Using an XTND-capable word processor like Claris Works, WordPerfect, or MacWrite, you can write documents and then supposably save them as HTML documents. HTML Translator was developed using Claris Works. Not having access to this word processor, other XTND-capable word processors (MacWrite II release 1.1 and WordPerfect 3.0) were used for evaluation. Using MacWrite, when saving any documents consistently resulted in a bus error forcing reboot of the computer.
More success was gotten using WordPerfect, but the success was limited. According to the documentation, text sizes within particular ranges were to be translated into headers. This never happened. Left-justified tabs are to be interpreted as list items, but the translator created <DD> tags, tags of which the author is not familiar. Bold, italics, and underlined text worked as advertised. Hypertext links are implemented by creating footnotes. The Translator did create hypertext links, but they were invalid. Driven by frustration, attempts were not made at importing graphics.
HTML Translator exemplifies what people want in terms of creating HTML documents, the ability to use their existing word processor in a WYSIWYG manner and "save as" HTML. Unfortunately, HTML Translator is not quite mature enough to allow people such a luxury.
Eric last edited this page on September 26, 1995. Please feel free to send comments.