======================= README: Docutils 0.19 ======================= :Author: David Goodger :Contact: goodger@python.org :Date: $Date: 2022-07-05 22:04:21 +0200 (Di, 05. Jul 2022) $ :Web site: https://docutils.sourceforge.io/ :Copyright: This document has been placed in the public domain. .. contents:: Quick-Start on Debian systems ============================= The reStructuredText tools are installed in the normal system path by the Debian ``python-docutils`` package. To convert reStructuredText to another format, use a shell command like:: rst2html /usr/share/doc/python3-docutils/FAQ.txt ./FAQ.html See Usage_ below for details. Quick-Start on other systems ============================ This is for those who want to get up & running quickly. 1. Docutils requires **Python**, available from https://www.python.org/. See Dependencies_ below for details. 2. Install the latest stable release from PyPi with pip_:: python3 -m pip install docutils For alternatives and details, see section `Installation`_ below. 3. Use the `front-end scripts`_ to convert reStructuredText documents. Try for example:: rst2html.py FAQ.txt FAQ.html (Unix) python tools/rst2html.py FAQ.txt FAQ.html (Windows) See Usage_ below for details. Purpose ======= The purpose of the Docutils project is to create a set of tools for processing plaintext documentation into useful formats, such as HTML, LaTeX, troff (man pages), OpenOffice, and native XML. Support for the following sources has been implemented: * Standalone files. * `PEPs (Python Enhancement Proposals)`_. Support for the following sources is planned: * Inline documentation from Python modules and packages, extracted with namespace context. * Email (RFC-822 headers, quoted excerpts, signatures, MIME parts). * Wikis, with global reference lookups of "wiki links". * Compound documents, such as multiple chapter files merged into a book. * And others as discovered. .. _PEPs (Python Enhancement Proposals): https://peps.python.org/pep-0012 Dependencies ============ To run the code, Python_ must be installed. (Python is pre-installed with most Linux distributions.) * Docutils 0.19 requires Python 3.7 or later. * Docutils 0.16 to 0.18 require Python 2.7 or 3.5+. * Docutils 0.14 dropped Python 2.4, 2.5, 3.1 and 3.2 support. .. _Python: https://www.python.org/. Optional Dependencies --------------------- Docutils uses the following packages for enhanced functionality, if they are installed: * Installation_ is usually done with pip_ or setuptools_. * The `Python Imaging Library`_, or PIL, is used for some image manipulation operations. * The `Pygments`_ package provides syntax highlight of "code" directives and roles. * The `myst`_ or `recommonmark`_ parsers can be used to parse input in Markdown format. The `Docutils Link List `__ records projects that users of Docutils and reStructuredText may find useful. .. _pip: https://pypi.org/project/pip/ .. _setuptools: https://pypi.org/project/setuptools/ .. _Python Imaging Library: http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/ .. _Pygments: https://pypi.org/project/Pygments/ .. _myst: https://pypi.org/project/myst-docutils/ .. _recommonmark: https://github.com/rtfd/recommonmark Development version =================== While we are trying to follow a "release early & often" policy, features are added frequently. Since the code in the `Docutils version repository`_ is usually in a bug-free state, we recommend using a current snapshot or a working copy. Snapshots: To get a repository _`snapshot`, go to https://sourceforge.net/p/docutils/code/HEAD/tree/trunk/docutils/ and click the download snapshot button. Repository check-out: To keep up to date on the latest developments, use a `working copy`__ of the `Docutils version repository`_. Continue with the `Installation`_ instructions below. .. _Docutils version repository: docs/dev/repository.html .. _sandbox: https://docutils.sourceforge.io/sandbox/README.html __ docs/dev/repository.html#checking-out-the-repository Installation ============ * The simplest way is to install the latest stable release from PyPi with pip_:: python3 -m pip install docutils To install a pre-relase, append the option ``--pre``. * To install a `development version`_ from source with `setuptools`_: * Go to the directory containing the file ``setup.py``. A snapshot_ must be unpacked in a temporary directory (**not** directly in Python's ``site-packages``) first. * Run ``setup.py install``. See also OS-specific installation instructions below. * For installing "by hand" or in "development mode", see the `editable installs`_ section in the `Docutils version repository`_ documentation. .. _editable installs: docs/dev/repository.html#editable-installs Optional steps: * `Running the test suite`_ * `Converting the documentation`_ GNU/Linux, BSDs, Unix, Mac OS X, etc. ------------------------------------- 1. Open a shell. 2. Go to the directory containing ``setup.py``:: cd 3. Install the package (you may need root permissions to complete this step):: su (enter admin password) python3 setup.py install If the python executable isn't on your path, you'll have to specify the complete path, such as ``/usr/local/bin/python``. To install for a specific Python version, use this version in the setup call, e.g. :: python3.7 setup.py install To install for different Python versions, repeat step 3 for every required version. The last installed version will be used in the `shebang line`_ of the `front-end scripts`_. .. _shebang line: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shebang_%28Unix%29 Windows ------- Just double-click ``install.py``. If this doesn't work, try the following: 1. Open a DOS Box (Command Shell, MS-DOS Prompt, or whatever they're calling it these days). 2. Go to the directory created by expanding the archive:: cd 3. Install the package:: \python setup.py install To install for a specific python version, specify the Python executable for this version. To install for different Python versions, repeat step 3 for every required version. Usage ===== There are many front-end tools in the unpacked "tools" subdirectory. Installation under Unix places copies in the PATH. You may want to begin with the "rst2html.py" front-end tool. Most tools take up to two arguments, the source path and destination path, with STDIN and STDOUT being the defaults. Use the ``--help`` option to the front-end tools for details on options and arguments. See `Docutils Front-End Tools`_ for full documentation. On a Debian system the included tools (with the exception of quicktest.py and the development tools in the dev/ directory) are installed into the normal system path, so you can run ``rst2html.py`` with a command like:: rst2html example.txt example.html The package modules are continually growing and evolving. The ``docutils.statemachine`` module is usable independently. It contains extensive inline documentation (in reStructuredText format of course). Contributions are welcome! .. _front-end scripts: .. _Docutils Front-End Tools: docs/user/tools.html Project Files & Directories =========================== * README.txt: You're reading it. * COPYING.txt: Public Domain Dedication and copyright details for non-public-domain files (most are PD). * FAQ.txt: Frequently Asked Questions (with answers!). * RELEASE-NOTES.txt: Summary of the major changes in recent releases. * HISTORY.txt: A detailed change log, for the current and all previous project releases. * BUGS.txt: Known bugs, and how to report a bug. * THANKS.txt: List of contributors. * setup.py: Installation script. See "Installation" below. * install.py: Quick & dirty installation script. Just run it. For any kind of customization or help though, setup.py must be used. * docutils: The project source directory, installed as a Python package. * docs: The project documentation directory. Read ``docs/index.txt`` for an overview. * docs/user: The project user documentation directory. Contains the following documents, among others: - docs/user/tools.txt: Docutils Front-End Tools - docs/user/latex.txt: Docutils LaTeX Writer - docs/user/rst/quickstart.txt: A ReStructuredText Primer - docs/user/rst/quickref.html: Quick reStructuredText (HTML only) * docs/ref: The project reference directory. ``docs/ref/rst/restructuredtext.txt`` is the reStructuredText reference. * licenses: Directory containing copies of license files for non-public-domain files. * tools: Directory for Docutils front-end tools. See ``docs/user/tools.txt`` for documentation. * test: Unit tests. Not required to use the software, but very useful if you're planning to modify it. See `Running the Test Suite`_ below. Converting the documentation ============================ After unpacking and installing the Docutils package, the following shell commands will generate HTML for all included documentation:: cd /tools ./buildhtml.py ../ On Windows systems, type:: cd \tools python buildhtml.py .. The final directory name of the ```` is "docutils" for snapshots. For official releases, the directory may be called "docutils-X.Y.Z", where "X.Y.Z" is the release version. Alternatively:: cd tools/buildhtml.py --config=tools/docutils.conf (Unix) python tools\buildhtml.py --config=tools\docutils.conf (Windows) Some files may generate system messages (warnings and errors). The ``docs/user/rst/demo.txt`` file (under the archive directory) contains five intentional errors. (They test the error reporting mechanism!) Running the Test Suite ====================== The test suite is documented in `Docutils Testing`_ (docs/dev/testing.txt). To run the entire test suite, open a shell and use the following commands:: cd /test ./alltests.py Under Windows, type:: cd \test python alltests.py You should see a long line of periods, one for each test, and then a summary like this:: Ran 1111 tests in 24.653s OK Elapsed time: 26.189 seconds The number of tests will grow over time, and the times reported will depend on the computer running the tests. The difference between the two times represents the time required to set up the tests (import modules, create data structures, etc.). A copy of the test output is written to the file ``alltests.out``. If any of the tests fail, please `open a bug report`_ or `send an email`_ (see `Bugs `_). Please include all relevant output, information about your operating system, Python version, and Docutils version. To see the Docutils version, look at the test output or use one of the `front-end scripts`_ with the ``--version`` option. .. _Docutils Testing: https://docutils.sourceforge.io/docs/dev/testing.html .. _open a bug report: https://sourceforge.net/p/docutils/bugs/ .. _send an email: mailto:docutils-users@lists.sourceforge.net ?subject=Test%20suite%20failure .. _web interface: https://sourceforge.net/p/docutils/mailman/ Getting Help ============ All documentation can be reached from the `Project Documentation Overview`_. The SourceForge `project page`_ has links to the tracker, mailing lists, and code repository. If you have further questions or need assistance with Docutils or reStructuredText, please post a message to the Docutils-users_ mailing list. .. _Project Documentation Overview: docs/index.html .. _project page: https://sourceforge.net/p/docutils .. _Docutils-users: docs/user/mailing-lists.html#docutils-users .. 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