PPWIZARD is a free preprocessor for HTML, REXX, Visual Basic or any text files.

Graphics Manipulation

• Image Magick
  This is an excellent free Image Conversion and Manipulation package. It can be used to automate the creation of thumbnails (my "thumb.ih" download requires it). It can be used for all sorts of purposes for example to resize, rotate, sharpen, color reduce, or add special effects to an image. It could be used to create graphic buttons from an image and some text.

  It supports over 68 image formats and make no mistake this product differs in 2 main ways from others you might find, it is completely free and everything can be automated! The PPWIZARD thumb nail header runs it in command line mode but there is a GUI ('X' windows).

  The source is available and it runs on Windows 2000 or Windows 95/98 as well as on virtually any Unix system and Linux, Macintosh, VMS, and OS/2. It is available from http://www.imagemagick.org/

  One glitch (at least under windows), it must be installed in the "C:\ImageMagick" directory for it to work.

REXX Extensions

• RexxSQL - SQL ACCESS
  Another free product for a large range of operating systems. Support covers a very large number of different databases. It is available from http://www.lightlink.com/hessling/REXXSQL/. This is required by the #import SQL command.

• REXXIO
  A free rexx extension for Windows and OS/2. Contains File Functions, Directory Functions, Search Functions, Window Functions, Keyboard/Mouse Event Functions, Rexx Functions, Registry Functions, Global Stem Variable Functions, General Functions, Comms Functions Event Functions. Get it from http://www.lestec.com.au/freelibrary.htm.

• REGUTIL
  A free rexx extension for unix and windows. It provides access to windows registry as well as some other powerful file and directory features. It was created by Patrick McPhee and is available from http://www.interlog.com/~ptjm/.

• RxSock For Windows
  Get a windows version of the RxSock.DLL from http://home.hiwaay.net/~abbott/regina/. It allows you to talk to web servers (grab web pages etc). My "CHECKURL" URL checker (validates a pages exists and hasn't moved (see http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~dbareis/checkurl.htm).

  There is a "linux" patch for this product so that it will run on Linux.

• RexxGD - IMAGE MANIPULATION
  A rexx interface to a graphics manipulation program allowing you to automatically create buttons and graphics. It is available from http://www.lightlink.com/hessling/RexxGd/index.html.

• RexxTK - GUI INTERFACE
  Allows you to create graphical interfaces using input boxes, radio buttons etc. It is available from http://www.lightlink.com/hessling/RexxTk/index.html.

Other Links

• The Regina REXX Interpreter
  Download the free rexx interpreter required by ppwizard on all operating systems other than OS/2 from http://www.lightlink.com/hessling/. Note that you could use the OS/2 version under OS/2 and there are reasons why you may wish to.

• Regina Documentation
  You can get a (slighty out of date) regina rexx manual from http://sites.netscape.net/ssatguru, this has HTML and compiled Windows Help formats for download.

• Rexx Tips and Tricks
  Absolutely a must read for anyone using rexx under OS/2, only available as an OS/2 INF file. Note that a lot of the information is also applicable to other operating systems. You can get it from http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/cgi-bin/h-search?sh=1&button=Search&key=rexx+tips+%26+tricks&stype=all&sort=type&dir=%2F.

• Rexx Language Organisation
  Links to rexx sites and other interested info, available at http://www.rexxla.org/

• TCP-IP (RxSock) Tutorial
  A good short tutorial on using sockets (URL checking etc) is available at http://www2.hursley.ibm.com/rexxtut/socktut1.htm

PPWIZARD Manual

Thursday January 17 2002 at 6:27pm