ePiX -- README-changes Last Change: July 28, 2002 This file describes (essentially) mandatory changes to input file syntax that are important to users. Please see the CHANGELOG for a detailed list of modifications to the source code, and the current documentation for suggested/encouraged usage changes. Version 0.8.6 By default, path styles (plain, dashed, dotted) MAY NOT be specified by name prefixing. Instead, the declarations "solid;", "dashed;", and "dotted;" must be used. Further, several alternative plot command names (from Version 0.6.x, such as "paramplot", "plot3d", etc.) are no longer recognized by default. To enable ePiX to recognize these deprecated routines, you must compile the "legacy" subpackage: In the source directory, do "make legacy". If you are building the "contrib" package, use the command "make clean contrib legacy test". It is *not* currently possible to bring old input files into compliance with the script update_figs.sh (see below). New files should not use the old syntax, as the legacy subpackage will be removed eventually. (The legacy files will be available separately, and there are no plans to make the legacy subpackage deliberately obsolete, but it is not guaranteed to work with future versions of ePiX.) Users are strongly encouraged to employ the new, simplified syntax for plotting: instead of providing a list of component functions, declare a pair- or triple-valued function as appropriate and replace the list of functions with the "tuple"-valued function in the plot command. The author apologizes for poor planning in the distant past, but intends that these will be the last major changes in user syntax until true 3D plotting is implemented (a very long-term goal). Version 0.8.5 Function-style color declarations, such as red(); and cyan();, and the line-width delimiters bold(); and end_bold(); are no longer permitted. Instead, use the constant-style declarations red;, cyan;, bold;, etc. Updating Source Files to 0.8.5 The source package contains a script, update_figs.sh, that when run in a directory updates all files with extension .c, .cc, or .C under the assumption the files are ePiX source files. The script asks for confirmation before making changes, but in any case a single run is non-destructive; existing files are either saved with the extension .old, or are archived. A second run is potentially destructive, since the archive file's name is hard-wired, and the script overwrites any .old files that arise from a prior run. update_figs.sh should not be run heedlessly, but only in a directory containing multiple broken files that worked with a prior version of ePiX. Version 0.8.1 The old style (pre-Version 0.6.5) of variable declaration, e.g. double x_min = -1, x_max = 1, ... is no longer supported. The functions bounding_box, picture, and unitlength must be used instead. It is possible, but non-trivial, to automate the updating of these changes. update_figs.sh does not do so; please write to the author for assistance. 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")