Subject: TeXhax Digest V89 #70 From: TeXhax Digest Errors-To: TeXhax-request@cs.washington.edu Maint-Path: TeXhax-request@cs.washington.edu To: TeXhax-Distribution-List:; Reply-To: TeXhax@cs.washington.edu TeXhax Digest Friday, July 28, 1989 Volume 89 : Issue 70 Moderators: Tiina Modisett and Pierre MacKay %%% The TeXhax digest is brought to you as a service of the TeX Users Group %%% %%% in cooperation with the UnixTeX distribution service at the %%% %%% University of Washington %%% Today's Topics: Re: Strange kern in cmr10 AMS Euler script font Catcode bug in TeX? TeX vs Interleaf PCs, Networking Pronunciation of TeX TeX macro with optional parameter ***Announcing PSTEX*** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 25 Jul 89 09:28 EDT From: "Jerry Leichter - LEICHTER-JERRY@CS.YALE.EDU" Subject: Re: Strange kern in cmr10 Keywords: cmr10, kern Hal Peterson asks why cmr10's TFM file seems to show two different kerns for the "ka" combination. Kerning and ligature information in a TFM file is stored as a simple program in a very specialized language. TeX scans the program in the order it was specified, looking for a match with the characters it is dealing with. Since only the first match is used, multiple matches are ignored. Here's an extract from ROMAN.MF, showing the Metafont code which generated the CMR10.TFM file. In the example, "#" is essentially part of the variable names, despite its appearance; and u# is the "unit width", the basic size used to define all measurements of the CM fonts. (Design in terms of a unit width is characteristic of the Monotype fonts from which Knuth drew the inspiration for CMR.) Also, \\ is like \relax in TeX: k#:=-.5u#; kk#:=-1.5u#; kkk#:=-2u#; % three degrees of kerning ... ligtable "k": if serifs: "v": "a" kern -u#, fi\\"w": "e" kern k#, "a" kern k#, "o" kern k#, "c" kern k#; What's happening here is that for non-serifed fonts, the kerning tables for "k" and "w" happen to be identical, and so are shared. For serifed fonts, the tables are identical except for the kerning in "ka", and the resulting table is the same as the table for "va". Since TeX only uses the first match in the table anyway, there is no harm in having an extraneous entry for "ka" in the serifed tables. Typical Knuthian optimization. Jerry --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 Jul 89 13:47:45 EDT From: Art Werschulz Subject: AMS Euler script font Keywords: Euler fonts, calligraphic font Hi. I would like to use the Euler script font, instead of the standard calligraphic font. My main problem is that the standard calligraphic S looks too much like the math italic S. (I have had several people tell me that they can't easily tell the difference.) After reading Don Knuth's article about the typesetting of "Concrete Mathematics", I decided to do the following: \font\eusmten=eusm10 \font\eusmseven=eusm7 \font\eusmfive=eusm5 \textfont8=\eusmten \scriptfont8=\eusmseven \scriptscriptfont8=\eusmfive \def\cal{\fam8 } Things like $SS^*{\cal S}$ worked fine, as well as ${\cal S}_n$, My problem was with stuff like $$\|v-v_n\|_{L_2(I)} = \inf_{s\in{\cal S}_n}\|v-s\|_{L_2(I)}.$$ Instead of printing the (sub)subscript "n" to the right of and below the "S", it was printed too far to the left. As a result, the "n" was superimposed on the lower part of the "S". Does anybody have any suggestions for how to fix this? Thanks. Art Werschulz InterNet: agw@cs.columbia.edu BITnet: agw%cs.columbia.edu@cuvmb CSnet: agw%cs.columbia.edu@csnet-relay USEnet: ...!columbia!cs.columbia.edu!agw ATTnet: Columbia University (212) 854-8642 854-2736 Fordham University (212) 841-5323 841-5396 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 Jul 89 11:17:28 GMT From: "Wayne G. Sullivan" Subject: Catcode bug in TeX? Keywords: TeX, catcode bug In connection with the recent discussion of a problem involving catcodes, I was experimenting with redefinitions of underscore. Following the example in the TeXbook for %, I wrote the following: \tracingstats=2 \catcode`\_=\active \def_{\char`\_} $ _ $ \bye When TeX was run on this file, it went into a loop which could only be broken by interrupting the program. Two PC versions of TeX and VM/CMS TeX behaved in identical fashion. A similar sort of problem was reported in TeXhax by Chris Thompson some time ago, but that eventually caused a stack of the operating system, which does not seem to arise with the above file. Wayne Sullivan ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Jul 89 09:59:46 PDT From: tcipro!ramu (Ramu Iyer) Subject: TeX vs Interleaf Keywords: TeX, Interleaf Could anybody enumerate the reasons why TeX is more powerful than Interleaf apart from the mathematical advantage? Thanks in advance. Ramu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 Jul 89 10:47:34 CDT From: "Cliff Bergman" Subject: PCs, Networking Keywords: PCs, Networking We are considering networking a bunch of PCs and running PCTeX on at least one of them. The network we are looking at is Lantastic, by Artisoft inc. Another (simpler) possibility is the Alternet dataswitch by Equinox systems. Has anybody had experience (esp. in TeX) with these or other systems? Cliff Bergman Dept. of Math Iowa State Univ. Ames, Iowa 50010 bitnet: s2.chb@isumvs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 26 Jul 89 17:41:50 EDT From: INHB000 Subject: Pronunciation of TeX Keywords: TeX, pronunciation Since the most important issue raging in the TeX community these days appears to be the pronunciation, I cannot resist adding my opinions. The letter of Anne Bruegemann-Klein claims that the TeXbook says that TeX should rhyme with Blech and adds that this is the sound of ach in German or loch in Scottish. But it doesn't say that. It says it should rhyme with blecchhh and that is not a German word at all (not in my Cassell's anyway). It might be argued that it is not an English word either, but it is to readers of Mad magazine. Moreover, it is perfectly clear how it is to be pronounced as an English word. In such a way, as Knuth says, that your computer screen becomes slightly damp. Actually, most people in my experience say it to rhyme with wreck. (Most of the rest say tecks.) A much more difficult problem is the pronunciation of LaTeX. This appears to be pronounced lay-tex or lah-tex with about equal frequency. I find the second illogical since it seems clear that the name was a deliberate pun with the synthetic rubber product and the second pronunciation of the `a' is mostly restricted to foreign words (and, for Brits, `tomato' and a few other words). An argument could be made that the first syllable ought to rhyme with that of Lamport, that is either the `a' of `mad' or possibly of `mat'. Unlike Knuth, who gave clear instructions (I think they were clear), Lamport has given the LaTeX world absolutely no guidance on this difficult and important question. Michael Barr ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 25 Jul 89 16:24:58 PDT From: Jonathan Ross Subject: TeX macro with optional parameter Keywords: TeX, macro, optional parameter I would like to define a macro which takes an optional parameter (in the LaTeX style). I know about the \@ifnextchar construct from LaTeX. What I want is macro where I can say \foo[x] (where the [x] is optional), and generate \bar[x] \zed That is, \bar takes an optional parameter, and during the expansion of \foo I would like \bar to see that IT has the optional parameter, and THEN do the expansion for \zed. In the things I have tried, \zed ends up being followed by [x]... SOLUTION: Well, I thought a little more about it, and came up with a solution. \makeatletter \def\foo{\@ifnextchar [{\optfoo}{\nooptfoo}} \def\optfoo[#1]{\bar[#1] \zed} \def\nooptfoo{\bar \zed} \makeatother It is so trivial now that I see it, that I don't know if it is worth it to post the question/solution to the digest. Jonathan -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 28 Jul 89 10:34:43 PDT From: Neil Hunt Subject: ***Announcing PSTEX*** Keywords: PSTEX, man page, BibTeX-like preprocessor LaTeX users, The following is a manual page for a program called pstex, which is a bibtex-like preprocessor for including figures into LaTeX documents. It is based upon the premise that the size of an included figure should not have to be specified in more than one place. With the pstex system, the default is that the figure is included at its design size (the size at which it would print out if it were sent to the printer directly). Modifiers can be applied, from the LaTeX source text, including scaling the design size by some factor, or overriding it completely. For example, a figure can be included at \textwidth or \columnwidth, or with a specified aspect ratio. Pstex is available for distribution along with a modified version of a standard dvips program, manual pages for both programs, a LaTeX macro file defining the appropriate macros, and an example document with included figures which discusses the motivations behind the system, and which has a useful reference sheet. This system is distributed under an FSF-like agreement: /* * Copyright (c) 1989 Teleos Research, Inc 1989. * * Anyone can use this software in any manner they choose, * including modification and redistribution, provided they make * no charge for it, and these conditions remain unchanged. * * This program is distributed as is, with all faults (if any), and * without any warranty. No author or distributor accepts responsibility * to anyone for the consequences of using it, or for whether it serves any * particular purpose at all, or any other reason. */ If you want a copy, send me mail at ``Neil%Teleos.com@ai.sri.com''. If there is significant interest, I will see about getting it to some distribution point, otherwise I will simply mail out copies. It is currently in the form of 4 shar files of sizes 49, 48, 47, and 36 k. Neil/. PSTEX(1) USER COMMANDS PSTEX(1) NAME pstex - convert LaTeX figures. SYNOPSIS pstex [ options ] file[.tex] DESCRIPTION Pstex is a BiBTeX-like processor for including figures into LaTeX documents. Figures are included using the ``\psbox'' macro; this macro causes LaTeX to make entries in the ``.aux'' file(s) for the job. Pstex finds these entries, locates the corresponding PostScript files (which should be in EPSF format as appropriate for dvips), and determines how to size the figure according to the options specified in the macro in the LaTeX, and according to the nominal size and shape of the PostScript. It creates a ``.psz'' file con- taining entries indicating the sizes which it has determined to be appropriate for each figure. When LaTeX starts up on subsequent passes, this ``.psz'' file is read, and LaTeX is then able to leave the correct amount of space for each fig- ure as it encounters them in the text. The ``postscript'' macro file must be included in the list of options in the documentstyle command. This defines the necessary macros. The primitive which is used by pstex is ``\postscriptbox{width}{height}{file}''. This causes the postscript of file.ps to be included into the document so that its bounding box exactly fills the width and height specified. This creates a box, which is just like a charac- ter, and can be placed anywhere in the document. Typically it is included within a figure environment and a center environment, and is associated with a caption. The higher level macro which is provided by pstex is ``\psbox[options]{file}''. If the options string is omitted completely, the figure is included at its natural, or design size, as specified in the bounding box data of the PostScript. Combinations of four options can be specified, separated by commas: width=, height=, aspect=, and scale= The keyword can be abbreviated, and spaces are allowed. The width and height options can be any valid TeX or LaTeX which expands into a dimension when placed as the argument to a setlength macro. For example, width=\columnwidth is a common specification. The aspect ratio and scale parameters must be floating point constants, or must expand to such at the time the macro is first invoked, for example scale=0.7. If one of width or height is specified, the figure is scaled to that size, keeping its natural aspect ratio, unless that is overridden by the aspect parameter. If both of width and height are specified, the figure is made to fit the specification exactly, if necessary changing its aspect ratio. In this mode, the aspect ratio parameter is ignored. In any mode, the scale parameter multiplies all of the dimensions. This is especially useful to include a figure at some fixed fraction of its natural size, specifying only a scale factor in the options. Note that the dimensions can be TeX rubber dimensions so as to fit into the page layout in the best possible manner, if desired. EXAMPLES \psbox{file} Include file.ps at natural size. \psbox[s=0.7]{file} Include the document at natural size scaled down to 70%. \psbox[w=\columnwidth, scale=\mydocscale]{file} Stretch the figure to the width of the column, but scale it down to \mydocscale (which might be defined as 0.9 for example). OPTIONS -z psdirs Specify different area for postscript files to be included. Psdirs will be searched for all postscript files, instead of the path specified in the environment variable. ENVIRONMENT DVIPSPATH A list of colon-separated directories where PostScript files may be found for insertion. It defaults to ``:/usr/spar/font/ps'' which means that the current directory will be searched first and then the default directory. FILES postscript.sty Macro file defining the macros for LaTeX. jobname.aux contains pointers for pstex. file.ps EPSF PostScript picture files. file.psz File generated by pstex and read in by LaTeX to afford communication. SEE ALSO dvips(1), latex(1). BUGS LaTeX forces a cumbersome interface on its preprocessors, such as BiBTeX and pstex. After adding a new figure, or changing the specification in the LaTeX, you need to run LaTeX, then psbox, then LaTeX again to see the update results. After a change to the PostScript, only the final LaTeX step is required. It is very hard to get troff to put in backslashes in the documentation in all the right places. Some are missing, others are replaced by slashes. AUTHOR Pstex was written by Neil Hunt at Schlumberger Palo Alto Research, now at Teleos Research: Neil%Teleos.com@ai.sri.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- %%% The TeXhax digest is brought to you as a service of the TeX Users Group %%% in cooperation with the UnixTeX distribution service at the %%% University of Washington %%% %%% Concerning subscriptions, address changes, unsubscribing: %%% BITNET: send a one-line mail message to LISTSERV@xxx %%% where xxx is the nearest geographical site in the %%% tree shown below %%% SUBSCRIBE TEX-L % to subscribe %%% or UNSUBSCRIBE TEX-L %%% Here is the BITNET re-distribution tree as shown in a recent %%% REVIEW (The geography is guessed at from the subscription list) %%% %%% CLVM TAMVM1 FINHUTC %%% | | (Finland, UK, Scand, CERN) %%% | | | %%% TeXhax ----> UWAVM ----- MARIST ----- EB0UB011 ----- BNANDP11 %%% | (France,Italy,Spain) (Belgium) %%% | | %%% UBVM HEARN --- DEARN %%% (Netherlands) (Germany) %%% %%% Internet: send a similar one line mail message to %%% TeXhax-request@cs.washington.edu %%% Please be sure you send a valid internet address!! %%% in the form name@domain or name%routing@domain %%% and use the style of the Bitnet one-line message, so that %%% we can find your subscription request easily. %%% %%% JANET users may choose to use %%% texhax-request@uk.ac.nsf %%% %%% All submissions to: TeXhax@cs.washington.edu %%% %%% Back issues available for FTPing as: %%% machine: directory: filename: %%% JUNE.CS.WASHINGTON.EDU TeXhax/TeXhaxyy.nn %%% yy = last two digits of current year %%% nn = issue number %%% %%% For further information about TeX Users Group services and publications %%% contact Karen at KLB@SEED.AMS.COM or write to TUG at %%% TeX Users Group %%% P.O. 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