d141101 nfoWorks devNote RTFX Development Startup Status

nfoWorks>dev> 2014>11> d141101c> 0.02 2017-06-14 20:22

• Latest RTFX Status version: available on the Internet at
  <http://nfoWorks.org/dev/2014/11/d141101b.htm>
   
• Startup most-recent electronic update available at  <http://nfoWorks.org/dev/2014/11/d141101c.htm>.

Sketch

Startup for RTFX development involves

• Identification and capture of specifications and of essential materials as part of the RTFX Development Resources.
• Search for available tools for parsing of RTF and for patching RTF files.
• Proof-of-concept demonstration of packaging and launching applications on extracted RTF files.
• Provision of minimal repairs based on introduction of explicit character set and code-page dependencies of RTF files using single-byte character encodings.
• Confirming a more stream-lined automatic launching of portable fix-ups of the preserved RTF.
• Development of base requirements and use cases as a foundation for progressive refinement and demonstrated/tested achievement of RTFX functionality and usability.

The next stages involve

1. setup of a tool-chain for cross-platform production of RTFX fixtures and concept demonstrations
2. automation of launching on RTFX files that fires up a silent extraction and relaunching tool of an RTF-accepting processor as an available association
3. command-line, console level creation of RTFX packages and a means for progressive addition of fix-up capability.

The work is personal and voluntary and their is no promise of sustained effort on any road map.  There are shared-prerequisite efforts that will gate progress as well.

Assumptions

• RTFX format uses a Document Container File adaptation of the ODF 1.2 Package specification.  This is a custom use of the ODF 1.2 Package, along the same lines as under PCT.
    
• RTFX documents have an ODF cover that identifies what they are and discourages attempt to use as ODF documents.
   
• The extraction of a document with any hot fix-ups is into a read-only fixed temporary-file location.
    
• Launching of an extracted temporary as read-only should prevent saving over the transient extraction, so that users will not be mislead into assuming that a Save can modify the RTFX form.
    
• Having a GUI client for reviewing and making what-if fixes to RTF parameters is a long-term goal but there must be very early means for capturing low-hanging fruit and evolving whatever the processing model must be for representing fix-up conditions, eligible launch applications, etc.  Down-level consistency will be important very early, but not necessarily in start-up.
    
• There is always something that is working, at whatever crude level. 

Attribution:

Hamilton, Dennis E.

RTFX Development Startup.   nfoWorks devNote page d141101c 0.02 November 3, 2014.  Accessed at <http://nfoWorks.org/dev/2014/11/d141101c.htm>.

Revision History:

0.02 2014-11-04-08:00 Add Tool-Chain Activity

Add the tool-chain need and clean-up some wordings

0.01 2014-11-03-09:23 Outline Startup

The startup activity and crude proof-of-concept initiation is outlined, along with some basis assumptions.

0.00 2014-11-02-17:56 Initial Placeholder

Provide initial placeholder content ready for further expansion.

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created 2014-11-02-17:56 -0800 (pst) $$Author: Orcmid $ $$Date: 17-06-14 20:22 $ $$Revision: 383 $