By Sean m. burke
Rich Text Format, or RTF, is the internal markup language used by Microsoft
Word and understood by dozens of other word processors. RTF is a universal
file format that pervades practically every desktop. Because RTF is text, it's
much easier to generate and process than binary .doc files. Any programmer
working with word processing documents needs to learn enough RTF to get around,
whether it's to format text for Word (or almost any other word processor),
to make global changes to an existing document, or to convert Word files to
(or from) another format.
RTF Pocket Guide is a concise and easy-to-use tutorial and quick-reference
for anyone who occasionally ends up mired in RTF files. As the first published
book to cover the RTF format in any detail, this small pocket guide explains
the syntax of RTF with examples throughout, including special sections on Unicode
RTF and MSHelp RTF, and several full programs that demonstrate how to work
in RTF effectively.
Most word processors produce RTF documents consisting of arcane and redundant
markup. This book is the first step to finding order in the disorder of RTF.
