     BONNER LAB RUNOFF                                                 Page  1
     

                                      AUTHOR:
                                      -------
                                   John Clement
                                Bonner Nuclear Lab
                                  Rice University
                                     Box 1892
                                 Houston Tx, 77251
                                  (713) 527-4018





                                     ABSTRACT

                              Bonner Lab Runoff (RNO)

     Bonner  Lab Runoff is a text formatter which when used with your favorite
     editor makes a complete word processor.  Its syntax is almost a  complete
     emulation of DSR (Digital Standard Runoff) and it is very compatible with
     previous versions of Runoff.  The document and help file for this version
     can  also be used for DSR.  The intent of this program is to support com-
     plete scientific word processing to produce publication  quality  output.
     It  has been used to produce thesis, progress reports, and scientific pa-
     pers here at Rice University.  

     This version allows complete control of any special printer available via
     user definable escape sequences.  In addition  a  macro  facility  allows
     text  or  sequences  of commands to be abbreviated to a single label.  If
     the printer has the correct features then variable  spacing,subscripting,
     superscripting, and equation formatting are possible.  By properly defin-
     ing escape sequences the user may support different printers in  a  tran-
     sparent  fashion.   In  other  words  the  same  input text will print in
     identical fashion on different printers with different control codes  and
     escape sequences.  

     Table of contents, indexing and sub-indexing are all supported.  Multiple
     table of contents or multiple indexing may be constructed from the avail-
     able  commands.   A  variety  of LAYOUT and STYLE commands may completely
     change the look of the pages.  Table layout is simplified by right justi-
     fied  and 'decimal' justified tabs.  Permanent margins which apply to the
     page headers are available.  These simplify the  setting  of  header  and
     text margins.  

     All  special  characters  are  redefinable.  The user may define new com-
     mands, and text macros.  This allows this version  to  be  customized  to
     resemble other text formatters, or other verstions of RUNOFF.  A two pass
     option allows forward references to symbols defined later in the text.  

     This  runs  under VMS, RSX, IAS, RT11, TSX, and probably RSTS.  RNO occu-
     pies a minimum of 30 to 37 kbytes depending on the operating system.  

     BONNER LAB RUNOFF                                                 Page  2
     

     This  distribution  contains all files necessary for building RNO for any
     supported operating systems.  All file names are 6 characters or less  to
     acommodate all operating systems.  Once you have built the executable im-
     age, you can use it to generate documentation and  help  files  for  your
     operating  system.   Several files are included to document this version.
     Instructions for building the program are in the  BUILD.DOC  file.   Bugs
     that  have  been fixed are in RNOBUG.DOC.  The latest enhancements are in
     CHANGE.DOC.  BRIEF.DOC is a brief version of the full documentation.  For
     VMS users the RNO.EXE is provided as a convenience.  

                                 BIG ENHANCEMENTS

          1.  The number of tab stops is unlimited, and ellipses may be speci-
              fied for each stop independently.  In addition stops may  right,
              left,  or  center  justify  independently.   The ellipses may be
              specified as a literal.  
          2.  Numbers  may  be defined and incremented.  This allows numbering
              figures, tables and so on.  see:  .DEFINE ITEM and .NUMBER ITEM 
          3.  Reference  labels  to  section  numbers,  chapters,  and defined
              numbers may be defined.  This makes possible references to vari-
              ous sections of the document.  see:  .DEFINE NUMBER 
          4.  A 2 pass mode allows both forward and backward references.  see:
              /2P option.  
          5.  Parameters  may  be  passed  to defined commands.  see:  .DEFINE
              COMMAND.  
          6.  All  flags  may be used in Titles and Subtitles.  Extra commands
              .ENABLE/DISABLE FLAGS may be used to aid in using this feature. 
          7.  .REQUIRE BINARY aids in merging documents and graphics.  
          8.  The hyphenation algorithm has been improved.  
          9.  RNO is more compatible with DSR.  

                                 DSR compatability

     The  SAVE  commands  were designed independently from DSR and as such are
     slightly incompatible with DSR usage.  Since I do not have access to  the
     new  DSR  manuals, I can not say more than this.  Hopefully this will not
     cause users too much grief.  

