Tools Supplied with WardInfo

Tools that were supplied with WardInfo include:

1) ISiloXC – command line version of the Isilo document converter. Used to create the palm pilot version of the output files, Ward.Pdb.

2) Blat – command line email sending program. Used for electronic distribution of WardInfo output files to leaders via email.

3) Zip utility – used to package all of the multitudes of files from WardInfo’s output for distribution.

Tools that would be useful with WardInfo (but are not included) might be:

1) Nconvert – converts pictures from one format to another and from one size to another (with a command line mode, which ConvertPictures.Bat below uses. (available from http://come.to/xnview)

2) Other html to document converters for use with Palm-OS users, such as Plucker (available from http://www.plkr.org), SiteScooper (available from http://sitescooper.cx), or the document converter of your choice.

There are several useful batch (and other) files that are also distributed with WardInfo:

1) BuildAll.Bat – a batch file that will build all 6 versions of the WardInfo files, including:

a. The ‘html’ files that are viewable with any standard browser such as Netscape or Internet Explorer.

b. An ISilo document (Ward.Pdb) for viewing on palm pilot computers and compatibles.

c. ‘Zip’-ed versions of the html and Ward.Pdb files, which encrypt and compact the files.

d. Self-extracting Zip files (.Exe) that can be used to distribute the files physically (via floppy disk or CD).

e. Renamed self-extracting Zip files (.Ede) that are delivered by all email programs (.Exe files are often filtered out).

1) SendAll.Bat – a batch file that will send the appropriate .Ede file to persons that you specify in the Destinations.Dat file using the Blat command line email package. For more discussion of using Blat see here.

2) ISilo setup files, *.ixl, which are used by the ISiloXC utility to produce the ISilo documents, *.pdb for viewing on the palm pilot. These may be modified by using the ISiloX program (which is not supplied with this distribution, but may be downloaded for free from http://www.isilo.com).

3) ConvertPictures.Bat – uses the [free] nconvert program (available from http://come.to/xnview) to convert input files to the correct size and format.

4) DougsBuild.Bat – is the author’s own build file that he uses in his ward. Many customized things in this build file, some of which may not work on your system! It assumes that the input files and Excel spreadsheets will be found in the IPAQ sync directory (although this could be changed). It builds a picture version of each distribution, as well as a non-picture version and an ISilo version.