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.\"     Title: refdb-ms
.\"    Author: [see the "Author" section]
.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.76.1 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
.\"      Date: 2005-07-17
.\"    Manual: RefDB Manual
.\"    Source: RefDB Manual
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "REFDB\-MS" "1" "2005\-07\-17" "RefDB Manual" "RefDB Manual"
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.SH "NAME"
refdb-ms \- a console\-based style generator for RefDB
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.HP \w'\fBrefdb\-ms\fR\ 'u
\fBrefdb\-ms\fR
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.PP
refdb\-ms is a console\-based style generator for RefDB\&.
.PP
In short, this utility consists of a loop in which you are asked to:
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
select an element from a list of elements allowed in that part of the style,
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
enter or select appropriate values for mandatory attributes,
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
select optional attributes for that element and enter their values,
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
select an element from a list of elements \&.\&.\&.
.RE
.PP
This process ends when you have exhausted the DTD\&.
.PP
Every time you are presented with a list of elements you have the option of selecting help\&. Doing so will present a screen with a summary of each element on the list\&. The same thing happens when you are presented with a list of attributes\&.
.PP
When an attribute or element is required by the DTD this utility will select it automatically\&. For some objects you will not need to provide input and so this utility will create the object(s) automatically\&. This can be disconcerting at first\&. Please read the console feedback carefully\&.
.PP
Whenever you are asked to enter or select a value for an attribute or element, you are given a brief prompt explaining the purpose of the element or attribute\&. After each element is added to the style you are presented with a "progress report" showing the (major) elements\&. It may take a little while to understand this feedback\&. As you add elements they will be appended to the report\&. When you complete a major element, such as a PUBTYPE or AUTHORLIST, however, its subsidiary elements are no longer displayed \-\- they are "folded"\&. This saves space and makes it easier to quickly understand where in the style you are at that point in time\&. As you become more familiar with the structure of the style DTD this display will become increasingly useful\&.
.PP
At certain times within PUBTYPE, AUTHORONLY, YEARONLY and INTEXTDEF elements you are able to delete the previous "major" element\&. "Major" elements are those corresponding to ris fields\&. These elements may contain other elements\&. For example, deleting an AUTHORLIST element will delete all the children elements of that author list style\&. You can view the complete element before deletion occurs\&.
.PP
When you select some elements (in general, those corresponding to ris fields) you will be given an opportunity to copy the most recently entered element of that type\&. If you choose to copy, all attributes and sub\-elements will be copied\&. This can save you a lot of time if, for example, your author lists will always have the same formatting\&.
.PP
After you have created your style this utility will save it to a disk file\&. It will also generate a brief summary of it in html format\&. This summary can be of great help when entering references in your reference database\&.
.PP
This utility will then offer to upload the style to RefDB\&. There is no foreseeable way in which this operation could damage your reference data, but you use it at your own risk\&.
.SH "FILES"
.PP
\fIRefDB::Makestyle\fR
.PP
This module is required by refdb\-ms\&. It is available as a tar\&.gz archive or a Debian package from the RefDB website <refdb\&.sourceforge\&.net>\&.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.PP
\fBRefDB::Makestyle\fR
(3)\&.
.PP
\fIRefDB manual (local copy) \fR
PREFIX/share/doc/refdb\-<version>/refdb\-manual/index\&.html
.PP
\fIRefDB manual (web) \fR
<\m[blue]\fBhttp://refdb\&.sourceforge\&.net/manual/index\&.html\fR\m[]>
.PP
\fIRefDB on the web \fR
<\m[blue]\fBhttp://refdb\&.sourceforge\&.net/\fR\m[]>
.SH "AUTHOR"
.PP
refdb\-ms was written by David Nebauer <david@nebauer\&.org>\&.
.PP
This manual page was written by David Nebauer <david@nebauer\&.org> for the Debian project (but may be used by others)\&.