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Please note that I value highly any feedback I get (good and bad) and have tried to aim the documentation at beginners as well as more experienced people. If you find things difficult to understand or you decide that PPWIZARD for whatever reason is not for you I would really be interested in hearing from you! I can't fix a problem I know nothing about!
You may wish to examine the change history before downloading PPWIZARD.
Please choose one of the following PPWIZARD (version 22.148) downloads (there is just one PPWIZARD runtime for all operating systems, the following are alternative ways of packaging):
This self extracting EXE contains everything you need for windows. The documentation the download contains is now in the Windows compiled help format ("PPWIZARD.CHM") so there is a good index, table of contents and a very powerful search facility (including support for "near").
Note that if the installer tells you about a CRC error you either have a virus or have had a download failure (the file is exactly 2,260,392 bytes long).
This download comes with no documentation. To install:
This download comes with no documentation. Operating systems other than OS/2 will require the free regina rexx interpreter.
If you know what you are doing this might be a good download where you have recently installed ppwizard and you just want the updated ppwizard runtime (ppwizard.rex).
The following documentation packages are available for download:
This "html" doco has an index and allows you to search (including boolean) and bookmark pages. It is an excellent form of documentation for windows operating systems and I believe all you need is to have installed IE 4.0+ to have support.
Should work well in just about any browser (old or new), if not send me a screen dump and description and I'll see what I can do. Has optional navigation via Java applet (tree based table of contents).
For operating systems other than OS/2 the INF file can be viewed using the DOS or Windows viewers. One of the 2 should work in unix. This has the advantage of a better search facility (than straight html).
Since I don't have an OS/2 box, I rely on a slave to compile an IPF file for me, for this reason the doco is usually behind the other formats (and may have some formatting issues).
OS/2 users have a native view program (view.exe) however a better replacement called "New View" has become available.
The OS/2 INF, the Windows CHM and the HTML version have been created from the same source using OL_DOC.DH PPWIZARD addon below.
There is not a lot of documentation for these headers, although quite a few have examples (any ".IT" or ".HTM" files) and the header files themselves usually have a lot of comments and information. If via feedback I find that people are using or having problems with particular headers I will concentrate on improving the functonality and documentation for these. If requested I will help if specific questions are asked (it might help to attach your attempts to any emails).
Note that some header files will require others to be available and that the headers may require PPWIZARD features that have recently been introduced (if so they will tell you). Also note that if I make non-trivial changes to an add-on that I will generally move the download to the top of the list:
Name | Details | Description |
---|---|---|
PPWADDON |
Mon Oct 14 2002 5:50:12pm 288,458 bytes |
This header file contains all of the following downloads except those marked "*". |
OL_DOC * |
Mon Nov 22 2010 4:50:36pm 414,019 bytes |
This header file allows you to easily create
Windows "CHM, OS/2 "IPF/INF" as well as HTML documentation
(potentially others in future) from common 'neutral' source.
Note that my PPWIZARD doco as well as all other large
doco that I have was created this way.
If you use it I won't bite if you ask for help!
Note that most of the macros in this header deal with the issues of creating code for multiple output formats, if all you wish is HTML based formats (HTML, CHM, possibly JavaHelp in future) then there are only a small number of macros required (making it extrememly simple to learn). This has the advantage of tieing all your pages together with contents/index pages, forward/backwards buttons as well as automatic self validation of all the resources and links you used between these pages. If you want some sample source I am making my
PPWIZARD documentation source available (including
the batch files to make HTML, CHM and IPF doco).
The download is called
|
DLCNTR |
Mon Jun 13 2005 1:23:56pm 29,585 bytes |
This header provides a very simple to use download macro which
simplifies the generation of download links where file size, date,
time or other details can appear inline or in a tooltip (or both).
A "new" download can be automatically marked as such.
All downloads on this page (along with any associated information
such as file sizes) were created using this download.
Possibly the most important feature (although optional) is that it can automatically handle download counters from "http://www.downloadcounter.com/". These counters are created automatically, normally you need to register each one online and cut and paste the generated code (or at least remember the generated counter number). There is also a general Q & A available. This now includes a grouping mechanism which allows you to do local reporting of counters, again this requires no work at the download site and is extremely simple to setup and use (although not yet documented). A crude example is available. This will allow you to easily see the values of different groups of counters (sorted by value). It would not take too much effort to implement bar graphs etc. A counter is by default a member of the "ALL" group but can belong to any number of groups (for example ALL, PPWIZARD and DEVELOPMENT). |
FTPLIKE |
Fri Apr 2 2004 12:32:24pm 28,461 bytes |
This header file allows you to generate "ftp like" listings from
directory trees (you have virtually full control over look and feel
of pages).
It can take comments for directories and files from ".DIZ" files or directory configuration files or any place you wish. One of its biggest advantages is being able to have a single copy of files and directories (categories) and display these in multiple places (categories). I also use it (extremely customised) to create my book mark pages from my windows based IE URL objects (comments can be added to these URL objects). If you use this download you might also wish to check out my "DIRATTR" download. |
HTMLPRE |
Mon Oct 14 2002 5:50:12pm 7,748 bytes |
Very handy header file that allows you to imbed (or include from file) real working HTML or source code in any language without making any changes by hand. You can even automatically create hypertext links. All sample code on the examples page was processed using this technique, you might notice that the page includes the source for itself (this is not a copy)! |
CURLPPW |
Sat Oct 12 2002 7:01:28pm 3,904 bytes |
This ppwizard add-on provides you with an interface to the "memory"
file of my free URL checker (CHECKURL).
You may have noticed all my links
(in my links pages)
now indicate whether they we successfully validated
(and when) or what the error was.
If you use this header you may also want to have a look at my VALRURL product as it allows the CHECKURL program to pinpoint URL problems to the correct location in your source code (and not just in the generated html). |
JSPW |
Fri Aug 2 2002 5:34:48pm 25,549 bytes |
I looked around for some decent Javascript code to hide html, I could
not find any.
Some people's scripts has the password in the clear, some
had it hidden. Others relied on the password being used to build a URL
and most did not actually protect the html, they just made it harder to
get there.
Most were too hard to use and some required a separate generation step.
They did not protect against web links or search engines (just because
you don't link to a page doesn't mean it won't be found).
I decided to write an easy to use header file which could protect both HTML and javascript. You can test it on my sample. Mostly tested under IE 5.0/5.5 and Netscape 4.61/4.73, hopefully it works well on other browsers. It seems to be slow under Netscape but fast under Internet Explorer. If anyone knows how to get it to work faster under Netscape then I'm all ears! |
NSIS_HDR * |
Fri Jul 26 2002 11:19:51am 51,406 bytes |
NSIS Installer
is a good, simple free program to build Windows self extracting
EXE programs for your downloads.
It takes care of common install/uninstall requirements.
This is a header file and sample package which simplifies the
creation of these NSIS installer packages.
I use PPWIZARD (and this package) to package PPWIZARD and some
other Windows tools including this one.
Basically what this product provides is a text based "wizard" (you will need to download NSIS yourself). For simple installs it will take care of all the uninstall work and will also populate most of the "add/remove" key information ("support information") that Windows ME/2000/XP will display. Almost all current packages (including commercial, and including Microsoft's) do a hopeless job of setting up this information. The NSIS program is being frequently modified (last tested and probably updated to work with NSIS version 1.90), if you get any problems with the header (being out of date) then please let me know! Note that I also have a product called MAKEMSI which creates MSI packages. I recommend you have a look at this product first. |
SITES |
Tue Jul 2 2002 8:48:48pm 11,544 bytes |
This can be used to organise information about a site.
The download contains a 3 page sample which has a navigation bar
with "first", "last", "previous" and "next" links.
The information could also be used to create a site map.
You can add user attributes at a site or page level. |
IMPORT_D |
Thu May 2 2002 9:06:44pm 4,405 bytes |
This can be used to split a comma seperated value record/file (or any other similar format with different delimiter) into its individual fields. It is suitable for use within PPWIZARD as well as in generated rexx programs (in fact PPWIZARD uses this header for its "#import" command for delimited text files). |
SSI * |
Wed Apr 3 2002 11:50:56am 8,844 bytes |
This ppwizard add-on allows you to use ppwizard while retaining some SSI (Server Side Include) mark up in place. This would be extremely handy when converting from SSI to ppwizard or you simply wish to try out ppwizard with minimal commitment. You can have mixed SSI / PPWIZARD commands while you migrate! Many options which will come in useful depending on what you are doing. |
GUESSFAT |
Mon Feb 4 2002 5:16:38pm 3,340 bytes |
This ppwizard add-on can be useful in Windows to predict what the short name is for a file given its long name. |
JUNGLE |
Mon Jun 9 2003 9:29:21am 6,222,891 bytes |
This huge download is a Windows toddler game.
It includes a PPWIZARD based game engine which given graphics and
sound will create a DHTML (HTA or HTML) based game playable
in IE.
The PPWIZARD generated dynamic HTML based game itself is
about 30K, the rest is graphics and sound files.
It would be easy to create shape or other theme based games.
It probably would not take too much work to be platform independant using Netscape 6. I wasted a lot of time trying to get it to work on previous versions of Netscape but gave up as Netscape was too flakey (it loved crashing etc). Please let me know if you modify it to run in Netscape. Someone indicated that "Norton antivirus" reports problems with the HTA version, I believe this to be a Norton bug however if you wish you can still run the HTML version. |
BOOKMARK |
Mon Apr 22 2002 4:22:44pm 15,731 bytes |
This is one of the most useful downloads,
it allows Windows and OS/2 users to use their browser
to update their link pages and organise these links in categories.
Under windows this header can also access your IE favorites if you
wish.
Each link can be commented, a tool is included to
help you to do this.
The look and feel is COMPLETELY customisable, there is virtually nothing that can't be be changed. I check all links regularly with my free URL checker and each link is marked as validated or having failed validation. If a link (or category) belongs in more than one place (category) then there are methods for referring to a single instance from multiple locations. Note that the header would probably not require too much work to work in other operating systems (such as Linux) and I do try to keep multiplatform considerations in mind as I develop all my headers (its just untested). To see how I organise my links have a look at my links pages. Notice that I have organised some quick link navigation buttons on the top (this is something extra I have done, the BOOKMARK header did not do this). This header builds on the functionality provided by the ftplike header. If you use this download you might also wish to check out my "DIRATTR" download. |
PHOTOS |
Sun Apr 13 2003 3:29:20pm 147,394 bytes |
This add-on will take a directory tree of photos and creates
a set of html pages to reflect the tree (basically a photo album).
The directories can be commented.
Thumbnails for each image are automatically created and used in each html page. Each image can have it's own html page and can be commented. This header builds on the functionality provided by the ftplike header. If you use this download you might also wish to check out my "DIRATTR" download. The sample has been made simpler for you, on my machine it creates and uses real thumbnails (as clicking the "sample" will confirm) but on your machine it will initially only fudge thumbnails. This way you can try it without having to worry about installing Image Magick first. |
REXX4PPW * |
Mon Apr 8 2002 5:35:56pm 3,342 bytes |
This rexx program is available for anyone who is on an operating
system or rexx interpreter not currently supported by ppwizard.
Note that if regina is available for your operating system, I will
expect that it be used unless you come up with a good reason why
not (basically I don't have as much time as I'd like!).
If you are prepared to do a bit of testing for me, I will modify ppwizard as required to get it to work. This program should be run by you before requesting my help as I will need a copy of the output it generates (zipped please). |
DOTDOT |
Fri Oct 26 2001 9:04:26pm 3,184 bytes |
Useful to obtain a relative address to a fixed location from anywhere in a directory tree (for example access to a fixed "graphics" directory from many directories containing html code). |
THUMB |
Thu Jan 17 2002 7:26:16pm 4,891 bytes |
This header file allows you to automatically create thumbnails from much larger image files and create the link from the thumb nail to your image (in your HTML). The header makes use of free image software (available from www.imagemagick.org/). |
VALRURL |
Mon Apr 22 2002 4:37:30pm 5,929 bytes |
This header file allows you to either validate external URLs as you
generate html pages or creates a URL list.
Either way the validation is done by my free
"CHECKURL" program.
The use of this header allows the CHECKURL program to pinpoint URL problems to the correct location in your source code (and not just in the generated html). If you wish to visually mark your links in the generated HTML as validated (successfully or not) you should have a look at my CURLPPW product. |
OVERLIB |
Wed Jul 11 2001 5:43:08pm 18,876 bytes |
This ppwizard add-on provides a very simple to use front end to the
very good "overLib" javascript available from
"http://www.bosrup.com/web/overlib/".
This provides tooltips (hover help) which can include HTML formatting, images etc and has many options. |
SWF |
Fri Jun 29 2001 7:41:16pm 10,283 bytes |
This ppwizard add-on allows you to extract flash (.SWF) tag information such as height and width and coordinates. If you need anything else let me know. |
ID3 |
Fri Jun 22 2001 7:03:44pm 5,176 bytes |
This ppwizard add-on allows you to extract ID3 tag information (in version 1 and 1.1 formats) from MP3 files. This includes the song title, author, track etc. If you need anything else let me know. |
DIRATTR * |
Tue Jan 7 2003 5:16:51pm 41,482 bytes |
This adds an Explorer based template facility for use with my
ftplike, bookmark
or imgdirs downloads.
This has been tested in Windows 95/98/ME
and 2000 (where it is "smarter").
What it does is allow you to right click on a folder, select "New", and pick a directory description template (which you can tweek). This allows you to easily set up directory aliases, links and tooltips etc. |
NEEDGUID |
Thu Apr 12 2001 5:40:14pm 5,827 bytes |
This header file can automate the generation of Windows GUIDs.
It can ensure that you always get a new one or you always get the
same one.
It can generate GUIDs in a number of formats.
This eliminates the need for manual generation or cut & paste however this is probably not the main reason you would use it. It can be used to hide the GUID process from a user who may be using a header file that requires a GUIDs but the user himself is not expected to have any knowledge about GUIDs (that is, it is a tool for other add-ons to make use of). The "uuidgen.exe" utility is required by this add-on. |
EXECSYS |
Sat Mar 24 2001 1:43:54pm 10,012 bytes |
This header simplifies the inclusion of output from operating
system commands or external programs.
This allows you to display information output by programs
written in any language (C, C++, PERL, VB, VbScript etc).
It includes a sample where VbScript is called with the output being used in at least 3 different ways. |
NMAKE |
Fri Mar 16 2001 6:12:36pm 6,106 bytes |
This header generates a dependancy file that can be included via the nmake (make) program. |
BIN2PPW |
Tue Mar 6 2001 6:38:20pm 14,572 bytes |
This download contains a header file which allows you to "load" the
contents of a binary file into a text format that ppwizard can easily
use. It can use c2x() or it's own more readable format which is also
likely to be more compact. It includes a macro which rebuilds the
original file.
I have used this technique in the "OL_DOC.DH"
header to recreate the graphic images and java applets without
having to distribute these as separate files.
Note that this is a completely different download to that that used to contain "bin2ppw.rex" (although this download does contain this program renamed). |
COUNTER |
Thu Mar 1 2001 4:58:08pm 8,204 bytes |
This header file allows you to display incrementing numbers. You can start or set the counter to a specific value and you can have any number of counters running at once (all displaying output in varying ways if required). By default the counter output is decimal text but it could just as easily be roman numerals or made up of digit images. |
IMGDIRS |
Sun Apr 13 2003 3:39:56pm 10,129 bytes |
This is a header which allows you to organise web images into
directories (categories) and generate one or more html pages to display them
along with height, width, file size and any textual comments unique
to that image you wish.
This header builds on the functionality provided by the ftplike header. If you use this download you might also wish to check out my "DIRATTR" download. |
FILEINFO |
Fri Mar 30 2001 6:05:28pm 3,836 bytes |
This header file allows you to get formatted file sizes, dates and times. A bit like those to the left. |
FAQ |
Thu Feb 15 2001 2:11:08pm 6,981 bytes |
This is a small header file which works with my "OL_DOC.DH" download to provide document independent FAQ support or on it's own if all you want is HTML output. |
TRAIL |
Sun Apr 13 2003 3:35:40pm 10,391 bytes |
Tested in IE 5.0/5.5 and Netscape 4.7 and Communicator 4.6, very configurable, could make single image follow pointer etc. |
BLOBS |
Wed Nov 15 2000 6:39:44pm 14,651 bytes |
Creates colored blob mouse trails. Tested in IE 5.0/5.5 and Netscape 4.7, I am planning on using this in a html toddler game I am developing for my 2 year old. |
HMENU3 |
Tue Dec 12 2000 7:38:48pm 20,373 bytes |
This header files simplifes the creation of the javascript
arrays required by the webreference menu code.
It uses a simple menu definition format which should remain the same when migrating to the yet to be released version 4 scripts. Note that I have also made it simple to produce menu bars across the tops of your pages without complex javascript or calculations. As usual I'm open to suggestions for improvements, this is the early cut. |
NOTETAB |
Wed Sep 6 2000 5:14:38pm 2,694 bytes |
This is a clip file for the Window's NoteTab editor. It allows the notetab to do point and click insertions of ppwizard commands, standard variables and some other items. |
ROS2REXX * |
Mon Nov 22 1999 3:48:02am 151,002 bytes |
This is a version of the OS/2 regina rexx interpreter. It is useful during PPWIZARD rexx generation under OS/2 as it can perform a more stringent syntax check of the generated code. Have a look at the "/RegSyntax" switch. Simply place this file into a directory in your path or in same directory as PPWIZARD for more stringent syntax checking to occur. |
DEBUGHTM |
Fri Mar 30 2001 6:05:28pm 2,282 bytes |
A simple header which only adds your comments into the generated html code if you are operating in debug mode. |
FOOTNOTE |
Fri Mar 30 2001 6:05:28pm 4,001 bytes |
This header file allows you to easily make use of footnotes in your HTML pages. It contains the header itself plus a sample html page. |
PPWSORT |
Fri Mar 30 2001 6:05:30pm 3,400 bytes |
When PPWIZARD is used as a rexx
preprocesser
this header file
can generate complex custom sort code to your specification, it sorts
to your specification and can keep data from multiple associated arrays
together.
You will also find this header very useful for use within PPWIZARD (for example the "FTPLIKE" download uses it to sort file and directory names). |
HITCOUNT |
Thu Mar 8 2001 4:46:28pm 6,836 bytes |
This header and sample makes it easy to add a separate counter (or
same one on multiple pages if you wish to group them), automating most
of the work (unlike most counters where you have to register each
individual one online, an extrememly painful process).
The counter header is based on the counter by Muhammad Muquit but is probably a good starting point for any counter. There is also a macro which allows you to easily create your own statistics pages which will show the current values of all (or some) of your page hit counters. The digiweb site this header uses does not appear to be available anymore, however this header could be used for any similar site . |
NESTCHK |
Fri Mar 30 2001 6:05:30pm 4,322 bytes |
This header file is a tool that you have available to enable you to perform nesting checks either for your own macros or for HTML tags (to check table tag nesting etc). Obsoleted by New #Push/#Pop commands but this header may still be required by some others. |
PUSHPOPM |
Fri Mar 30 2001 6:05:34pm 1,987 bytes |
This header file is a tool that you have available to enable you to save and restore macro values. This is useful when performing recursive type functions. Obsoleted by New #Push/#Pop commands but this header may still be required by some others. |
Note that the intention is that the above headers have been written in a manner that allows you to taylor the functionality to your requirements. It is recommended that you make NO changes to these headers. If you need to then please suggest changes that would allow you to use the headers unchanged. Most of the headers allow you to specify options or alternative ways of operation by defining the correct macros.
If you don't change the headers you can simply download newer versions (possibly containing fixes etc) with minimal or usually no changes to your code as they become available.
The WISEINST product no longer exists, it has been replaced by an easier to use and more powerful product called MAKEMSI".
MAKEMSI does not require Wise Installer Pro or any other product but uses native Windows Installer methods to modify or create MSIs (or Merge Modules etc).
This section holds links to sites that have their own ppwizard related downloads.
Some other ppwizard pages you might be interested in:
Sunday July 16 2023 at 1:46pm |