UKTeX V89 #15 Friday 21 April 1989 planets Unmoderated TeX E-mail distribution now available. METAFONT Help Re: An interesting LaTeX feature Re: Beebe's GNU Emacs macros Change file for TeX \input on a portion of a file: Tape Options Problems with ready_already planets TeX Archive do you eat TeX or does TeX eat you? A warning for TeX implementors TeX GnuTeX and Spidery Web in the archive Wayne Sullivan's CDVI TeX Previewer for the IBM PC VMS TeX 2.95 change-file, LaTeX letter.sty problem, change-bar answer. Editor Peter Abbott Yes the last issue was 14 and this is 15. Hopefully the next few issues will be correctly numbered. Changes since the last UKTeX Files created [public.texstatus]message_016.11_apr_1989 please others mentioned elsewhere in this issue. Latest TeXhax in the Archive is #23 Latest TeXmag in the Archive is V3N2 --------------------------------- Received: from caxton.ecs.soton.ac.uk by hilliard.ecs.soton.ac.uk; Thu, 13 Apr 89 09:53:51 BST From: spqr@uk.ac.soton.ecs Date: Thu, 13 Apr 89 09:56:30 BST Message-Id: <9833.8904130856@caxton.ecs.soton.ac.uk> Subject: planets The Metafont sources for a set of planetary symbols advertised on texhax have made it over here (thanks to Max Calvani, I think), and are in the archive in [PUBLIC.PLANETS]. As part of the process of reorganisation for the new archive structure, I have checked the files (they work fine, give you lovely little symbols, including male and female ones) and added: a) Unix shell scripts equivalent to the VMS .COM files supplied b) a LaTeX style option, which actually loads large versions of the symbols (astro.sty) and a LaTeX demo (demo.tex) c) a new-style 00README.TEX file; this is designed to be compatible with a LaTeX document (ie no unescaped funny characters) Sebastian Rahtz (pp archive working party) --------------------------------- Date: 13-APR-1989 18:17:50 GMT -01:00 (BST) From: CHAA006@UK.AC.RHBNC.VAXB Subject: Unmoderated TeX E-mail distribution now available. Sender: JANET"CHAA006@UK.AC.RHBNC.VAXB" Reply-to: Philip Taylor (RHBNC) Originally-to: $UK-TEX Mailer: Janet_Mailshr V3.3a (02-Feb-1989) By courtesy of Peter Abbott and the Aston University Computing Service, there is now an unmoderated TeX E-mail re-distribution facility at Aston. E-mail sent to will be re-distributed within one hour to all subscribers. If you would like to subscribe to this service, please send an e-mail note to <$TeX-Unmoderated-Request@Uk.Ac.Rhbnc.Vaxb>. Note the "$" and the "-Request". Please note that this service is intended for urgent TeX queries ("I have to get this paper out by yesterday, and I can't work out how many \expandafter s I need to reverse the expansion order of five macros ... "), not for day-to-day queries such as "Where can I get a copy of J.Bloggs DVI-to-FountainPen driver for Eunuchs ?". Philip Taylor Royal Holloway and Bedford New College. --------------------------------- From: kim@uucp.newi Date: Fri, 14 Apr 89 12:13:16 GMT Message-Id: <24487.8904141213@mupsy.psy.man.ac.uk> Subject: METAFONT Help Peter: I am experiencing some problems with PXL file creation using TeX and was wondering if you could point me in the direction of some help. I have a VMS distribution of V2.9 and a large number of PXL files left over from someone else's efforts with TeX in the past. Unfortunately, new LATEX macros (I presume) require some fonts for which I have TFM files but no PXL files. (I need these for DVI2PS.) According to my understanding of the documentation MF will output GF format fonts (given TFM input), and I can then use GFtoPXL to get PXL files. However, with the necessary fonts, such as CMBX10, MF crashes after processing "A [65]" with an internal memory exhaustion error. I apologise for sending an unsolicited query like this but I would be grateful if you could direct me to some relevant information. Or should I just go back to my Mac Plus? Kim Birkhead, S/W Unit, N.E. Wales Institute --------------------------------- Received: from UKACRL by UK.AC.RL.IB (Mailer X1.25) with BSMTP id 2542; Sat, 15 Apr 89 17:13:57 BS Received: from UICVM by UKACRL.BITNET (Mailer X1.25) with BSMTP id 4376; Sat, 15 Apr 89 17:13:57 B Received: by UICVM (Mailer R2.02) id 6886; Sat, 15 Apr 89 11:12:59 CDT Date: Sat, 15 Apr 1989 11:11:13 CDT From: Don Hosek Subject: Re: An interesting LaTeX feature Well the easiest solution is to declare that "you shouldn't be doing that [redefining \rm]". A more complicated solution would be to do something like \let\headerrm=\rm in the preamble and redefine the page footers (and headers) to use \headerrm rather than \rm. - -dh ------------------------------------------------------- Don Hosek Internet: U33297@UICVM.UIC.EDU 3916 Elmwood Bitnet: U33297@UICVM Stickney, IL 60402 DHOSEK@YMIR Work: 312-996-2981 UUNet: dhosek@jarthur.claremont.edu ------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------- Received: by vulcan. (4.0/SMI-4.0) id AA03047; Mon, 17 Apr 89 08:45:41 BST Date: Mon, 17 Apr 89 08:45:41 BST From: alien@uk.ac.essex.ese.vulcan (Adrian F. Clark) Message-Id: <8904170745.AA03047@vulcan.> Cc: info-TeX%uk.ac.aston.mail@uk.ac.essex.ese Subject: Re: Beebe's GNU Emacs macros Sender: JANET"alien@uk.ac.essex.ese" (Adrian Clark) I have a beta-test copy of these, which I am not able to distribute further. As far as I know, they've never been put on general release. But I'm quite happy to put them in the archive if someone can convince me otherwise. Adrian F. Clark JANET: alien@uk.ac.essex.ese ARPA: alien%uk.ac.essex.ese@nss.cs.ucl.ac.uk BITNET: alien%uk.ac.essex.ese@ac.uk Smail: Dept. of Electronic Systems Engineering, Essex University, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex C04 3SQ, U. K. Phone: (+44) 206-872432 (direct) "The great tragedy of Science--the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact." -- T H Huxley (1825-95) --------------------------------- Received: by vulcan. (4.0/SMI-4.0) id AA03050; Mon, 17 Apr 89 08:52:16 BST Date: Mon, 17 Apr 89 08:52:16 BST From: alien@uk.ac.essex.ese.vulcan (Adrian F. Clark) Message-Id: <8904170752.AA03050@vulcan.> Cc: info-tex%uk.ac.aston.mail@uk.ac.essex.ese Subject: Change file for TeX Sender: JANET"alien@uk.ac.essex.ese" (Adrian Clark) In UkTeX #14, Paul Allen kindly offerred to update TeX (and it's change file?). However, that is not necessary, since it's already been done. The latest TeX.WEB (edited by hand by myself, I'm afraid) and my change file for VMS are now available in the re-structured Aston archive, which should be accessible in the very near future. This supports bigger-than-average memory, editor interface and a few other knobs and whistles, as described in TUGboat a couple of years ago. Adrian F. Clark JANET: alien@uk.ac.essex.ese ARPA: alien%uk.ac.essex.ese@nss.cs.ucl.ac.uk BITNET: alien%uk.ac.essex.ese@ac.uk Smail: Dept. of Electronic Systems Engineering, Essex University, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex C04 3SQ, U. K. Phone: (+44) 206-872432 (direct) "The great tragedy of Science--the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact." -- T H Huxley (1825-95) --------------------------------- Received: from UKACRL by UK.AC.RL.IB (Mailer X1.25) with BSMTP id 2494; Mon, 17 Apr 89 22:34:02 BS Received: from UICVM by UKACRL.BITNET (Mailer X1.25) with BSMTP id 9676; Mon, 17 Apr 89 22:34:02 B Received: by UICVM (Mailer R2.02) id 3250; Mon, 17 Apr 89 16:31:50 CDT Date: Mon, 17 Apr 89 16:27:45 CDT From: Don Hosek Subject: \input on a portion of a file: Has anybody ever written a macro that would produce the equivalent of \input using a subset of lines on a file? I'd like to input TeX and verbatim input from a subset of a file and want to keep myself from re-inventing the wheel. What I have in mind is suppose I have the following input file: \today\ is an exciting day. Yes it is \TeX\ is fun. Yes it is. Typing \Verbfile[2-4] should produce Yes it is \TeX\ is fun. Yes it is. while \Input[1-3] should produce April 17 is an exciting day. Yes it is TeX is fun. Any ideas? - -dh ------------------------------------------------------------------ Don Hosek Internet: U33297@UICVM.UIC.EDU 3916 Elmwood Bitnet: U33297@UICVM.BITNET Stickney, IL 60402 DHOSEK@YMIR.BITNET Work: 312-996-2981 UUNet: dhosek@jarthur.claremont.edu JANET: U33297%UICVM.UIC.EDU@UK.AC.EARN-RELAY ------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------- Message-Id: <17455.8904181142@itspna.ed.ac.uk> Via: tardis.cs.ed.ac.uk; Tue, 18 Apr 89 11:42:33 GMT Date: Tue Apr 18 09:50:18 GMT 1989 Subject: Tape Options From: pla@uk.ac.ed.cs.tardis Can I reccommend to you the Exabyte 2.5GByte cartridge tape system which uses Video-8 cassettes and is about 7k (1/3 the price of a TU81+ and some minute fraction of DEC's latest IBM-compatible, has an auto-changer 'cos the cartridges hold so little, you have to have a HSC to drive it cartridge tape system). PS this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I can't read 6250 BPI tapes, but do have an Exabyte. More seriously, these are very popular, require minimal postage charges and incidentally are quite good for unattended backups. Paul Allen +++Editor - We have such a device and I will amend the instructions at the foot of the digest as soon as we have established type specs and costs. +++ --------------------------------- Date: Tue, 18 APR 89 12:00:44 BST From: TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS Subject: Problems with ready_already Sender: JANET"TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS" Message-Id: <00000D5E_0006E1C8.0092375A7F03DE20$11_2@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS> Originally-to: JANET%UK.AC.ED.CS::UK.AC.ED.CS.TARDIS::PLA Originally-from:TEX "RMCS TeX Account" Mailer: Janet_Mailshr V3.2 (27-Oct-1988) Paul, In UKTeX 89 #14 you mention in passing that the VMS linker doesn't allow you to link debug versions when compiler warnings remain, the compiler warning in this case coming from ready_already being used before having a value assigned to it. This, of course, didn't use to happen with less sophisticated versions of DEC's Pascal compiler (I think it first happened with their V3.5, but wouldn't swear to it). The fix is easy, and I first saw it in much earlier change files (MF V1.0 and TeX V2.90, I think). Change the declaration of ready_already to read: ready_already : [VAX_static] integer := 0; {a sacrifice of purity ... The compiler warning then disappears. I don't know who found this trick, but it's certainly been a life-saver: we couldn't possibly have got our LSE-integrated TeX working without being able to use the VAX debugger! (We too had troubles with limited file name sizes in that!) Brian {Hamilton Kelly} .-------------------------------------------------------------------------. | JANET: tex@uk.ac.cranfield.rmcs | | BITNET: tex%uk.ac.cranfield.rmcs@ac.uk | | INTERNET: tex%uk.ac.cranfield.rmcs@nss.cs.ucl.ac.uk | | Smail: School of Electrical Engineering & Science, Royal Military | | College of Science, Shrivenham, SWINDON SN6 8LA, U.K. | | Phone: Swindon (0793) 785252 (UK), +44-793-785252 (International) | `-------------------------------------------------------------------------' P.S. BITNET Users: Please note that our site has had difficulty in receiving mail directly from the UK BITNET gateway. If you suspect that your messages aren't getting through, you could try: tex%rmcs%uk.ac.cranfield.cdvc@ac.uk --------------------------------- From: Sebastian Rahtz Date: Tue, 18 Apr 89 18:05:10 BST Message-Id: <1456.8904181705@hilliard.ecs.soton.ac.uk> Subject: planets Somehow, the copy of `symbols.mf' in the PLANETS directory has got corrupt. It is now correct, but those who have already copied it should edit line 222 so that the first character is `x' not `c' mysterious little creatures, computers, aren't they? Sebastian Rahtz --------------------------------- Date: Mon, 10 Apr 89 10:21:06 BST From: Jerry.Hagon @ uk.ac.newcastle Subject: TeX Archive Dear Sir, is there an easy way to get a full description of the files available on your TeX archive? Although I've managed to get some file listings via the TeX server, what I would appreciate is a list of all files available with a small note describing the contents of each of them - i.e. a general index. many thanks, J.P.Hagon (Jerry.Hagon@uk.ac.newcastle) +++ Editor - we're re-organising the archive's structure to make it more logical, and documenting it at the same time. This process will make available just what your are suggesting. +++ --------------------------------- Received: from caxton.ecs.soton.ac.uk by hilliard.ecs.soton.ac.uk; Tue, 18 Apr 89 21:03:03 BST From: spqr@uk.ac.soton.ecs Date: Tue, 18 Apr 89 21:05:51 BST Message-Id: <604.8904182005@caxton.ecs.soton.ac.uk> Cc: morgan@edu.uci.ics.ruby-falls Subject: do you eat TeX or does TeX eat you? A while back I gave a couple of caveats on UKTeX about the behaviour of my local TeX; as expected, the 2.98 upgrade solves an end of file on terminal bug which Knuth introduced in 2.95, but I still have to report that if you are in my situation: on a Sun 3 running OS 3.5 using web2c (version c. 2.25) and Gnu C (version 1.32) you will get a brain-damaged TeX unless you a) turn off optimization and b) don't use the REGISTER define in site.h. Its not obvious, but if you do Huge braces around arrays (ie 8 lines deep), they are not the right size. No doubt there are reasons for this! If anyone feels like trying out the following on their LaTeX, see if the delimiters stretch the full height of the arrays. No, I didn't write it! Sebastian Rahtz \documentstyle{article} \begin{document} \[ \left[ \begin{array}{cccccccccc} 1\\ &1\\ &&.\\ &&&.\\ &&&&.\\ &&&&&c_i & -s_i\\ &&&&&s_i & c_i \\ &&&&&&&.\\ &&&&&&&&.\\ &&&&&&&&&1 \end{array} \right] \] where \[ c_i^2 + s_i^2 = 1 \] The matrix $R_k$ has the form \[ \left[ \begin{array}{ccccccccc} r_0 & w_1 & z_2\\ &r_1 & w_2 & z_3\\ &&.&.&.\\ &&&.&.&.\\ &&&&&&.&.& z_{n-1}\\ &&&&&&&.&w_{n-1}\\ &&&&&&&&r_{n-1} \end{array} \right] \] \[ \begin{array}{l} p_0: = d_0^{(k)}-\sigma_k,\; c_0 :=1, \; s_0 := 0 \\ \left. \begin{array}{l} r_{i-1}: = (p_{i-1}^2 + (e_i^{(k)})^2)^{\frac{1}{2}} \\ g_{i-1}: = c_{i-1}.e_i^{(k)} \\ h_{i-1}: = c_{i-1}.p_{i-1} \\ e_{i-1}^{(k+1)}: = s_{i-1}.r_{i-1} \\ c_i: = p_{i-1}/r_{i-1} \\ s_i: = e_i^{(k)}/r_{i-1} \\ p_i: = c_i.(d_i^{(k)}-\sigma_k)-s_i.g_{i-1} \\ d_{i-1}^{(k+1)}: = h_{i-1}+s_i.(c_ig_{i-1}+s_i(d_i^{(k)}-\sigma_k)) \end{array} \right\} \\ e_{n-1}^{(k+1)}:= s_{n-2}.p_{n-2}, \; d{n-1}^{(k+1)}:=c_{n-2}.p_{n-2} \end{array} \] \end{document} --------------------------------- Date: Tue, 18 Apr 89 21:11:07 BST From: Chris Thompson Subject: A warning for TeX implementors Message-ID: If there are other implementors who use |selector=new_string|, or otherwise build a string in |str_pool|, as part of an implementation of the 'E' response to an error prompt: don't assume that the current string is initially empty (I did). If the error occurs while reading a `file name', it won't be: e.g. \input wombat\foobar % \foobar undefined (Compare official fixes #339 and #342.) Chris Thompson JANET: cet1@uk.ac.cam.phx ARPA: cet1%phx.cam.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk --------------------------------- Date: 19 Apr 89 10:43:02 bst From: R.J.Hare @ uk.ac.edinburgh Subject: TeX Message-ID: <19 Apr 89 10:43:02 bst 340289@EMAS-A> Hi. Jon Radel tells me that he thinks that Aston are/were thinking about the possibility of making TeX systems for PCs available on floppy discs. Is this true? Thanks. Roger Hare. +++Editor - Yes we are putting the mechanism in place but are not quite ready to offer the service. We hope to start in June +++ --------------------------------- Received: from caxton.ecs.soton.ac.uk by hilliard.ecs.soton.ac.uk; Wed, 19 Apr 89 13:47:08 BST From: spqr@uk.ac.soton.ecs Date: Wed, 19 Apr 89 13:49:58 BST Message-Id: <11518.8904191249@caxton.ecs.soton.ac.uk> Subject: GnuTeX and Spidery Web in the archive Cc: archivegroup@uk.ac.aston Two new additions have been made to the archive, GnuTeX and Spider Web. They are in [PUBLIC.SPIDERWEB] and [PUBLIC.GNUTEX] A. Spider Web was discussed on texhax recently; it attempts to take a language description and build versions of `weave' and `tangle' for them. Not something for the average TeX punter, but well worth a look if you like Knuth's system of documenting his software B. Gnutex IS NOT the Gnu project's TeX! It is an interactive plotting program which, as well as obvious output like T4010 for your screen (and PC Kermit), can generate LaTeX `picture' code, or Fig code. So if this kind of thing turns you on, plot [-3.14:3.14] sin(x) but you want to include the output easily in your TeX document, this is the thing for you! A very pleasant to use tool. Sebastian Rahtz 19/4/89 (on behalf of Aston Archive working party) --------------------------------- Date: Thu, 20 APR 89 12:11:37 BST From: TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS Subject: Wayne Sullivan's CDVI TeX Previewer for the IBM PC Sender: JANET"TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS" Message-Id: <00000B4D_00146338.009238EE58AA8D60$18_1@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS> Originally-to: UKTEX Originally-from:TEX "RMCS TeX Account" Mailer: Janet_Mailshr V3.2 (27-Oct-1988) Wayne Sullivan kindly sent me version 1.2 of his CDVI TeX previewer for the IBM PC. CDVI is unlike most other previewers that I have used in that: o it is VERY fast - this actually encourages people to preview on the screen rather than on paper. o the font definitions are built in to the program so there's no need to take up several Megabytes of your IBM PC's disk space with fonts. In addition, a wide variety of display adapters are supported, including CGA, EGA, VGA and Hercules. CDVI 1.2 has only the "standard" TeX/LaTeX fonts built in, so if you use exotic fonts (e.g. PostScript, Euler), version 1.2 won't cope. Version 2.0, however appears to address most of the limitations of 1.2 with flexible font substitution. CDVI 2.0 is not in the public domain, but is available for a very modest price. CDVI v1.2 is now available in the Aston arhive. The ARC encoded file is: [PUBLIC.IBMPC.PREVIEW]CVDI12.ARC The file was ARCed with PKPAK v3.61 - you'll need PKUNPAK to unARC the file. Both programs are available from the University of Lancaster UK Public Domain software archive. If you're on the lookout for a TeX previewer to use on your IBM PC, I recommend that you give CDVI a try. Niel Kempson .-------------------------------------------------------------------------. | JANET: tex@uk.ac.cranfield.rmcs | | BITNET: tex%uk.ac.cranfield.rmcs@ac.uk | | INTERNET: tex%uk.ac.cranfield.rmcs@nss.cs.ucl.ac.uk | | Smail: School of Electrical Engineering & Science, Royal Military | | College of Science, Shrivenham, SWINDON SN6 8LA, U.K. | | Phone: Swindon (0793) 785687 (UK), +44-793-785687 (International) | `-------------------------------------------------------------------------' --------------------------------- Message-Id: <955.8904201436@itspna.ed.ac.uk> Via: tardis.cs.ed.ac.uk; Thu, 20 Apr 89 14:36:11 GMT Date: Thu Apr 20 13:35:58 GMT 1989 Subject: VMS TeX 2.95 change-file, LaTeX letter.sty problem, change-bar answer. From: pla@uk.ac.ed.cs.tardis First, my thanks to Don Hosek (G'day) who sent me the latest VMS change file for GFTOPK - seems to work O.K. If Don sent you a copy Peter, the phantom of the operating system in one of the intermediate machines converted caret to tilde, if he didn't, then let me know. +++Editor - Basically I don't know but I am sure one of the archivists will be able to supply the answer +++ I decided to try updating to TeX 2.95 since Peter Ilieve had sent me a copy (I still haven't sent the tape back yet - sorry), TeX 2.98(+?) can wait till I've worked up the courage to face editing in the changed bits. There was a conflict with the (Fuchs) change file to do with so I tossed a coin, made a guess and seem to have got away with it - but if anyone knows the real answer, it would be nice to know. I also updated LaTeX to the Aug 88 version (how many of you changed the definition of arrowvert in lplain.tex as well as plain.tex?) and found a bug in letter.sty which seems to occur because of a Jan 87 change. Because a parbox now sets \parskip to 0pt, the 6\parskip vertical spacing which \closing puts between its argument and the signature is no longer 4.2em but nil points as they say in the Eurovision Song Contest (for those who didn't know, \closing is really a parbox). I suspect this has long since been found and corrected, and was going to pull letter.sty from the archive on the off-chance, but in my last directory list (some months old) there is no sign of either it or any of the other standard styles. Finally an answer for Don Ward who wanted change bars, see TeXHaX 88.111 to see how to do it with LN03 \specials, and TeXHaX 89.04 for the same thing with Postscript \specials. PS, as I set out to send this, I found messages from Brian and Niel at RMCS who said they'd had problems with other TeXware regarding short filenames and the ready_already warning preventing linking /DEBUG under VMS (I took the IF ready_already out, they set ready_already to 0). I can't reply to them direct because tardis doesn't seem to be on speaking terms with them, whilst it took them a couple of attempts to send anything to me. I'm sorry lads, looks like the dimensionaliser is on the blink again. +-------------------------------+ | Paul L. Allen | Disclaimer: The opinions presented here | Ferranti Defence Systems Ltd | are my own and are not necessarily | T.E.G. Lab, | those of Ferranti International Signal | Robertson Ave | | Edinburgh EH11 1PX | `Coito ergo sum' | Tel. 031 337 2442 Ext. 3246 | -Don Juan +-------------------------------+ --------------------------------- !! !! Files of interest !! [public]000aston.readme [public]000directory.list !! [public]000directory_dates.list [public]000directory.size !! [public]000last30days.files !! !! Editor - I have a tape labelled TeX 2.95 LaTeX 2.09 Metafont 1.7 !! Unix 4.2/3BSD & System V. Tar 1600 bpi blocked 20 1 file dated !! 30 January 1989 (from washington.edu). !! !! FTP access site uk.ac.aston.tex !! username public !! password public !! !! I have the facility to copy this tape for anyone who sends the following !! 1 2400 tape with return labels AND RETURN postage. (2.50 pounds sterling !! for UK users, payable to `Aston University') Outside UK please ask me. !! UK users send 4.25 for two tapes or 6.60 for three tapes. !! Send to !! !! P Abbott !! Computing Service !! Aston University !! Aston Triangle !! Birmingham B4 7ET !! !! A VMS backup of the archive requires 2 (two ) 2400' tapes at 6250bpi. !! Remaining details as above. !! !! Exabyte tape drive with Video 8 cassettes. !! !! Same formats available as 1/2in tapes. We use the following tapes !! SONY Video 8 cassette P5 90MP, MAXCELL Video 8 cassette P5-90 !! TDK Video 8 cassette P5-90MPB !! Postage 35p UK (stamp please), 1 pound sterling Europe, other areas 2 pounds !! !! Replies/submissions to info-tex@uk.ac.aston please !! distribution changes to info-tex-request@uk.ac.aston please !! !! end of issue