These files contain the quotes or mottoes that are randomly picked. They are simple text files that consist of a header and the mottoes.
A motto file starts with a header. This header must be followed by a blank line. If you don't want to use the header, you must still begin the file with a blank line. Otherwise the first motto will never be used.
In the header you can give the following options:
If a motto is picked from this particular motto file then the file
footerfile
will be used as a footer instead of the one given on the
commandline or in the configuration file. This can be overriden with the
OVERRIDE option. If you set the footer file to -
it will be read from
standard input.
If a motto is picked from this particular motto file then the file
headerfile
will be used as a header instead of the one given on the
commandline or in the configuration file. This can be overriden with the
OVERRIDE option. If you set the header file to -
it will be read from
standard input.
Next there are the mottoes:
Any motto may be up to 255 lines long and must be followed by a blank line. The mottoes may be preceded by a control line. This control line can make the motto "better" or "worse" so that it is used more or less often as a signature.
The control line looks like this:
[++++] take this motto very very often [+++] take this motto very often . . . [---] take this motto very seldom [----] take this motto very very seldom
So, a motto file might look like this:
# <-> mottoes for makeSIGN <--> see documentation for details <-> # # This is still the header. The next line is a kewl ruler. ----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7---- # We want to use myheader.txt as the header file when a motto is picked # from here: HEADER=myheader.txt # The next line is blank and marks the end of the header. line 1 of a normal motto line 2 of a normal motto [++] line 1 of the next motto. This one is taken more often than the above one. line 2 of the second motto line 3 of the second motto line 4 of the second motto [----] line 1 of a motto that I don't like very much . . .