ePiX -- README Last Change: October 05, 2002 Please consult the following files as appropriate: INSTALL -- Detailed installation instructions README (this file) -- General overview and information README-authors -- Information for authors of ePiX modules README-changes -- Please glance at this file to see if the version you are installing is affected by changes to USER FILES DESCRIPTION ePiX (pronounced like "epic" with a soft "k", as in "TeX") is a lightweight command-based utility for generating camera quality, mathematically accurate line figures for LaTeX from user-friendly source files. The utility consists of a library written in C++ and some shell scripts; GNU bash and a C++ compiler are *required* for ordinary use. ePiX is developed and tested on an Intel x86 (GNU/Linux), and less stringently tested under Solaris. Andrew Sterian's pyepix wrapper (which requires Python 2.2 or newer) is also tested on Windows '98. MAILING LIST There is a mailing list devoted to all things ePiX-related. The list digest is currently available only by subscribing, but will eventually be archived on the web. To subscribe, send an empty message to ahwang-epix-subscribe@mathcs.holycross.edu To post to the list, send an email with *non-empty Subject: line* to ahwang-epix@mathcs.holycross.edu INTERNET DOWNLOAD SITES The "project home page" has links to currently available packages and documentation, general information, screenshots, and summaries of the latest developments: http://mathcs.holycross.edu/~ahwang/current/ePiX.html The latest version of this file is at http://mathcs.holycross.edu/~ahwang/software/README Announcements of recent releases, project stats, and links are at http://freshmeat.net/projects/epix Stable tarballs with synchronized documentation are available from http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/graphics/epix/ As with all free (GPL) software, the source code can be obtained on a floppy disk from the author by post ("snail mail"), in this case from: Andrew D. ("Andy") Hwang Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA, 01610-2395, USA PYEPIX Windows users are likely to be more interested in Andrew Sterian's Pyepix package, an implementation of ePiX in Python. Pyepix is available from http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~steriana/Python/index.html and requires Python 2.2 or newer. INSTALLATION Please see the "INSTALL" file. SHELL SCRIPTS ePiX comes with two general-purpose conversion scripts, laps and elaps: laps converts LaTeX files to Postscript by running LaTeX (or pslatex), then calling dvips. Several options can be passed to dvips from the command line; do "laps --verbose --help" (or "laps -v -h") for detailed information. elaps converts ePiX and eepic files to encapsulated Postscript; that is, elaps is "epix2eps" and "eepic2eps". Options can be passed to the compiler from the command line. Do "elaps --help" (or "elaps -h") for usage. DOCUMENTATION In addition to the sample document packaged with the source code and installed in $EPIX_ROOTDIR/share/epix, there is a complete users' guide/tutorial and a short technical overview. Both are available from the author's web site: http://mathcs.holycross.edu/~ahwang/current/ePiX.html If you downloaded the "complete" (not "src") package, you already have the LaTeX source files for the tutorial, in the directory epix-0.8.x_tex/ If ePiX is installed, do % cd epix-0.8.x_tex % laps tutorial then preview the dvi or Postscript with your favorite previewer. IMPLEMENTATION and RATIONALE LaTeX has styles (epic and eepic) for drawing connect-the-dots paths given a set of points. The functions in ePiX take (human-readable) C++ source files and print lists of points, suitably marked up for use by LaTeX. The shell script controls the process by invoking the C++ compiler, running the compiled binary, and directing the output to a user-specified .eepic file: ePiX source --> temporary executable --> .eepic file This two-stage process avoided the problem of writing a program to parse functions (instead using the g++ for this purpose), while permitting the input file to have fairly easy-to-use syntax (even for non-C++ users, since Maple and Mathematica use C-like syntax). Though something of a kludge, this design allows ePiX to be run in the most common LaTeX environment: Unix and clones. There are no serious plans to implement ePiX as a stand-alone binary program. There is also no plan to design a graphical front end for ePiX. One of the great advantages of ePiX over other drawing programs is its use of variables and control structures, which allow picture parameters to be represented symbolically and modified easily while preserving quality and logical structure of the figure. A graphical interface would thus undermine some of ePiX's greatest strengths without making it easier to use. COPYLEFT and DISTRIBUTION ePiX is distributed under the terms of the GNU GPL. You are free to copy, modify and distribute this program freely as long as this copyleft notice remains intact IN ITS ENTIRETY. This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Lest this lack of guarantee sound dire, please note that it is the same guarantee granted by all common software, including expensive, proprietary software whose quality you have no way to verify directly, and whose license you tacitly accept merely by opening the package. Feedback about this program (suggestions for features, etc.) is welcome. If you find this program useful, please consider making a contribution to the Free Software Foundation; see http://www.fsf.org Andrew D. Hwang (rhymes with "song", not "sang")