TeXhax Digest Thursday, August 13, 1987 Volume 87 : Issue 68 [SCORE.STANFORD.EDU]TEXHAX68.87 Editor: Malcolm Brown Today's Topics: new bug in TeX! rscsencoding option for archive requests slashing zeroes Re: slashing zeros Release dvi->PS Re: TeXhax Digest V87 #64 hyphenation across page boundary epson dvi driver Two references on typograhic design metafont code for eth, yogh, thorn ... ? help!!!! (PCTeX documentation) Re: help!!!! (PCTeX documentation) WEB for TeX? WEB for MF? question about automated letters in TeX/LaTeX ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri 7 Aug 87 13:32:48-EDT From: Barbara Beeton Subject: new bug in TeX! To: texhax@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU Don Knuth has just communicated the following information. When the new version is available, another message will follow. Klaus Gunterman in Germany reports that a student encountered a problem with error recovery, and it actually goes deeper. You can get the problem with the one-line input file a\vfill\eject\hbox{b\write-1{\error}} if you type "x" in response to the error message. The reason is that "jump_out" will jump out of shipout, which is in the midst of recursive output to the DVI file; the DVI file needs pops and an eop, but at present TeX finishes it off by just writing the postamble. So if you run DVItype on the output, you get error messages. If you try to use a random driver in the real world, who knows what will happen! To fix this, I've made the global variable |cur_s| more robust, and added a few lines to the routine that finishes the DVI file. It's no big deal, but unfortunately it means a number of patches to Volume B. TeX Version 2.3 will correct this problem. ------------------------------ To: texhax@score.stanford.edu Subject: rscsencoding option for archive requests Date: Fri, 07 Aug 87 15:31:30 -0400 From: Ken Yap J-F. Lamy informs me that uuencoded files will be slightly mangled passing through EBCDIC sites. It might be possible to figure out the mapping, but he sent me a better alternative. Instead of uuencoding, you can request rscsencoding by putting "rscsencoding" at the end of the Subject: line, e.g. Subject: @file request rscsencoding Same overhead as uuencoding - 35%. The mapping is to the 64 char set A-Za-z0-9+- which should survive almost anything (well, not CDC 63.5 char set, 1/2 :-)). Sources are in rscsencode.shar. They are in C, but probably not hard to translate if you don't already have the utility on your system. Ken LaTeX-Style@CS.Rochester.Edu ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Aug 87 19:36:01 edt From: mazzarel%husc4@harvard.harvard.edu To: texhax@score.stanford.edu Subject: slashing zeroes I am trying to slash all zeroes when printing computer code. At first, I thought saying something like {\rlap{0}/} should do the trick. Usually it does, but frequently the slashes are off-center (or maybe the zeroes are). I have tried using \tt at point sizes 8, 9, and 10, and tried switching the `0' and `/', and saying things like {0\llap{/}} instead of \rlap, but with all methods, the slash is about one point from being centered on the zero maybe 25% or 20% of the time. I also tried kerning and using a zero-width hbox. Nothing would give me a perfectly-centered overstrike all the time. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to when it happened; there could be, e.g., one zero out of four in a column where the slash was off-center. I am using dvi2ps with an Apple LaserWriter on a 4.2bsd machine; I don't know which dvi2ps it is. Has anyone seen similar inconsistencies with dvi2ps, or is this a bug in TeX itself? I have not noticed other problems with back- spacing, but perhaps they haven't been as noticeable as this. --Paul Mazzarelli (pm@harvard.harvard.edu; pm@harvard.bitnet) %% Once again, Barbara Beeton is quick on the draw: ------------------------------ Mail-From: BEETON created at 9-Aug-87 08:00:42 Date: Sun 9 Aug 87 08:00:42-PDT From: Barbara Beeton Subject: Re: slashing zeros To: texhax@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU it sounds like the problem you're having is a problem with roundoff. if it were a problem with tex, the spacing would be consistent and you could fix it easily. one real test would be to print out a file on a high- resolution device (>600dpi); if the problem goes away, then you know it's because the optimal widths of the characters being used is not exactly scalable to the 300dpi of the laserwriter. we have several different low-res devices, and all of them have roundoff problems of greater or lesser impact (none of them is a postscript device, but all the device drivers are from different sources). one thing i've noticed in common, however, is that the current position on a line seems to be reset when a kerning instruction intervenes between two characters. if this is true also for an explicit zero kern (which i haven't tested, but might be worthwhile), you might try to take advantage of it by putting a \kern0pt before the compound slash/zero character. if that works, you should get the slash squarely over the zero; the downside is, you might get some peculiar spacing between the zero and whatever precedes it. most output drivers i'm familiar with do make some effort to handle roundoff in a reasonable way, usually by resetting at a space (which one usually thinks of as an interword space, but it need not be). the postscript translator probably has a similar feature. -- barbara beeton ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Aug 87 10:03:48 EST From: i5f@l.cc.purdue.edu (S Bechtolsheim) To: texhax@score.stanford.edu Subject: Release dvi->PS Well, I had one week in between jobs, and there was just not enough time for the whole thing. But I decided (against my principles) to release it anyway. A couple of brief points: (1) \special handling: what to do is getting clearer in my mind. I will be flying to the TUG conference, and there the subject will come up again. There will be a comittee discussing this, and that should give some new input. What I have cooked up so far is in subdirectory "special". In other words the promised \special handling is NOT in the driver. (2) The paper descrining the whole thing (subdirectory "paper") needs major corrections of my English. It should do it for now, but .... (3) Jean Francois Lamy pointed out to me a feature of Thomas Rockicki's driver, which should cut down on the PS code generated by the driver (it uses the whole alphabet for one-letter long PS procedure names), and it redefines those procedures dynamically. That sounds like a VERY good idea, and I would like to implement it. (4) For those of you, who have a prerelease version: please pick up a complete and new version. (5) ftp anonymous, l.cc.purdue.edu. (6) I'll be out of town for three weeks, but I will have computer access. (7) Please drop me a short note, when you pick it up. I'd like to get an idea of how many people got it. Stephan ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Aug 87 09:07:20 MDT From: Raul Machuca Subject: Re: TeXhax Digest V87 #64 To: TeXhax@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU On recent inquiries regarding using graphics with Latex the usual suggestion has been to use the special command. These answers amount to saying dont do it but use another package for the graphics. In certain situations this is unacceptable. If the graphics includes text the fonts that appear in the figure will be of a completely different and incongruous style. For example using a CAD package to prepare a figure and then a translator will result in vector oriented fonts in the graphics with a completely different font in the text. This may be acceptable to some and there are books in print that use this method. Another disadvantage of this sugessted work-around is that all of the facilities for handling text in Latex are lost. If I want to use a list environment I am restricted by whatever package is being used~r. Graphics can easily result in reaching tex memory limits. A way to get around these limits would be very useful. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Aug 87 14:02 EDT From: Subject: hyphenation across page boundary To: texhax@score.stanford.edu I've looked and looked through the TeXbook and can't find the answer to this problem. How do I prevent TeX from breaking a word across a page boundary? I realize that I can go back and put the word in an \hbox, but this shouldn't be necessary. Isn't there a parameter that automatically controls this? Have I missed something? If it's not present, it seems like a big omission. My second problem is with LaTeX and the \small command. In a paper, I have a definition like the one that follows. \def\unix{{\small UNIX}} I would like to be able to type "try this in \unix." and get UNIX in smaller type. Although I get UNIX in smaller type, I also get an extra space between the word "in" and "UNIX". The following definition gives the same results. \def\unix{{\small{UNIX}}} The only way around it (that I've found) is to type "try this in\unix", which gives me one space between "in" and "UNIX". Needless to say, this is ugly. Anyone have a suggestion for a better way to do this? Is this a problem with the \small command? Note that if I replace \small with \it the spacing comes out the way I would like. Rick Zaccone zaccone@bknlvms.bitnet ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Aug 87 00:39:36 PDT From: calvin@csvax.caltech.edu (Cal Jackson) To: texhax@score.stanford.edu Awhile back, in this forum, I expressed the hope that Imagen would offer a PostScript option on Imagen printers. A Imagen principal responded, I think appropiately, that they would when and if PostScript stabilized and proved to be a viable tool for document production. Recently I read an announcement that Imagen plans to offer PostScript as an option in some of their printer controllers. I think this is a wise decision and a boon to the advancement of work depending on computer based publishing tools. An important side benefit occurs, if my understanding of the announcement is correct: Imagen will provide their versions of licensed fonts. This is great! The step taken by Imagen will close the gap between the traditional market (typesetters) and the new market and, I believe, promote common quality goals. (Unfortunately, competition may cause a decrease in quality---but only if users demand to be quality ignorant.) I congratulate Imagen for their decision. My affection for the company is due to their early work with TeX users and their apparent efforts to link with the resources available to traditional typesetter producers. It is fantastic what Imagen and Adobe have accomplished in such a short time. I mean for users; their business success is also noteworthy. It is particularly significant that the announcement occurs when we (users) are debating performance and the significance of language generalities. It's great that all can happen at the same time! Thanks Imagen, thanks Adobe. Yes; pioneers, creators, and competitors work well together. Cal Jackson ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Aug 87 00:40:14 PDT From: calvin@csvax.caltech.edu (Cal Jackson) To: texhax@score.stanford.edu For those interested in publications that help the personal progress of typograghic literacy, I suggest a recent offering: "Hermann Zapf and his design philosophy" Hermann Zapf ISBN 0-941447-00-6 Copyright 1987 by Hermann Zapf and the Society of Typographic Arts Chicago "Selected Articles and Lectures on Calligraphy and Contemporary Developments in Type Design, with Illustrations and Bibliographical Notes, and a Complete List of His Typefaces" There are sharings here that are likely to bring the most independent to a sense of humility of the magnitude of typographic ventures. And it is a beautiful book (even though I don't yet know "why" a book is beautiful). Price is $50, 254 pages. Dirt cheap. Cal Jackson ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Aug 87 11:37:23 EDT From: scott@gateway.mitre.org To: texhax@score.stanford.edu Subject: epson dvi driver Does anyone have a public domain/freely distributed epson dvi driver/filter? If you have or know of a cheap (read inexpensive) that information would also be useful. Any and all information is appreciated. John As always Mr. Scott, should you or any of your IM force be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of the operation. You're on your own John. Good Luck! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Aug 87 9:59:03 BST From: Ian Gladwell (Manchester) To: texhax@score.stanford.edu Subject: Two references on typograhic design The following two excellent references should be of interest to TeXhax readers wanting to find out more about typographic design. (1) A. Biles, F. Cost, G. Johnson, K. Reek (1987) Using expert systems in typographic design, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, PC-30, 2, 102-111. The abstract gives the flavour: "Typographic design is a new problem facing many authors who must supply camera-ready copy for publication. This paper proposes the use of expert system technology in future electronic publishing software to aid the author in making reasonable design decisions. Rules that are used by printing professionals in their design processes are discussed, along with proposals for expert system integration in this domain." In our library IEEE Prof. Commun. is shelved with other IEEE journals in the engineering section. It has articles on such topics as technical writing, public speaking, and typographic design. (2) J. Hartley (1985) Designing Instructional Text, Second Edition, Kogan Page, 120 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9JN, and Nichols Publishing Company, PO Box 96, New York, NY 10024. This book covers a wide range of topics including typography, page layout and spacing, design and use of illustrations/tables/graphs, evaluating instructional material (readability formulae, etc.). It has some interesting case studies and a comprehensive, annotated bibliography. Nick Higham na.higham@score.stanford.edu Department of Mathematics University of Manchester England ------------------------------ Date: 10-AUG-1987 17:22:58 From: CHARLES%vax2.oxford.ac.uk@Cs.Ucl.AC.UK To: TeXhax <@Cs.Ucl.AC.UK:TeXhax@score.stanford.edu> Subject: metafont code for eth, yogh, thorn ... ? Has anyone either prepared or know of Metafont code for eth, yogh and thorn characters? Many thanks for any help. Charles Curran, Oxford Univ. Comp. Service, 13 Banbury Road, OX2 6NN, England. 'phone: +44 865 273269 Arpa: charles%oxford.vax2@cs.ucl.ac.uk / charles%oxford.vax2@arpa.ucl-cs EARN/BITNET: charles@vax2.oxford.ac.uk / charles%oxford.vax2@ac.uk UUCP: mcvax!ox-prgv!charles ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Aug 87 20:21 CDT From: Subject: help!!!! (PCTeX documentation) To: texhax@score.stanford.edu Hello, I am attempting to get some information on the avaliability of documentation for PC - TeX. Please send me any information on this subject. Thank you, David Deere dcd9573@tamsigma %% Barbara Beeton responds: ------------------------------ Mail-From: BEETON created at 11-Aug-87 08:53:00 Date: Tue 11 Aug 87 08:53:00-PDT From: Barbara Beeton Subject: Re: help!!!! (PCTeX documentation) To: texhax@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU documentation for pctex should be available from the source: personal tex, inc. 12 madrona st. p o box 5089 mill valley, ca 94941 415-388-8853 for users of registered copies of pctex, there's also a bulletin board for news, questions, etc. not having used it myself, i can't say how active or useful it is, but the intent is good. -- barbara beeton ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Aug 87 12:52:28 CDT From: Don Hosek Subject: WEB for TeX? WEB for MF? To: TEXHAX@score.stanford.edu If we write a TeX WEB, than we know that if we WEAVE FRED we will get a file FRED TEX, and if we tangle FRED, we get FRED TEX. Oops. On a related but serious note, does anybody know of a WEB for MetaFont? -DH ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Aug 87 12:55:16 PDT From: holub@violet.Berkeley.EDU To: texhax@score.stanford.edu, texinfo@ernie.Berkeley.EDU Has anyone managed to install the standard PostScript fonts into LaTeX as the standard fonts? I'm using the ArborTex DVIPS driver and Addison Wesley's MicroTeX, running on an IBM PC/AT. It's turning out to be more of a probem than I had anticipated and I need some help. As far as I can tell, I'll have to modify the \font directives in the /tex/inputs/lfonts.tex file--at least this file is preloaded and all the \font's in lplain.tex have been commented out. What really has to be modified and how? Do any of the macros in fonts.tex have to be modified as well? What difficlties will I encounter with characters that aren't in the PostScript fonts but are in the TeX ones. For example, is there any way to use PostScript Roman italics in the math font? It seems not, but I'm not sure. ArborTex does seem to have shuffled around the PostScript characters so that match the ordering in the Computer Modern fonts, at least. Anyway, If you've already done any of this, I'd really appreciate your sending me either the modified files or explicit instructions of what to modify. Also, If you have the file, are there any objections to my publishing it in Dr. Dobb's Journal (with all due credit given to yourself, of course). I'm writing an article about my experiences with TeX, and it would be useful to print anything that would make other people's lives a little easier. Thanks a lot. -Allen Holub holub@violet.berkeley.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Aug 87 11:59 EDT From: Haim Levkowitz Subject: question about automated letters in TeX/LaTeX To: TeXhax-Request@score.stanford.edu does anyone out there have a way to automate letters so that the same text will take addresses and names from other files? i hope the question is clear.... thanks in advance --hl ------------------------------ %%% %%% subscriptions, address changes to: texhax-request@score.stanford.edu %%% %%% submissions to: texhax@score.stanford.edu %%% %%% BITNET redistribution: TEX-L@TAMVM1.BITNET (list server) %%% %%%\bye %%% ------------------------------ End of TeXhax Digest ************************** -------