usenet@cps3xx.UUCP (Usenet file owner) (10/05/89)
Is there a version of LATEX that runs on a PC or clone that supports the HP LaserJet II and the Apple LaserWriter II? John Mireley MSU Chemistry Department
allred@ut-emx.UUCP (Kevin L. Allred) (10/06/89)
In article <4862@cps3xx.UUCP>, usenet@cps3xx.UUCP (Usenet file owner) writes: > > Is there a version of LATEX that runs on a PC or clone that > supports the HP LaserJet II and the Apple LaserWriter II? First of all, TeX produce DVI files ( device independent output), and since LaTeX is a TeX macro package, it is TeX that produces the output. DVI files can generally be moved from one computer system to another for output, if care is taken to preserve the binary nature of the file ( remember that is generally they can be moved ). There are a large number of DVIxxx translators available freely if you have FTP. Most of these programs are avialable in C source code form and compiled form for many different computer systems including MSDOS. The best source for the various DVI translators is anonymous FTP from science.utah.edu. DVIALW and DVIJET are probably what you are looking for. The DVIxxx translators need lots of fonts, and for 300 dpi devices they are big ( I think we have >10 MB of fonts on our system ). I believe science.utah.edu also has fonts, but they are available via anonymous FTP from many locations. Since I am not familiar with all the ins and outs of fonts or their creation using METAFONT, I suggest the interested post and inquiry on comp.text. I do know that the current preferred font file format is the .PK format. With a DVI file and all the necessary fonts, DVIALW or DVIJET will create a postscript or HP-PCL output file suitable for printing on a laserwriter or laserjet respectively. On a related note, most people don't have a laser printer hooked to their PC, and even those who do would like to preview the document on the screen before printing. DVIVGA solves this problem. DVIVGA will preview DVI files on VGA or EGA systems. DVIVGA is available via anonymous FTP from simtel20.arpa and probably many other sites. Previewing requires big calculations, so you will probably want to do it on a >16Mhz computer ( I use a 16Mhz 386sx, and a 386 specific version of DVIVGA that runs a little faster than the generic x86 version ). An x87 chip will help, but I don't have one and still find the performance acceptable. Their are commercial and freely distributable versions of TeX. I use SBTEX which is available via anonymous FTP from simtel20.arpa. A new version of SBTEX has recently become available, but I haven't tried it so I don't know what improvements it offers over the old one. SBTEX needs lots of memory. To use it you need a 640KB or more MSDOS system. When running SBTEX, minimize the number of RAM resident options. To build the LaTeX macro package you will have to obtain the necessary files. These files are: latex.tex, lplain.tex, and lfonts.tex Follow the example in the SBTEX installation that creates plain.fmt to create lplain.fmt. To use Latex then requires a command of the form: tex &lplain {YOUR FILE NAME HERE} You will need the STY files and possibly other font TFM files. -- Kevin Allred allred@emx.cc.utexas.edu allred@ut-emx.UUCP