harv%KSUVAX1.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.EDU (06/16/87)
Does anyone know if troff output can be previewed on an AT&T 5620? I am primarily interested in previewing documents which utilize pic, eqn, and/or tbl. Does the 5620 come with such software, or does it have to be purchased separately? Thanks for any help you can offer. ______________________________________ Harvard Townsend, Systems Manager Kansas State University, Dept. of Computer Science Manhattan, KS 66506 (913)532-6350 CSNET: harv@kansas-state -or- harv%kansas-state@relay.cs.net BITNET: harv@ksuvax1.bitnet -or- harv%ksuvax1.bitnet@WISCVM.WISC.EDU UUCP: ihnp4!wnuxa!ksuvax1!harv
gwyn@brl-smoke.UUCP (06/16/87)
In article <7863@brl-adm.ARPA> harv%KSUVAX1.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.EDU (Harvard Townsend) writes: >Does anyone know if troff output can be previewed on an AT&T 5620? Yes, there is a software package (one of three for the DMD available under separate licenses from AT&T) called "5620 DMD Text & Graphics" that includes the "proof" troff postprocessor, for viewing troff output, and "cip", an interactive pic-file editor. Another, less satisfactory, way to view troff output on a DMD is by use of the "tc" troff postprocessor in a "tek4014" layer. "tek4014" is included in the basic "5620 DMD Core" host software package. (The third software package is "5620 DMD Application Development", i.e. cross-compiler etc.)
tab%cubes.UCI.EDU@ROME.UCI.EDU (Tracey Baker) (06/17/87)
Yes, there is a pregram called 'proof' that does exactly what you
want. I first saw it while at Bell Laboratories, and more recently
in AT&T's Technical Publications Dept. Since I've only seen it
inside AT&T, I don't know if it is available to the public, but I
do know that it exists. I may be able to dig up some more info on
this if you can't find it on your own, but I would suggest you talk
to your friendly neighborhood AT&T sales rep. and ask him/her about it.
---------
Tracey Baker |
Dept. of Information & Computer Science |
University of California, Irvine | ARPA:tab@ics.uci.edu
Irvine, CA 92717 | UUCP:{whatever}!ucbvax!ucivax!tab
(714) 856-4034 |
"There ain't no cure when the rabid rock dog bites..."
----------csg@pyramid.UUCP (Carl S. Gutekunst) (06/21/87)
>>Does anyone know if troff output can be previewed on an AT&T 5620? > >Yes, there is a software package called "5620 DMD Text & Graphics" that >includes the "proof" troff postprocessor, for viewing troff output, and >"cip", an interactive pic-file editor. Before you plunk down your hard-earned cash, be aware of the following: - You'll need DWB 2.0. - proof(1) does *not* understand the line drawing functions; hence it cannot display pic(1) data or cip(1) output. - cip(1) is a reasonably useful visual frontend for pic(1), however its output needs a fair amount of massaging before running through troff(1). And if you try to cip(1) a pic file that you've already cleaned up, cip(1) will destroy all your cleanup. Also, cip(1) only understands a subset of the pic(1) con- structs, so it generally cannot edit pic files that it did not create. I settled on generating my initial drawings with cip(1), and then using vi for subsequent changes. - As provided by AT&T in version 2.0, one critical font file is broken, and proof(1) regularly crashes the DMD and hoses the serial line. (On the 3B it meant running to the console to manually kill stranded processes; at least on the Pyramid it died gracefully.) We have been unable to squeeze a fixed font out of AT&T, and fixing the bugs would be a fairly significant job for which no one around here has had time. (The fact that AT&T is replacing the 5620 with a vastly better terminal has contributed to the ho-hum factor.) All in all, proof(1) and cip(1) were so irritating to use that our Tech Pubs people preferred to waste paper on the laser printer. On the other hand, we have customers who think proof(1) and cip(1) are the neatest thing since sliced bread. So, if you get a chance to try before you buy, please do. We didn't like it; maybe you will. BTW, price is $2000 for source, $200 for bin. <csg>
mrm@homxc.UUCP (M.MOROSES) (06/23/87)
In article <3179@pyramid.UUCP>, csg@pyramid.UUCP (Carl S. Gutekunst) writes: > >>Does anyone know if troff output can be previewed on an AT&T 5620? > > > >Yes, there is a software package called "5620 DMD Text & Graphics" that > >includes the "proof" troff postprocessor, for viewing troff output, and > >"cip", an interactive pic-file editor. > > Before you plunk down your hard-earned cash, be aware of the following: > > - You'll need DWB 2.0. > > - proof(1) does *not* understand the line drawing functions; hence it cannot > display pic(1) data or cip(1) output. No. I have used proof in the past, and it displays "pic" figures quite nicely. > > - cip(1) is a reasonably useful visual frontend for pic(1). . . > > - As provided by AT&T in version 2.0, one critical font file is broken, and > proof(1) regularly crashes the DMD and hoses the serial line. (On the 3B it > meant running to the console to manually kill stranded processes ... I never had any such problems. > > All in all, proof(1) and cip(1) were so irritating to use that our Tech Pubs > people preferred to waste paper on the laser printer. On the other hand, we > have customers who think proof(1) and cip(1) are the neatest thing since > sliced bread. So, if you get a chance to try before you buy, please do. We > didn't like it; maybe you will. BTW, price is $2000 for source, $200 for bin. I switched a few months ago from a 5620 to a PC. I'm *still* looking for the PC-equivalent of proof (previewing troff output) and I've yet to find anything close. I guess it depends on how close your laser printer is, and how many printer-hogs are contending for it! > > <csg> <mrm> -- Michael R. Moroses AT&T Bell Laboratories ihnp4!homxc!mrm
sft@ihlpa.UUCP (06/23/87)
In article <3179@pyramid.UUCP>, csg@pyramid.UUCP (Carl S. Gutekunst) writes: |> >>Does anyone know if troff output can be previewed on an AT&T 5620? |> > |> >Yes, there is a software package called "5620 DMD Text & Graphics" that |> >includes the "proof" troff postprocessor, for viewing troff output, and |> >"cip", an interactive pic-file editor. |> |> Before you plunk down your hard-earned cash, be aware of the following: |> |> - You'll need DWB 2.0. |> |> - proof(1) does *not* understand the line drawing functions; hence it cannot |> display pic(1) data or cip(1) output. |> Proof does infact work with pic. Pic is only a preprocessor for troff, proof only deals with troff output! Not pic. Use: pic picfile | troff | proof -- -- Scott Thompson (IHP 2A-428), AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, Il. 60566 VOICE: (312)-416-4236 UUCP: ...!ihnp4!ihlpa!sft
gwyn@brl-smoke.ARPA (Doug Gwyn ) (06/25/87)
>In article <3179@pyramid.UUCP>, csg@pyramid.UUCP (Carl S. Gutekunst) writes: > - You'll need DWB 2.0. No, TITROFF, DITROFF, and DWB 1.0 can also be used. If you're serious about UNIX "typesetting" you'll already have a version of device-independent troff anyway. Scott Thompson corrected the other major misstatement. To be sure, "proof" and especially "cip" do have some problems, but we find them very useful nevertheless.
csg@pyramid.UUCP (Carl S. Gutekunst) (07/01/87)
>> - proof(1) does *not* understand the line drawing functions; hence it cannot >> display pic(1) data or cip(1) output. > >Proof does infact work with pic. Pic is only a preprocessor for troff, >proof only deals with troff output! Not pic. I know how pic works. It uses a line drawing facility that was new in ditroff; you can't use pic with the old CAT troff, for example. My claim was that proof crashed the terminal when it saw these new line drawing functions. Either way, I was still wrong. I dunno what I was smoking last time I used proof. I brought in all the same software from my archive tape, and it displayed some very complex pic drawings flawlessly. I even used the same output files that I'd swear crashed the DMD last time. Software that improves with age? :-) Doug Gwyn also supplied me with a copy of the broken I.12 font, so now I can get some work done. But my other complaints still stand. Using cip again, I'd completely forgotten how cumbersome its user interface is. Try before you buy. And for gosh sakes do get dmd-pgmg from the UNIX Toolchest. $125 for source. The biggest bargain left in System V. (But you'll need 5620 SGS to compile it.) <csg>
ted@braggvax.arpa (07/07/87)
>From: "Carl S. Gutekunst" <csg@pyramid.uucp> > >I know how pic works. It uses a line drawing facility that was new in ditroff; >you can't use pic with the old CAT troff, for example. My claim was that proof >crashed the terminal when it saw these new line drawing functions. Actually, you can use PIC with CAT troff. In the version we got when I was at usceast, there was a flag you could throw while compiling Pic to make it use the old CAT troff dot drawing functions or some such. I don't think this was mentioned anywhere but in the code. (And the comment there was something like "They tell me backwards compatability is important"). Ted Nolan ted@braggvax.arpa