[comp.text] TeXhax Digest V89 #112

TeXhax@cs.washington.edu (TeXhax Digest) (12/27/89)

TeXhax Digest   Monday, December 25, 1989  Volume 89 : Issue 112

Moderators: Tiina Modisett and Pierre MacKay

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Today's Topics:         

                  ***TUG '90 Call for Papers in Texas***
                         HP PaintJet driver wanted
                           Placing text on a page
                        Converting WordPerfect to TeX 
                         PC TeX -- Epson driver fonts
                              Textronix previewer
                            Double Spacing Problem!
               2nd official beta version of MC-TeX available
            RE: Tex Fonts for the Sanskrit Alphabet (Devanagari).
                              TeX, diagonal arrows
                          Exercise 11.5 of the TeXbook
                            Float Placement in LaTeX

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Date: Fri, 1 Dec 89 16:18:38 EST
From: crm@gumbo.nbsr.duke.edu (Charles R. Martin)
Subject: ***TUG '90 Call for Papers in Texas***
Keywords: TUG 90, call for papers

Here is an abstract for the TUG meeting.  It should plain tex okay

% -*-TeX-*-
\font\bigrm=cmr17
\font\sc=cmcsc10
\font\rm=cmr12
\font\sl=cmsl12
\def\LaTeX{{\rm L\kern-.36em\raise.3ex\hbox{\sc a}\kern-.15em
    T\kern-.1667em\lower.7ex\hbox{E}\kern-.125emX}}
\baselineskip=18pt
\parindent=0pt
\rm

\begingroup\obeylines
{\bigrm \TeX\ for \TeX nical Typists}
\vglue1in

Charles R. Martin
NBSR Box 3709
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710 USA
(919) 383--2256
\endgroup

\parskip=10pt plus 1pt minus 1pt
\vglue0.5in

Many \TeX\ users are not programmers or mathematicians but technical
typists, skilled craftspeople who are the ``tool and die makers'' of the
secretarial trade.  Technical typists are already expert in document
preparation using older methods; they often have a sense of style and
have developed taste in the use of typography that scientists and
programmers lack.  However, the existing \TeX\ texts are directed to
these scientists and programmers; most technical typists (and many other
users!) find them intimidating and cryptic.

{\sl \TeX\ for \TeX nical Typists\/} is an introductory \TeX\ course
designed for technical typists.

The course is structured around a series of {\sl units\/}; each unit
introduces a few concepts, and leads to a completed small document.
Students see visible results starting with the first unit; a short
concept-use cycle leads to quick reinforcement of concepts and rapid
progress.  ``What if\dots'' questions encourage the students to think
about the concepts rather than rote memorization; this leads them into
an experimental approach to solve \TeX\ problems.

{\sl \TeX\ for \TeX nical Typists\/}, and its analogous course targeted
to \LaTeX, have been taught at a number of scientific institutions; it
appears to be an effective way to teach technical typists to create
attractive documents using \TeX.

\bye

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Date: Fri, 01 Dec 89 09:19:22 MEZ
From: ZZKNAUF%DHVRRZN1.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
Subject: HP PaintJet driver wanted
Keywords: HP PaintJet, driver

We have a HP PaintJet printer (note: PaintJet, not DeskJet),
this is a colour ink jet printer with 180 dpi resolution.
Does anybody know about a TeX driver running at a PC?

Gerd-H. Knauf
RRZN /Universitaet Hannover
Schlosswender Str. 5
D-3000 Hannover 1
Tel. ++49 511 7625134
Email: ZZKNAUF    DHVRRZN1.bitnet

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Date: Thu, 30 Nov 89 14:00:51 EDT
From: Xev Gittler <xg00@gte.com>
Subject: Placing text on a page
Keywords: TeX, text, point

Can someone tell me if there is a way to tell TeX to put some text at
a particular point on the page? For instance, if I wanted to put a
string 2 inches from the left and 3 inches down, regardless of what
else happened to be at that point, is there a way that I can do that?
					Xev Gittler
					xg00@gte.com, or
					xg00%gte.com@relay.cs.net

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1989 0:13:20 EST
From: Tom Limoncelli <limonce@pilot.njin.net>
Subject: Converting WordPerfect to TeX 
Keywords: TeX, WordPerfect

I'm looking for software that converts WordPerfect (4.2 or 5.0) files
into TeX.  A minimal program would be fine.  Not all features have to
be converted (though if it generates LaTeX constructs for footnotes,
I'll be forever grateful!)

I am also looking for a program that would convert ASCII files to
TeX.  That is, a filter that would convert "%" to "\%", etc.

Hopefully, the program is for the Amiga, IBM, VAX/VMS, or Unix,
otherwise I'm willing to port source code.

Any help would be appreciated.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 1 Dec 89 17:34:17 PST
From: c60c-4bt@WEB.berkeley.edu (Mani Varadarajan)
Subject: PC TeX -- Epson driver fonts
Keyowrds: dviware

Hi:
	I downloaded the DVI printer driver for my EPSON FX-80+ that I
have at home. Unfortunately, it doesn't work (obviously) without the
proper printer DVI font files. How do I get these? Is there an ftp site
from which I can dowload these files? Will any *.pk file do? I am really
new to this subject, so if you can help me, I would greatly appreciate
it. 

mani@ocf.berkeley.edu
Mani Varadarajan

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:    Thu, 30 Nov 89 14:23:52 GMT
From: Ivan Fabian <IGBF%IB.RL.AC.UK@UWAVM.ACS.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject: Textronix previewer
Keywords: previewer

I  am  trying to find a Tektronix 4010 or 4014 DVI file previewer
that will run under CMS on an IBM3090.  I've had a  look  in  the
TeX  archive at Aston but didn't find anything.  I am prepared to
modify something that works on another system as long  as  it  is
written  in C, PASCAL, or FORTRAN, and won't take more than a few
days work.  Anyone who has heard of such a previewer or  who  has
one please send it or let me know how to get hold of it.

Thanks in advance
Ivan Fabian    (BITNET:   IGBF@UKACRL)
User Support

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri Dec  1 15:28:11 1989  CST
From: "Dale Anderson" <ANDERSON%UREGINA1@UWAVM.ACS.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject: Double Spacing Problem!
Keyowrds: LaTeX, double spacing

Could someone tell me how to change from double spacing to single spacing to
double spacing in a latex document.  For example:

documentstyle{article}
renewcommand{baselineskip}{2}
begin{document}
The following paragraphs should be double spaced.
renewcommand{baselinestretch}{1}       % set single spacing
The following paragraphs should be single spaced.
renewcommand{baselinestretch{2}        % set double spacing
The following paragraphs should be double spaced.
end{document}

The first renewcommand works and changes the document to double spacing but
the following renewcommands do not work.  What command do I use to change
from double spacing to single spacing in the middle of the document?   Then
what is the command to change back from single spacing to double spacing?

Could people with answers please reply directly to me with the answer.

                                             Dale Anderson
                                             Computing Services
                                             University of Regina

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Date: Fri, 1 Dec 89 03:07:52 -0500
From: chris@cs.UMD.EDU (Chris Torek)
Subject: 2nd official beta version of MC-TeX available
Keyowrds: MC-TeX

After a long delay, the second official beta release of MC-TeX is out.
All reported bugs have been fixed (I hope...).  Here is a summary of
the changes since the original release.  (Note that there was a
`version 2' I made up some time ago, then immediately renamed as `1.1'
as a new set of bug reports rolled in.  The current version is named
by date.)

  - Various minor typographic and factual errors in the documentation
    have been fixed.  The installation documentation has been revised
    and extended, including details on optimising fontdesc files.

  - Font description files may refer to user environment variables.

  - GF and box fonts work.

  - The library contains new \special decoding routines (designed to
    work with tpic; the tpic support is not yet in, however).

  - Many changes to the PostScript driver:
     . new \special handling, compatible with many dvi2ps variants
     . minor changes to internal file-finding code, should make configuration
       easier
     . PostScript fonts now work
     . fonts may contain up to 256 characters
     . the PostScript output is more compact (using an idea stolen from
       Tom Rokicki) and is a little bit easier on printer VM
     . should work with 2-up wrappers (this is untested)

  - Some TFM and LaTeX style files for using PostScript fonts on the
    Apple LaserWriter (and any compatible printers) are now provided.
    Since the Adobe metrics are (apparently) not constrained to be the
    same on any two different PostScript printers, whether these will
    work for others is uncertain.

Texx2 and texsun *still* have not been integrated with the system.  (If
anyone wants to do this for me. . . .)

The new distribution is in the same directory as the previous one, but
is now named by its date:

    % ftp mimsy.umd.edu
    Connected to mimsy.umd.edu.
    220 mimsy.umd.edu FTP server ... ready.
    Name (mimsy:chris): anonymous
    331 Guest login ok, send ident as password.
    Password: user@host
    230 Guest login ok, access restrictions apply.
    ftp> binary
    200 Type set to I.
    ftp> get tex/mctex.beta.1dec89.Z mctex.beta.1dec89.Z
    200 PORT command successful.
    150 Opening data connection for ... (453131 bytes).

Please limit FTP access to non-working hours if possible.  (We are on EST,
hence after 3 PM in California is no longer working hours here....)
 -- 
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci Dept (+1 301 454 7163)
Domain:	chris@cs.umd.edu	Path:	uunet!mimsy!chris

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 1 Dec 89 10:08:00 EDT
From: "DARREN STALDER" <dstalder@gmuvax.gmu.edu>
Subject: RE: Tex Fonts for the Sanskrit Alphabet (Devanagari).
Keywords: fonts, TeX, Sanscrit

This is the information that I could find on Devaganari.  It is from TeXFont.
memo that should be available from stanford.  That memo also talks about 
source for a devaganari metafont set that is unfortunately in old metafont.  
The memo says it is available from Pierre McKay for the asking.  See the memo 
for more details.  

                  Torin/Darren Stalder/Wolf
  Carpe		Internet: dstalder@gmuvax.gmu.edu
    Diem!	Bitnet:   dstalder@gmuvax
                ATTnet:   1-703-883-5747
        	Snail:    1350 Beverly Rd., Suite 115-323/McLean, VA 22101/USA
DISCLAIMER: A society where such disclaimers are needed is saddening.

Here is the extract:
Date of information: 25 December 1987

The font:
   In  November  1987,  Frans  Velthuis  completed  version  1.0  of a
   Devanagari METAfont for TeX.  He has written METAFONT code for  all
   the aksharas necessary  for Hindi, and  most of those  for Sanskrit
   too, although  in the  latter case  some viramas  are used.   Frans
   intends to produce  a special Sanskrit  version of his  font in the
   future.    Also  included  are  the  Devanagari numerals, anusvara,
   virama,  danda,  candrabindu,  visarga,  avagraha,  full  stop  and
   superscript abbreviation circle.

Usage:
   You prepare  your TeX  or LaTeX  file normally,  and mark any Hindi
   portions,  typed  a  simple  Roman  transliteration,  with the font
   marker {\dn ... }.   At the top of the  TeX file you \input a  file
   called DNMACS; in  LaTeX, a DEV.STY  file is provided  which inputs
   the necessary macros, and  automatically makes necessary font  size
   changes.  Frans provides a preprocessor, DEVNAG, written in  Pascal
   (source  not  available),  which  reads  your file and converts the
   Hindi transliteration into the appropriate codes for Frans's  font.
   The converted file is then processed by TeX or LaTeX in the  normal
   way, and the resulting .DVI file can be printed on using a standard
   DVI output program.  The portions of Hindi text originally in Roman
   transliteration will  be printed  in Devanagari,  with full  use of
   conjunct consonants (sandhyaksharas), etc.

Quality:
   The  quality  of  the  fonts  is  excellent, with full calligraphic
   moulding of the curves and loops, like some of the best handwriting
   of manuscript scribes using a broad nib.

Terms of Availability:
   Frans will  sell a  set of  four or  five sizes  of the  Devanagari
   fonts,  at  the  printer  resolution  you specify (Epson type 9-pin
   matrix,  24  pin  matrix  (180*180,  360*360, 180*360), write-white
   laser,  or  write-black  laser),  together  with  the compiled code
   (specify VAX/VMS, SUN, Cyber, IBM/PC, Atari ST) of DEVNAG, his text
   preprocessor, for  $119. The  METAFONT source  programs are  not at
   present being made generally available.

Contact:
   Frans J. Velthuis
   Postal address: Nyensteinheerd 267,
                   The Netherlands
   Bitnet:         Velthuis@HGRRUG5.Bitnet

Other comments:
   A note about Velthuis's  Devanagari font appeared in  TeXhax, 1987,
   issue 93.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 1 Dec 89 22:27:00 EST
From: Allan Adler <ara@lom1.math.yale.edu>
Subject: TeX, diagonal arrows
Keywords: TeX, diagonal arrows

I am trying to typeset a complicated diagram by imitating Exercise 18.46
of the TeXBook. I can get TeX to print all of the arrows I want for this
one, even the diagonal arrows. It will even indicate the names of the maps
which correspond to the arrows. However, in the case of the diagonal arrows,
the maps will only appear at the ends of the arrows and exactly where depends
on the direction of the arrow. But I don't see what I have to do to get
the map to appear at the middle of the arrow. Furthermore, in the case
of arrows which are slanted like this \ , the map will only appear above
the arrow. How can I make it appear below the arrow ?

Any suggestions are welcome.

Allan Adler
ara@lom1.math.yale.edu

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 1 Dec 89 23:26:23 EST
From: Allan Adler <ara@lom1.math.yale.edu>
Subject: Exercise 11.5 of the TeXbook
Keywords: TeX, math mode

I typed in the solution to exercise 11.5 of the TeXbook and tried it
out on a math symbol, namely: \demobox\times

Tex complained  bitterly about needing a $ (maybe it expected to be bribed),
but when I enclosed \times in $'s, it complained about having too many
$'s. I enclose the log file. If anyone can tell me what is wrong I would like
to know.

Allan Adler
ara@lom1.math.yale.edu

%========================================================================
This is TeX, Version 2.0 for Berkeley UNIX (preloaded format=plain 87.9.22)  1 DEC 1989 23:17
**display_macros 
(display_macros.tex
! Missing $ inserted.
<inserted text> 
                $
<to be read again> 
                   \next 
\\...space \next \^^M\else \setbox 0=\hbox {\next 
                                                  }\maketypebox \fi 
\dodolist ...t \endlist \let \next \relax \else \\
                                                  \let \next \dolist \fi \next 

\demobox #1->\setbox 0=\hbox {\dolist #1
                                        \endlist }\copy 0\kern -\wd 0\makeli...
l.36 $\demobox {\times}
                       $
? h
I've inserted a begin-math/end-math symbol since I think
you left one out. Proceed, with fingers crossed.

? x
No pages of output.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 2 Dec 89 15:37 EST
From: Henning Schulzrinne <HGSCHULZ@cs.umass.EDU>
Subject: Float Placement in LaTeX
Keywords: LaTeX, float placement

I am puzzled by LaTeX' (24 May 89) reluctance of generating float pages
(and the resultant out-of-memory errors). I have the following input
file: 

\clearpage % make sure we are not waiting for text page to fill
\begin{table}[htpb]
    ... a table about 6 in. long
\end{table}
\begin{table}[htpb]
    ... another table about 6 in. long
\end{table}
\begin{table}[htpb]
    ... yet another table about 3 in. long
\end{table}

and so on. After the second table and using the rule [p. 176 in the
manual] to print "at the earliest place", LaTeX should realize that
there is nothing else that can fit on the page and ship out a float
page. Given the length of the table, \floatpagefraction (0.5) is
certainly satisfied. Instead, it keeps on accumulating tables until the
end of the chapter or until memory runs out, whichever comes first
(usually the latter). Tweaking \floatpagefraction, \topfraction or
\textfraction does not seem to help, neither does replacing [htpb] by
[p], [t] or by the default. I know about \clearpage, but would like to
avoid having to measure each table by hand and decide if one, two or
more will fit on a page. 

Any explanation and/or remedy is sincerely appreciated.

Henning Schulzrinne  (HGSCHULZ@CS.UMASS.EDU)
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003 - USA === phone: (413) 545-3179 (EST); FAX: (413) 545-0724

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