yawp 2.1.1

Yet Another Word Processor, a word processor for plain text files, with PDF export

usage: yawp [-h] [-V] [-H] [-v] [-M USAGE_MODE] [-y TEXT_EDITOR] [-l]
            [-w CHARS_PER_LINE] [-g] [-u LINES_PER_PAGE] [-k ALIGN_PICTURES]
            [-c CONTENTS_TITLE] [-i INDEX_TITLE] [-f FIGURES_TITLE]
            [-F CAPTION_PREFIX] [-m CHAPTER_OFFSET] [-p PAGE_HEADERS]
            [-e EVEN_LEFT] [-E EVEN_RIGHT] [-o ODD_LEFT] [-O ODD_RIGHT]
            [-n PAGE_OFFSET] [-a] [-s SECOND_LINE] [-X EXPORT_PDF]
            [-C CORRECT] [-Y PDF_BROWSER] [-P PDF_FILE] [-W CHAR_WIDTH]
            [-A CHAR_ASPECT] [-S SHEET_SIZE] [-Z] [-L LEFT_MARGIN]
            [-R RIGHT_MARGIN] [-T TOP_MARGIN] [-B BOTTOM_MARGIN]
            [-I MULTI_PAGES] [-J MULTI_SHEETS]
            [text_files ...]

Yet Another Word Processor, a word processor for plain text files, with PDF export

"YAWP"  here means Yet Another Word Processor, and YAWP is a pure-Python Linux-only free
and open-source word processor for plain text files, with PDF export. If you really need
all the endless features of a full-fledged WYSIWYG word processor as LibreOffice Writer,
YAWP  is not for you. But if you just want to create a draft or a simple quick-and-dirty
no-frills document, give YAWP a try.

YAWP's main features are:

    • YAWP has a GUI interface, but can be used as a CLI command too
    • YAWP  processes  in place a single plain text file, hereinafter referred to simply
      as the "text file"
    • YAWP's  default  editor  allows  you  to edit the text file and check its spelling
      correctness
    • YAWP  before  rewriting  the text file creates a timestamped backup, allowing Undo
      operation
    • YAWP justifies text at left and right in:
        • unindented paragraphs
        • dot-marked indented paragraphs (as this one)
    • YAWP text processing is driven by the text in the text file and by arguments only,
      not by commands or tags embedded in text
    • YAWP  accepts  unjustified  pictures (as schemas, tables and code examples) freely
      intermixed with text
    • YAWP  performs  automatic  multi-level  renumbering  of  chapters  and  inserts an
      automatic Contents chapter in the text file
    • YAWP  recognizes  relevant subjects (quoted by '"') and inserts an automatic Index
      chapter in the text file
    • YAWP  performs automatic multi-level renumbering of figure captions and inserts an
      automatic Figures chapter in the text file
    • YAWP  cuts  the  text file in pages, by inserting two-lines page headers, allowing
      page numbering control and insertion of initial Roman-numbered pages
    • YAWP  also has some graphics capabilities, you can sketch pictures with horizontal
      and  vertical  segments  (by  '`')  and  arrowheads (by '^'), YAWP redraws them by
      suitable Unicode graphic characters
    • pictures can also be left-aligned, centered or right-aligned
    • YAWP  exports  the  text  file in PDF format, with control over character size and
      page  layout,  and  lets  you  browse the generated PDF file, allowing preview and
      printing
    • YAWP  can  export 2, 4 or 8 pages on each paper sheet side, allowing you to create
      in folio, in quarto and in octavo booklets
    • YAWP  writes information and error messages on terminal and on the log file of the
      text file
    • YAWP  tries  to  correct errors made by CUPS-PDF about font size and page margins,
      you can use default corrections or redefine them by a correction file
    • YAWP  locks text files while they are processed, in order to avoid interference by
      other concurrent YAWP executions
    • YAWP in GUI mode keeps a distinct argument file for each text file
    • YAWP in GUI mode saves the name of the last processed text file and restores it at
      next invocation
    • YAWP  in  GUI  mode saves a list of the 25 most recent processed text files, among
      which you can select the next current text file

As an example of CLI usage, the YAWP User Manual has been generated as

    'YAWP 2.1.1 User Manual.txt.pdf'

from the text file

    'YAWP 2.1.1 User Manual.txt'

by typing at terminal:

    │ $ yawp -M f -v -w 97 -n -4 -X e -L 3cm 'YAWP 2.1.1 User Manual.txt'

where arguments mean:

    • -M f: run YAWP in CLI Format mode
    • -v: write messages not only into log file but also on terminal
    • -w 97: set 97 characters per line
    • -n -4: first four pages are numbered by Roman numbers
    • -X e: export in PDF format
    • -L 3cm: set left margins on odd pages and right margins on even pages to 3 cm
    • 'YAWP 2.1.1 User Manual.txt': set the text file to process

To install YAWP, if your Linux belongs to the Debian family, type at terminal:

    │ $ sudo apt install kwrite idle atril printer-driver-cups-pdf pipx

On other platforms you will use the specific installer instead, for instance:

    │ $ sudo yum install …        # on RHEL/CentOS/Fedora/Rocky/Alma Linux
    │ $ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/… # on Gentoo Linux
    │ $ sudo apk add …            # on Alpine Linux
    │ $ sudo pacman -S …          # on Arch Linux
    │ $ sudo zypper install …     # on OpenSUSE Linux

Then run:

    │ $ pipx ensurepath
    │ $ pipx install yawp

Later you can type:

    │ $ pipx upgrade yawp

in order to upgrade YAWP to a later version.

Now you can close the terminal, open another one, and call YAWP. Syntax is:

    │ $ yawp -h               # show a help message and exit
    │ $ yawp -V               # show program's version number and exit
    │ $ yawp -H […arguments…] # browse the PDF YAWP User Manual and exit

    │ $ yawp          # run YAWP in GUI mode, text file from last closed session, no arguments
    │ $ yawp text_file [text_file [...]] # GUI mode, explicit text file[s], no other arguments

    │ $ yawp -M c […arguments…] text_file target_file # run YAWP in CLI Copy mode
    │ $ yawp -M m […arguments…] text_file target_file # run YAWP in CLI Move mode
    │ $ yawp -M d […arguments…] text_file             # run YAWP in CLI Delete mode
    │ $ yawp -M e […arguments…] text_file             # run YAWP in CLI Edit mode
    │ $ yawp -M f […arguments…] text_file             # run YAWP in CLI Format mode
    │ $ yawp -M n […arguments…] text_file             # run YAWP in CLI Noform mode
    │ $ yawp -M u […arguments…] text_file             # run YAWP in CLI Undo mode

This is the GUI Main window, with default argument values:

┌───┬─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┬───┬───┐
│   │                                      YAWP - Main                                │ _ │ x │
├───┴─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┴───┴───┤
│ Format    -y --text-editor    [gedit……………]              -l --left-only-text □             ■ │
│           -w --chars-per-line [0………………………]              -g --graph-pictures □               │
│           -u --lines-per-page [0………………………] -k --align-pictures ◎ no ○ left ○ center ○ right │
│ Chapters  -c --contents-title [Contents……]              -i --index-title    [Index……………]    │
│           -f --figures-title  [Figures………]              -F --caption-prefix [Figure…………]    │
│           -m --chapter-offset [0………………………]                                                  │
│ Pages     -p --page-headers   ○ no ○ fullpage ○ picture ◎ chapter ○ double                  │
│           -e --even-left      [%n……………………]              -E --even-right     [%f……………………]    │
│           -o --odd-left       [%c……………………]              -O --odd-right      [%n……………………]    │
│           -n --page-offset    [0………………………]              -a --all-pages-E-e  □               │
│           -s --second-line    ○ no ○ blank ○ points ○ dashes ◎ solid                        │
│ Export    -X --export-pdf     ◎ no ○ export ○ browse    -C --correct  ○ no ◎ default ○ file │
│           -Y --pdf-browser    [atril……………]              -P --pdf-file       [%f%e.pdf……]    │
│           -W --char-width     [0………………………]              -A --char-aspect    [3/5…………………]    │
│           -S --sheet-size     [A4……………………]              -Z --landscape      □               │
│           -L --left-margin    [2cm…………………]              -R --right-margin   [2cm…………………]    │
│           -T --top-margin     [2cm…………………]              -B --bottom-margin  [2cm…………………]    │
│           -I --multi-pages    ◎ 1 ○ 2 ○ 4 ○ 8           -J --multi-sheets   [0………………………]    │
│ Text File ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… │
│┌────┐┌─────┐┌──────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐┌──────┐┌─────┐┌──────┐┌──────┐┌─────┐┌────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐│
││New ││Open ││Recent││Copy ││Move ││Delete││Edit ││Format││Noform││Undo ││Log ││Help ││Exit ││
│└────┘└─────┘└──────┘└─────┘└─────┘└──────┘└─────┘└──────┘└──────┘└─────┘└────┘└─────┘└─────┘│
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

These are the 13 buttons in GUI Main window:

    • text file definition:
        • New: create a new empty text file
        • Open: browse the file system to select an existing text file
        • Recent: browse the list of recent files to select an existing text file
        • Copy: copy the current text file into a new target text file
        • Move: move or rename the current text file
        • Delete: permanently delete the current text file
    • text file processing:
        • Edit: edit the current text file by the text editor defined by -y
        • Format: format the current text file and redraw and align pictures and export PDF
        • Noform: don't format current text file but redraw and align pictures and export PDF
        • Undo: restore the current text file to its previous content
        • Log: browse the log file of current text file by the text editor defined by -y
    • other actions:
        • Help: browse the YAWP-generated YAWP User Manual by the PDF browser defined by -Y
        • Exit: quit YAWP

positional arguments:
  text_files            text file[s] to process, ASCII or UTF-8-encoded
                        Unicode

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -V, --version         show program's version number and exit
  -H, --browse-manual   browse the YAWP-generated PDF YAWP User Manual and
                        exit
  -v, --verbose         write information messages on stdout too (CLI modes
                        only)
  -M USAGE_MODE, --usage-mode USAGE_MODE
                        run YAWP in this usage mode (default: 'g'=GUI, 'c'=CLI
                        Copy, 'm'=CLI Move, 'd'=CLI Delete, 'e'=CLI Edit,
                        'f'=CLI Format, 'n'=CLI Noform, 'u'=CLI Undo)
  -y TEXT_EDITOR, --text-editor TEXT_EDITOR
                        editor for text files (default: 'kwrite')
  -l, --left-only-text  justify text lines at left only (default: at left and
                        right)
  -w CHARS_PER_LINE, --chars-per-line CHARS_PER_LINE
                        line width in characters per line (default:
                        '0'=automatic)
  -g, --graph_pictures  redraw '`'-segments and '^'-arrowheads
  -u LINES_PER_PAGE, --lines-per-page LINES_PER_PAGE
                        page height in lines per page (default: '0'=automatic)
  -k ALIGN_PICTURES, --align-pictures ALIGN_PICTURES
                        align pictures (default: 'n'=no, 'l'=left, 'c'=center,
                        'r'=right)
  -c CONTENTS_TITLE, --contents-title CONTENTS_TITLE
                        title of Contents chapter (default: 'Contents')
  -i INDEX_TITLE, --index-title INDEX_TITLE
                        title of Index chapter (default: 'Index')
  -f FIGURES_TITLE, --figures-title FIGURES_TITLE
                        title of Figures chapter (default: 'Figures')
  -F CAPTION_PREFIX, --caption-prefix CAPTION_PREFIX
                        first word of figure captions (default: 'Figure')
  -m CHAPTER_OFFSET, --chapter-offset CHAPTER_OFFSET
                        offset of level-1 numbered chapters (default: '0',
                        min: -1)
  -p PAGE_HEADERS, --page-headers PAGE_HEADERS
                        insert page headers (default: 'c', 'n'=no, 'f'=on full
                        page, 'p'=and on broken pictures, 'c'=and on level-1
                        chapters, 'd'=double if level-1 on even page)
  -e EVEN_LEFT, --even-left EVEN_LEFT
                        first line of headers of even pages, left (default:
                        '%n')
  -E EVEN_RIGHT, --even-right EVEN_RIGHT
                        first line of headers of even pages, right (default:
                        '%f')
  -o ODD_LEFT, --odd-left ODD_LEFT
                        first line of headers of odd pages, left (default:
                        '%c')
  -O ODD_RIGHT, --odd-right ODD_RIGHT
                        first line of headers of odd pages, right (default:
                        '%n')
  -n PAGE_OFFSET, --page-offset PAGE_OFFSET
                        offset of page numbers (default: '0', if negative:
                        Roman numbers)
  -a, --all-pages-E-e   put in all page headers -E at left and -e at right
  -s SECOND_LINE, --second_line SECOND_LINE
                        second line of page headers (default: 's', 'n'=no,
                        'b'=blanks, 'p'=points, 'd'=dashes, 's'=solid)
  -X EXPORT_PDF, --export-pdf EXPORT_PDF
                        export and browse PDF file (default: 'b', 'n'=no,
                        'e'=export, 'b'=export and browse)
  -C CORRECT, --correct CORRECT
                        correct character size and page margins (default: 'd',
                        'n'=no, 'd'=by default values, 'f'=by correction file)
  -Y PDF_BROWSER, --pdf-browser PDF_BROWSER
                        browser for PDF files (default: 'atril')
  -P PDF_FILE, --pdf-file PDF_FILE
                        exported PDF file (default: '%f%e.pdf')
  -W CHAR_WIDTH, --char-width CHAR_WIDTH
                        character width (default: '0'=automatic, unit:
                        pt/in/mm/cm)
  -A CHAR_ASPECT, --char-aspect CHAR_ASPECT
                        character aspect ratio=width / height (default: '3/5',
                        1=square chars)
  -S SHEET_SIZE, --sheet-size SHEET_SIZE
                        portrait paper size width x height (default:
                        'A4'≡'210x297mm', unit: pt/in/mm/cm)
  -Z, --landscape       turn page by 90° (default: portrait)
  -L LEFT_MARGIN, --left-margin LEFT_MARGIN
                        left margin (default: '2cm', unit: pt/in/mm/cm)
  -R RIGHT_MARGIN, --right-margin RIGHT_MARGIN
                        right margin (default: '2cm', unit: pt/in/mm/cm)
  -T TOP_MARGIN, --top-margin TOP_MARGIN
                        top margin (default: '2cm', unit: pt/in/mm/cm)
  -B BOTTOM_MARGIN, --bottom-margin BOTTOM_MARGIN
                        bottom margin (default: '2cm', unit: pt/in/mm/cm)
  -I MULTI_PAGES, --multi-pages MULTI_PAGES
                        pages on each side of paper sheets (default: '1',
                        values: 1/2/4/8)
  -J MULTI_SHEETS, --multi-sheets MULTI_SHEETS
                        paper sheets gathered together (default: '0'=export
                        sequentially)