Subject: TeXhax Digest V89 #113 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 Tuesday, December 26, 1989 Volume 89 : Issue 113 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: wanted: mode_def for DEC LPS40 write-white print engine Hardware and software advice needed Re: CM fonts --- should they be extended ? Problem with \magstephalf and Metafont Form letters in LaTeX; request for help PC-EXPRES for LaTeX Re: TeXhax Digest V89 #106 (LaTeX 's Bibliographic \cite{key}) Definitions needed for TeX/LaTeX Index Possible \uppercase\ss solution Re: ifx problem Re: TeXhax Digest V89 #106: TeX to Ventura Printer killer A set of tools for managing BibTeX bib files ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Dec 89 14:12:01 EST From: nr%cs@Princeton.EDU (Norman Ramsey) Subject: wanted: mode_def for DEC LPS40 write-white print engine Keywords: mode_def, DEC LPS40 write-white print engine Does anyone have one, or know where one can be found. Any hints or pointers will be appreciated. We are willing to try to adapt a generic write-white mode_def if nobody has one for the LPS40. Norman Ramsey nr@princeton.edu -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 4 Dec 89 12:19:49 -0500 From: trda5!anqi@uunet.uu.net Subject: Hardware and software advice needed Keywords: general Gentlemen, I am in the process of getting a copy of the TeX package from the University of Washington. An application form for joining TUG is in the mail to me, too. However, I am in need of immediate help in deciding on what software and hardware to get in order to intall and run TeX on our AT&T 3B2/300 running UNIX System V 3.1. Pointers, please. Anchi Zhang UUCP: uunet!trda5!anqi Internet: anqi@trda5.uucp.uu.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 4 Dec 89 09:35:27 EST From: jsg@arbortext.com Subject: Re: CM fonts --- should they be extended ? Keywords: fonts, CM While other people toil away on the contents of the successors to the Computer Modern fonts, I'll lean back in my chair and glibly suggest a name. We once had AM ("Almost Modern") and then we skipped B and moved to CM ("Computer Modern"). There's no question that the next set of fonts has to skip D and be named EM ("Extended Modern"). John Gourlay jsg@arbortext.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 4 Dec 89 12:15 MET From: "Johannes L. Braams" Subject: Problem with \magstephalf and Metafont Keywords: METAFONT 1.7, font scaling Hi all, We have noticed a problem with the scaling of fonts, using MF version 1.7. When we create cmsy10 at \magstephalf things like \oplus, \ominus etc. come out like ovals instead of circles. With \magstep1 everything looks circular again. I don't know how this could have happened, but it doesn't appear to have happened with the amr fonts... So now I have a user who wants the amr fonts back. I'm not very happy about that... Any help will be appreciated, please send replies to me directly and i'll summarize to the list. Regards Johannes Braams PTT Research Neher Laboratorium, P.O. box 421, 2260 AK Leidschendam, The Netherlands. Phone : +31 70 435051 E-mail : JL_Braams@pttrnl.nl E-mail was : EARN/BITnet : BRAAMS@HLSDNL5 UUCP : hp4nl!dnlunx!johannes SURFnet : DNLTS::BRAAMS INTERnet : BRAAMS%HLSDNL5@CUNYVM.cuny.edu PSS (DATAnet1) : +204 1170358::BRAAMS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 3 Dec 89 14:36:34 EST From: rpg@cs.brown.edu Subject: Form letters in LaTeX; request for help Keywords: LaTeX, form letters I'm interested in finding a LaTeX environment for form letters, allowing merges. Does anybody out there have one? Please reply to me directly. Thanks, Robert ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 4 Dec 89 10:34:33 MST From: rogers@ARSUN.UTAH.EDU Subject: PC-EXPRES for LaTeX Keywords: LaTeX, NSF proposals, PC-EXPRES I have just put together an alternative to the LaTeX stuff in the latest PC-EXPRES* distribution. My version uses the report document style (rather than article), modified by a file called nsf.sty. This version makes its own table of contents and bibliography, and is driven by a "makefile". It is available via anonymous ftp from arsun.utah.edu (128.110.192.93). The relevant file is "pub/nsflatex.tar.Z", in compressed tar format. Unpack with "zcat nsflatex.tar.Z | tar xf -" or "pdtar zxf nsflatex.tar.Z". * PC-EXPRES is a system for preparing NSF proposals that can be submitted via INTERNET. It generates the NSF forms as postscript files, and collates them with output from word processors. Alan Rogers INTERNET: rogers@arsun.utah.edu (or an.rogers@science.utah.edu) USMAIL : Dept. of Anthropology, Univ. of Utah, S.L.C., UT 84112 PHONE : (801) 581-5529 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 4 Dec 89 09:05:02 PST From: lamport@src.dec.com (Leslie Lamport) Subject: Re: TeXhax Digest V89 #106 (LaTeX 's Bibliographic \cite{key}) Keywords: LaTeX, \cite{key} JOHN H. YATES writes I would like to modify the results of LaTeX 's Bibliographic \cite{key} (UNSRT) to produce the reference number as a superscript, without the [] surrounding it. He continues: I am still hoping someone can show me a trivial solution to getting rid of the brackets around this superscript. Searching for \cite in latex.tex reveals % \@cite : A macro such that \@cite{LABEL1,LABEL2}{NOTE} % produces the output for a \cite[NOTE]{FOO1,FOO2} command, % where entry FOOi is defined by \bibitem[LABELi]{FOOi}. % The switch @tempswa is true if the optional NOTE argument % is present. % The default definition is : % \@cite{LABELS}{NOTE} == % BEGIN [LABELS % IF @tempswa = T THEN , NOTE FI % ] % END % ... %DEFAULT DEFINITIONS \def\@cite#1#2{[{#1\if@tempswa , #2\fi}]} I trust that this, together with section 5.1.4 of the manual should answer the question. Leslie Lamport ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 Dec 89 14:11:40 EST From: ches@research.att.com Subject: Definitions needed for TeX/LaTeX Index Keywords: TeX, LaTeX, Permuted Index Greetings, folks. After wrestling an Internet gateway for a couple months I am ready to finish up the next revision of the Permuted Index of TeX and LaTeX commands. (To those who have been waiting, I apologize. We still have you on the list.) I could use some help on a few definitions from you gurus out there. These are commands I don't understand very well, or have unsatisfactory definitions. I would appreciate suggestions for definitions. Remember the ground rules: a definition must 1) fit on a single line 2) contain keywords a non-expert might choose 3) be reasonably accurate within the bounds of the first two rules. As at the TUG meeting, I am willing to reward a Cocolat truffle to helpful contributors, but I don't get out to Berkeley very often, so the award may be delayed indefinitely. If you missed the pre-shaken Stanford TUG meeting, the Index is described in the Procedings. Copies of the Index will be available (free!) from neera@research.att.com as Computer Science Technical Report #145, and later in the TeXniques series. TeX primatives: % lousy definition: |\delimitershortfall| maximum amount by which a delimiter can be too small % TeX 3.0 command: |\errorcontext| % is this exactly right? |\let| assign a new name to a control sequence % I don't like this. How about: ``define operator to end math mode?'' |\mathclose| construct a math closing operator % is this right? |\xspaceskip| space between sentences Plain TeX % what are these? |\amalg| math operator: amalgam ($\amalg$) |\deg| math function: deg % these are mostly internal plain TeX commands. Should they be included? |\do| macro to be applied to characters by |\dospecials| |\mathhexbox| internal \plaintex{} command |\mathpalette| define a choice of math styles based on |\mathchoice| |\mscount| internal \plaintex{} counter |\next| a scratch control sequence |\oalign| internal \plaintex{} command |\itfam| italic font family |\slfam| slanted font family |\ttfam| typewriter font family |\bffam| bold font family |\of| |\ointop| |\oalign| put characters over each other |\ooalign| put characters over each other |\pagebody| construct a vbox containing the current page |\plainoutput| \plaintex{} output routine |\preloaded| preload a font |\rootbox| *** I hope to have this all printed and ready for distribution by the first of the year. Thanks for your help, Bill Cheswick ches@research.att.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 2 Dec 89 21:01 PST From: Subject: Possible \uppercase\ss solution Keywords: LaTeX, \uppercase\ss Hubert Partl looks for a solution to the uppercase \ss problem. His original request was addressed in TeXhax #50 this year by Dan Bernstein (bernsten@phoenix.princeton.edu) who gave this answer: `` \def\gimmeans{\ss} \def\gimmeanS{SS} \def\S#1{\csname gimmean#1\endcsname} Now \S{s} will give \ss normally and SS within \uppercase. LaTeX users might have to worry about command name conflicts and about appropriate \protects.'' I don't think this has to be protected; \S is already used by LaTeX but \s is available. Using \s, strasse can be typed stra\s{s}e or stra\s se. The last just has one space moved from stra\ss e. The same solution may be applied using a non-letter like `0': \def\0{\protect\foreignlig} \def\foreignlig#1#2{\csname #1#2\endcsname} \def\SS{SS} Then strasse should be typed \stra\0sse. If it is impossible to change how \ss is typed, then parts of some LaTeX styles MUST be rewritten. I suggest this bit that should go in a style file: \def\LIGprotect{} \def\LIGupcase#1{{\let\LIGprotect=\noexpand \edef\LIGupmac{#1}\expandafter\uppercase\expandafter{\LIGupmac}}} \let\ligss\ss \def\LIGSS{SS} \let\ligoe\oe \let\LIGOE\OE etc. Then references to \uppercase in style files should be changed to \LIGupcase. (The only reference to \uppercase in LaTeX.tex applies to roman numerals and should not be changed.) The only change in article.sty would be to the mark macros, so you can leave article.sty alone and redefine the mark macros the same style file as \LIGupcase is defined. I haven't tested moving arguments, so some extra \protect s might be needed. Donald Arseneau asnd@triumfcl (.bitnet) arseneau@mtsg.ubc.ca -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 30 Nov 89 12:20:32 GMT From: Martin Ward Subject: Re: ifx problem Keywords: TeX, ifx Victor Eijkhout is trying to test strings using: \def\testsame#1$\expandafter\ifx\csname#1\endcsname\match \message$the same\else\message$not the same\fi \ifx compares the "top-level expansions" of the two control sequences, it has the side effect of \let-ing the control sequence to \relax if it was not defined initially. So if the string is NOT the same as "match", TeX compares the expansions of the macros \your-string and \match. If \your-string is not defined then it is treated as the same as \relax, and if \match is the same as \relax (eg by a previous implicit \let) then the test will succeed. His closing comment: "(note that the problem disappears if you define \match)" is therefore not true?: if you say \let\match=\relax then \testsame$X will return "the same" for ANY string X (provided \X is an undefined control sequence). Martin. My ARPANET address is: martin%EASBY.DUR.AC.UK@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU OR: martin%uk.ac.dur.easby@nfsnet-relay.ac.uk UUCP:...!mcvax!ukc!easby!martin JANET: martin@uk.ac.dur.easby BITNET: martin%dur.easby@ac.uk ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 4 Dec 89 16:59:20 GMT From: Sebastian P Q Rahtz Subject: Re: TeXhax Digest V89 #106: TeX to Ventura Keywords: TeX, Ventura > Also, is there any program out there that will take a TeX file and convert > it into a Ventura file (ie converting the standard macros to Ventura > commands)?? I have done this _ad hoc_ with a simple LaTeX file, but did not bother to formalize it. I just wrote an editor script to change things like \section{Introduction} to (blank) @section = Introduction (blank) and to change --- to <197>. Then I deleted all multiple spaces and multiple blank lines. but any question like this eventually gets bogged down into the fact that a) there are no standard TeX macros, and b) to parse TeX _properly_ you have to effectively *be* TeX. My advice is to restrict authoring to a very distinct subset of LaTeX which is easily translated. There are too many things which don't have a 1:1 correspondence. Sebastian Rahtz Southampton University ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 04 Dec 89 17:08:07 EST From: "S. Holmes [Consulting Detective]" Subject: Printer killer Keywords: printer, PostScript, TeX This may be more of a PostScript problem, but it is from a tex file so I thought I'd try this group. We have an 11 page document which just today started causing strange behavior on our LW. It prints the last 2 pages (pages are printed in reverse order) and then at the bottom of the second to last page it prints a ragged medium gray line all the way across the page. It then gets the following error from the printer: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <... several identical lines deleted> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}%%[ Error: ioerror; OffendingCommand: --nos%%[ Error: unde fined; OffendingCommand: f ]%% %%[ Flushing: rest of job (to end-of-file) will be ignored ]%% Then the printer prints the startup page (the one you get when you power the printer on) and *then* the normal lpr header page for this job! The odd thing is that this is the only job that is getting this problem. It therefore doesn't seem to be a hardware (ie. communication) problem. Please, if you have any idea what this might be let me know. Send me mail if you are interested in seeing the output of dvi2ps, or the original tex file. thanks a million. Steve. Steve Holmes purdue!sjh Systems Administrator sjh@math.purdue.edu Dept. of Mathematics (317) 494-6055 Purdue University W. Lafayette, Indiana 47907 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 04 Dec 89 23:07:07 EST From: Kannan Varadhan Subject: A set of tools for managing BibTeX bib files Keywords: BibTeX tools Hi, I have written out what I think are fairly decent and comprehensive set of tools for manipulating BibTeX style bibliographies. These are being distributed via 'comp.sources.misc'. Briefly, the tools that I have are... bibc - This is a tool for creating and appending bibliography records to a file. This program works by prompting the user for the required fields, and then writes out/appends the record in the correct format. bibv - This tool takes one or more bib files, and produces a sample file, called bibtex.tex, and a dvi version of the same, that contain an entry corresponding to every record in the files. This uses bibtex to flag duplicate entries, hence, the name BIB-Verifier. shbib - This is used to show complete entries matching a given regular expression. The syntax is somewhat similar to egrep. rmbib - This removes entries matching the given regular expression from the specified files. It is useful, in that, the delete records are written to stdout, so one can shuffle records around various bib-files. You will also find, a library of tools that I designed, for breaking up entries in set of specified bibliography files, and having each entry processed by a routine of the user's choice. Notes on these can be found in README.lib_bib. Additionally, there is a new specl.bst style file, which has the characteristic that the bibitem keys are the same as the \cite-keys that are used in the bib files. I think this is a convenient style for keeping hard copies of the bib files around, for ready reference. The manpages have more detailed information. Installation requires one to have Henry Spencer's regular expression package, and Flex. KANNAN -=- Kannan Varadhan, Ohio Supercomputer Center, Columbus, OH 43212 [(614) 292-4137] email: kannan@osc.edu | osu-cis!oscsunb!kannan ----------------------------------------------------------------------- %%% Further information about the TeXhax Digest, the TeX %%% Users Group, and the latest software versions is available %%% in every tenth issue of the TeXhax Digest. %%% %%% Concerning subscriptions, address changes, unsubscribing: %%% %%% BITNET: send a one-line mail message to LISTSERV@xxx %%% SUBSCRIBE TEX-L % to subscribe %%% or UNSUBSCRIBE TEX-L %%% %%% Internet: send a similar one line mail message to %%% TeXhax-request@cs.washington.edu %%% 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 %%% %%%\bye %%% End of TeXhax Digest ************************** -------