EHLING@MITVMA.BITNET ("Teresa A. Ehling") (05/02/91)
(Apologies for the redundant posting to comp.text.tex)
An open query to TeX users:
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How do you insert figures in your book or paper prepared in TeX?
What syntax for the argument of \special does the macro package
that you use for figure insertion follow?
We would like to learn just how varied the usage of \special for
figure insertion really is. We hope a survey of this kind
will prove helpful to those involved in the development of
a standard for \special.
In your reply, as a minimum, please provide us with the following:
(a) a detailed example of the argument to \special for insertion
of a scaled figure;
(b) the name of the TeX macro package that generates this for you;
(c) the name of the DVI processor that understands this form of
\special usage.
It would be helpful if you were as specific as possible. Note, for
example, that there are at least 2 different versions of DVI2PS and
at least 2 programs called DVIPS. Similarly, it seems there are
several different macro packages called PSFIG. Please indicate the
computer platform that the DVI processor runs on.
Any references to articles (or FTP-able files) which describe
the macro package and the DVI processing program would be
particularly useful. If this is not possible, describe the
syntax for \special usage in detail.
We would also appreciate evaluations of the form, "...this way of
using \special is better than any other because it allows more flexible
clipping..." or "...this way of using \special is utterly ad hoc and
should be abolished...".
We will compile all the responses and post a summary article
later this spring.
Many thanks in advance for your effort and your contributions.
T.A. Ehling
The MIT Press
B.K.P. Horn
MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab
Reply to: ehling@mitvma.mit.edu