERTER -->
<EMBED type="$MimeType$" $EmbedAttributes$
$EmbedParams$ scriptable=false pluginspage="$NSFileLocation$"><NOEMBED>
$AlternateHTML$
</NOEMBED></EMBED>

<!--
$ORIGINALAPPLET$
-->

extend.tpl — the converted page can be used in any browser and any platform. If the browser is IE or Navigator on Windows, or Navigator on Solaris, Java(TM) Plug-in will be invoked. Otherwise, the browser's default JVM is used.
 
<!-- HTML CONVERTER -->
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"><!--
var _info = navigator.userAgent; var _ns = false; var _ns6 = false;
var _ie = (_info.indexOf("MSIE") > 0 && _info.indexOf("Win") > 0 &&
_info.indexOf("Windows 3.1") < 0);
//--></SCRIPT>
<COMMENT><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.1"><!--
var _ns = (navigator.appName.indexOf("Netscape") >= 0 &&
((_info.indexOf("Win") > 0 && _info.indexOf("Win16") < 0 &&
java.lang.System.getProperty("os.version").indexOf("3.5") < 0) ||
_info.indexOf("Sun") > 0));
var _ns6 = ((_ns == true) && (_info.indexOf("Mozilla/5") >= 0));
//--></SCRIPT></COMMENT>

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"><!--
if (_ie == true) document.writeln('<OBJECT
classid="clsid:E19F9330-3110-11d4-991C-005004D3B3DB" $ObjectAttributes$
codebase="$CabFileLocation$"><NOEMBED><XMP>');
else if (_ns == true && _ns6 == false) document.writeln('<EMBED
type="$MimeType$" $EmbedAttributes$
$EmbedParams$ scriptable=false 
pluginspage="$NSFileLocation$"><NOEMBED><XMP>');
//--></SCRIPT>
<APPLET $AppletAttributes$></XMP>
$ObjectParams$
<PARAM NAME="type" VALUE="$MimeType$">
<PARAM NAME="scriptable" VALUE="false">
$AppletParams$
$AlternateHTML$
</APPLET>
</NOEMBED></EMBED></OBJECT>

<!--
$ORIGINALAPPLET$
-->

Running the converter from the command line:

Format:

java -jar htmlconverter.jar [-options1 value1 [-option2 value2 [...]]] [-simulate] [filespecs]

If only "java -jar htmlconverter.jar -gui" is specified (only -gui option with no filespecs), the GUI version of the converter will be launched.  Otherwise, the GUI will be suppressed.

filespecs: 
space-delimited list of file specifications which may include wildcard (*), e.g. *.html, file*.html).

-simulate:
Set to preview a conversion without actually doing the conversion. Use this option if you are unsure about a conversion. You will be shown detail information about the conversion had it been done.