> DB>Anyone know of a dos tool which will convert a text
> DB>from one 80 col mode to a pair of 40s?
> DB>so that you can display screens with text on them that look
> DB>like this:
> DB>left page right page
> DB>xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
> DB>xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
> DB>xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
> DB>xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
> DB>xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
groff, the GNU implimentation of troff will do this quite easily. Groff is
a formatting program that understands a markup language, somewhat like html,
but easier and better in ways. It come with macro packages for these markup
that include a 2 column command. For example, if you put the following tags
in front of some text:
.ll 84n
.2c 4 2
THE REST OF YOUR TEXT
Then you run the following command on your text:
groff -me textfile > formatted-file
The file, formatted-file will contain two column text with two columns
of 40 characters, and a 4 space ``gutter'' between each column, giving
a total line length of 84 characters.
Groff has the added advantage that you can insert headers, footers,
page numbers, current date, adjust the page margins to taste, etc. --
using other mark up tags. Groff produces a formatted-file that is either
plain text, or, if desired, a postscript print file.
Howard Schwartz
-------------------------------
theo "at" ncal.verio.com
