UKTeX Digest Friday, 30 Oct 1992 Volume 92 : Issue 40 ``The UKTeX Digest is brought to you as a free, unfunded and voluntary service of the UK TeX Users Group and the UK TeX Archive.'' Today's Topics: {Q&A}: OS-specific TeX problems DOS spell checker DVI driver for Interpress (Xerox 4090 or 9790)? VMS TeX distribution RE: VMS TeX distribution emTeX/dvips memory overflows. RE: emTeX/dvips memory overflows. Re: emTeX/dvips memory overflows. {Archive News}: !! change in structure of uk.ac.tex archive!!! Another Reorganization of uk.ac.tex picinpar - text flowing around figures wrtfile - write text files from TeX directtex (Mac) in uk tex archive Re: directtex (Mac) in uk tex archive revised WASY font updates to uk tex archive mathtime fonts - support for LaTeX, NFSS etc piechart for LaTeX using pstricks package edmac 3.0 in uk tex archive lollipop format in uk tex archive sbtex and sbmf updated in uk tex archive {Announcements}: LaTeX correction sheets Text/Mail merges Answers to problems in LaTeX Administrivia: Moderators: Peter Abbott (Aston University) and David Osborne (University of Nottingham) Contributions: UKTeX@uk.ac.tex Administration, subscription and unsubscription requests: UKTeX-request@uk.ac.tex ------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Oct 92 15:53:15 +0000 From: Sam Nelson Subject: OS-specific TeX problems My previous message (about HP-UX 8.07 and TeX 3.14) was forwarded to the main list, so the outcome should really appear here as well. As a result of some investigation and help from Karl Berry, I got hold of `web-5.851c.tar.Z' and `web2c-5.851c.tar.Z' from `ftp.cs.umb.edu' (also available, I later discovered from `ftp.tex.ac.uk') and the `readdir/stat' problem is sidestepped completely by this newer version. I still think there's a filesystem semantics problem in HP-UX 8.07's `readdir(3C)' library function---anyone of an OS-philosophical bent care to take me up on it? The upshot of all this is that it pays to check that you've got the latest version. If I'd had a decent bandwidth JIPS connection (coming Real Soon Now!) I would've found the later version for myself and never seen the problem. Sam. Sam Nelson, Computer Officer, Dept of Computing Science, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Oct 92 15:49:58 +0700 From: R.A.Reese"R.A.Reese" Subject: DOS spell checker There is a spell checker for DOS now available in the Public Domain. I've (got my local network guru to) fetched the file. When unpacked you get an excellent spell-checker and a large dictionary that you can manipulate. I've been in touch with the author to suggest a few extensions (I'll allow them the pseudonym "improvements"). The dictionary is US, so I'm currently working on it to correct the mistakes (who cares about majority usage?) and to ensure it's got as many difficult spellings as possible. One interesting question - how many words should a dictionary contain? For example, this spell-checker knows australia and australis - would it be better to delete australis on the grounds that it is more likely to be a mistyping of australia except in a technical article on early hominids? Each user can, of course, have a personal supllementary dictionary. Second question - does anyone else want to help proof-read the word list? I've printed it in 4-column format, 9pt on 10.5 and it's 119 pages. Forwarded message: > X-ListName: TeX-Related Network Discussion List > From: Sunando Sen > > mfreid@hkuxa.hku.hk wrote: > > > I've used ispell on Unix systems, and it seems to be by far the nicest > > way to spell-check TeX documents, since it recognized they TeX/LaTeX > > contructs. However, I can't find any PC (DOS) versions on the net (I > > did find some amiga versions using Archie :-) > > Does anyone know of a DOS port? > > There is an ispell for OS/2 2.0, but none for DOS yet. However, there is > a DOS spell checker called AMSPELL, which works with TeX/LaTeX files. It > is available at any SIMTEL mirror, e.g., wuarchive.wustl.edu, in the > directory msdos/txtutl/amspel20.zip. > > Sincerely, > > Sunando Sen > sens@fasecon.econ.nyu.edu (R.) Allan Reese Janet: r.a.reese@uk.ac.hull Head of Applications Direct voice: +44 482 465296 Computer Centre Voice messages: +44 482 465685 Hull University Fax: +44 482 466441 Hull HU6 7RX, U.K. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Oct 92 14:38:51 +0000 From: Peter Ilieve Subject: DVI driver for Interpress (Xerox 4090 or 9790)? It may be convenient for us to use either a Xerox 4090 or 9790 printing system to print our TeX stuff. Is there a recommended driver for these things? As far as I can see they speak Interpress, about which I know nothing. I had a look through the Aston directory.list file but could not see anything obvious. Tghanks in advance, Peter Ilieve peter@memex.co.uk ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Oct 92 11:00:00 +0000 From: Ian Ellery Subject: VMS TeX distribution We have a very old version of TeX/LaTeX running on a VAX/VMS cluster (which I did not install), and which really should be replaced. Is there an equivalent tape to the 'Washington Unix tape' available which I can unload, change a few site specifics and type 'make' (or whatever the VMS equivalent might be) and it all happens? As you might guess I am not a VMS person. The only tapes mentioned at the end of UkTeX are one containing TeX 2.99 - - or a copy of the entire archive. The first is out of date and the second seems over the top: I have a working (and fairly recent) dvips and pk fonts so all I need is the core TeX/LaTeX distribution. I realise I could ftp it all from the Archive - but JIPS is suffering enough as it is, and I would have to make sure I had remembered everything. This seems like it ought to be a FAQ, but checking the FAQ list gave no suggestions for VMS that I could see. What have people who have recently installed TeX on VMS systems done? Or is everyone moving to Unix systems and so not upgrading their old Vaxes? thanks for any help Ian Ellery Ian Ellery, +-> Communications Specialist email i.ellery@uk.ac.uea | Computer Centre, (i.ellery@uea.ac.uk) | University of East Anglia phone 0603 592392 | Norwich, NR4 7TJ fax 0603 505859 | |_ Ok so I support TeX too.... ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Oct 92 11:13:35 +0000 From: Philip Taylor (RHBNC) Subject: RE: VMS TeX distribution Ian --- >>> Is there an equivalent tape to the 'Washington Unix tape' available >>> which I can unload, change a few site specifics and type 'make' (or >>> whatever the VMS equivalent might be) and it all happens? As you >>> might guess I am not a VMS person. This seems a very reasonable question, and one which we (the Archive group) should address. You are by no means the first to seek a VMS tape, and I am sure you willl not be the last. There are several members of the archive group who use VMS as their primary operating system, and I will see if I can co-ordinate matters so that we can produce the tape that you and others need. Philip Taylor, RHBNC. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Oct 92 16:19:45 +0000 From: Dave Lockwood Subject: emTeX/dvips memory overflows. I use a standard distibution (PC-286) version of emTeX with dvips, which I got from your site about twelve months ago. I've just installed FoilTeX, and built all the extra fonts OK, but on big files with lots of fonts either TeX going from *.TEX --> *.DVI or dvips going from *.DVI --> *.Ps can run out of memory. DO you have any workarounds/parameter tweaks/386 versions which aren't limited to 640K on the archive? I have an 8Mb 386/7, so that ought to help if I can find software to use it... Dave Lockwood ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Oct 92 16:41:45 +0000 From: Philip Taylor (RHBNC) Subject: RE: emTeX/dvips memory overflows. >>> DO you have any workarounds/parameter tweaks/386 versions which aren't >>> limited to 640K on the archive? I have an 8Mb 386/7, so that ought to >>> help if I can find software to use it... Look in the ...betatest sub-directory of the emTeX hierarchy; there are both big and 386-specific versions there. Philip Taylor, RHBNC. ------------------------------ Date: 30 Oct 92 09:46:54 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: Re: emTeX/dvips memory overflows. > DO you have any workarounds/parameter tweaks/386 versions which aren't > limited to 640K on the archive? I have an 8Mb 386/7, so that ought to > help if I can find software to use it... depends what else you do with your 386; if you run windows or the like, junk that and buy OS/2 intead. If you just sit there with that 8Mb of memory twiddling its thumbs, i suggest that a) you move over to the emtex386 (beta) distribution which is a big tex, fast and reliable b) use dvips386 which you will find in the archive stashed in [tex-archive.tex.ms-dos.emtex.bonus]dvips386.exe_boo note that this requires deboo; this is *simply the executable*; all the support files, and configuration, are up to you from the standard distribution if you are on Internet you will find these items faster using Gopher to the UK TeX Archive Daughter system Sebastian Rahtz ------------------------------ Date: 28 Oct 92 14:26:45 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: !! change in structure of uk.ac.tex archive!!! for compatibility with other archives, I have removed the whole tree [tex-archive.tex-style] and replaced it with an (updated) [tex-archive.plain] under which you should now look for all packages and tex files which are related to `plain' TeX. Please also now note [tex-archive.generic] which contains macros which are *supposed* to work with any form of TeX. No guarentees It is likely that at some point in the near future, *all* these macro packages will migrate down one step, and [tex-archive.macros] Apologies for the inconvenience, but it does make it easier to announce and maintain stuff if people agree on a directory hierarchy... Sebastian Rahtz ------------------------------ Date: 29 Oct 92 16:07:26 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: Another Reorganization of uk.ac.tex To further bring uk.ac.tex into line with some perceived ideal, I regret to inform our users that I have moved some favourite directories. All those top-level directories which contain TeX macro packages have been placed one level down, under [tex-archive.macros]. Please remember this when you look for package recently announced. eg for [.latex] read [.macros.latex] the plus side is that the system is now the same as on the daughter archive accessible via gopher. the other plus side is that I am going on holiday, so the poor archive can have some peace for a month or so... Sebastian Rahtz Packages affected: ams foiltex eplain generic texsis text1 schemetex phyzzx lollipop plain latex psizzl lamstex hptex ------------------------------ Date: 26 Oct 92 11:53:20 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: picinpar - text flowing around figures Friedhelm Sowa's `picinpar.sty' is in the UK TeX Archive in [tex-archive.latex.styles.contrib.picinpar] it permits you to flow LaTeX text around figure objects in the middle of a paragraph. The documentation is in German. Sebastian ------------------------------ Date: 26 Oct 92 11:57:23 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: wrtfile - write text files from TeX I have placed the following in the uk tex archive in [tex-archive.latex.styles.contrib]wrtfdisk.tex sebastian ******************* X-From: cameron@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (Cameron Smith) ... "wrtfdist.tex", the distribution file for "wrtfile.tex". This is a short TeX file containing code that allows you to put (for example) \FILE abc.def Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow. \EOF into a TeX file and have the lines "Mary...lamb," and "its...snow." written out to a file "abc.def" when the original file is TeXed. This functionality is identical with that of Jonathan Fine's "filechop.tex", which was posted to the UKTeX Digest recently (Volume 92, Issue 37, Friday, 9 Oct 1992). Fine's code is simpler than mine and executes faster, but its definition of \FILE uses \EOF as a delimiter to gather up the entire text to be written out as a parameter. This places potentially severe limitations on the amount of text that can be written. My implementation uses a loop to write one line at a time until \EOF is seen, so there is no limit on the size of files that can be created. My version also allows you to say "\TYPE" instead of "\FILE ", to have lines written to the terminal and log file instead of to another file. This is useful for presenting prompts or informatinal messages in interactive TeX programs. The file "wrtfdist.tex" itself uses the "wrtfile" code to create "read.me", "wrtfile.doc", and "wrtfile.tex" when TeXed. Try it out and read the "read.me" file for more information. Finally, everyone should feel free to redistribute "wrtfdist.tex", and to use the code in "wrtfile.tex" to create "package files" like this one, but archivists please note the redistribtion restrictions: don't break apart the files and store them separately, put *only* the package file "wrtfdist.tex" into your archives. Thank you. Hope this is of use-- - --Cameron Smith cameron@symcom.math.uiuc.edu ------------------------------ Date: 26 Oct 92 12:00:52 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: directtex (Mac) in uk tex archive I have placed the current version of DirectTeX (for the Macintosh) in the UK TeX Archive, in [tex-archive.tex.mac.directtex] as a series of binhex'ed disk images. enjoy sebastian ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Oct 92 14:22:55 +0000 From: Malcolm Clark Subject: Re: directtex (Mac) in uk tex archive please note that directTeX is shareware... it also needs MPW... and supports virtual fonts... enjoy... malcolm (accept no substitute) clark ------------------------------ Date: 26 Oct 92 12:18:56 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: revised WASY font Version 2 (September 1992) of Roland Waldi's symbol font has been put in the uk tex archive in [tex-archive.fonts.wasy2] This is a superset of the LaTeX symbol font sebastian ------------------------------ Date: 26 Oct 92 12:21:41 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: updates to uk tex archive i have spent a while updating packages in the uk tex archive (see separate announcement). all these packages are also in the Daughter archive available via the Gopher system. to summarize what has been added or changed: picinpar.sty text flowing around pictures directtext another TeX for Macintosh wrtfdisk write text files from TeX wasy2 revised `wasy' symbol fonts mathtime setup for NFSS etc and Mathtime fonts piechart awk program for generating piecharts with LaTeX & PostScript have fun Sebastian ------------------------------ Date: 26 Oct 92 12:25:50 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: mathtime fonts - support for LaTeX, NFSS etc Piet Tutelaers has spent some time getting the setup right for using the MathTime fonts with LaTeX, the NFSS and his ps2pk. His package has been placed in the uk tex archive in [tex-archive.fonts.mathtime] It includes AFM files, a LaTeX style file, and a revised MakeTeXPK for use with ps2pk. Sebastian ------------------------------ Date: 26 Oct 92 12:31:02 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: piechart for LaTeX using pstricks package I have put a package by Denis Giro in [tex-archive.piechart] for drawing piecharts. Its written in awk, and needs van Zandt's pstricks to work. sebastian ------------------------------ Date: 26 Oct 92 12:43:29 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: edmac 3.0 in uk tex archive I have updated the copy of Lavagnino and Wujastyk's EDMAC package in the Uk TeX Archive [TEX-ARCHIVE.TEX-STYLE.EDMAC] to the current version, 3.0. Sebastian ------------------------------ Date: 26 Oct 92 14:25:21 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: lollipop format in uk tex archive Victor Eijkhout's long-awaited "lollipop" TeX format has been released, and is in the UK TeX Archive in [tex-archive.lollipop] A summary is appended sebastian The Lollipop format tries to bridge the gap between the fact that in TeX anything is programmable, and the fact that doing so is too hard for the people such as typographers, who know actually what to program. Or even for seasoned programmers. Lollipop is a macro package that gives the user powerful tools for programming macros for lists, headings, output routines and a number of other things. The Lollipop macros take the specifications for a macro, and then construct that macro. About this release Lollipop is not finished, but it is already quite powerful. (It has been used to typeset my book 'TeX by Topic', for instance.) I suggest that anyone who is interested format the manual and have a look at the examples in it. They document the current power of Lollipop (really: all examples, including of output routines, are formatted on the fly). Since Lollipop is still under development I will be very accessible for questions, bug reports and suggestions. Email preferred: eijkhout@cs.utk.edu. (And I will be flattered if you actually use Lollipop, but beware that changes may occur in future versions.) ------------------------------ Date: 29 Oct 92 11:44:38 +0000 From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster Subject: sbtex and sbmf updated in uk tex archive The copies of Wayne Sullivans's PC TeX and Metafont, sbtex and sbmf, have been updated to sbtex38 and sbmf13, in [TEX-ARCHIVE.TEX.MS-DOS.SB-TEX] (and pub/archive/systems/pc/sbtex on the Daughter archive) Sebastian ------------------------------ Date: 28 Oct 92 12:05:51 +0000 From: M.Piff@uk.ac.sheffield Subject: LaTeX correction sheets Those of you who have a long LaTeX document which needs the odd page to be run off again, respecting all page, section, theorem, etc, numbering, with roughly the same text on the page except possibly for the odd small correction, might like to try CORRECTS.STY in [TEX-ARCHIVE.LATEX.STYLES.CONTRIB.CORRECTS] The file CORRECTS.TEX contains full instructions on its use, in LTUGBOAT style. Mike Piff Dr M J Piff Department of Pure Mathematics University of Sheffield ------------------------------ Date: 28 Oct 92 12:15:00 +0000 From: M.Piff@uk.ac.sheffield Subject: Text/Mail merges I have used a style file for some years to do text merges into LaTeX letters. I have cleaned this up and made it usable in plain TeX as well. The interface can be extremely simple---give the text and the fields to read---or quite complicated---produce tables of arbitrary length with some processing done on the entries. The other thing is, it needn't be letters you are producing. It could be the contents of a database that you wish to pretty-print, with more control over the printing than the databases I have met would allow you. If you would like to try this style file, it is called TEXTMERG.STY, and is in [TEX-ARCHIVE.LATEX.STYLES.CONTRIB.TEXTMERG] together with TEXTMERG.TEX, containing instructions in LTUGBOAT format. Mike Piff ------------------------------ Date: 28 Oct 92 12:47:32 +0000 From: M.Piff@uk.ac.sheffield Subject: Answers to problems in LaTeX On p422 of The TeXbook, DEK explained how he got the answers to his problems to migrate from their original positions adjacent to those problems into Appendix A. Having modified these macros for my own use to work in LaTeX, and supplied a copy to a colleague, somehow they found their way onto the SHSU archive in this rough and ready form. I have now introduced some generality into them, and Sebastian Rahtz has put them in the Aston archive as [TEX-ARCHIVE.LATEX.STYLES.CONTRIB]ANSWERS.STY The style file ends with an example of their usage---the only real documentation at present---but the basic idea is that you say \begin{xxx} Text of problem. \yyy Text of solution. \end{xxx}%%<--- presently, must be left-justified where xxx is your own theorem environment, and \yyy is a control sequence of your choosing, eg, exercise and \solution. You then need to inform LaTeX of your choice, and tell it what environment name, eg, Solution, to use in a file of solutions. The style defines a solution-type environment, starting with text of your choice, followed by the problem number. At the appropriate moment, eg, after \begin{document} or in an \included file, you tell LaTeX the filename to use for solutions. Later, you tell it to close that file. Finally, any file(s) of solutions you have created can be \included or \input into your document. There is a facility to pass information through to the solution files, eg, about a chapter number, and also a mechanism to produce a hint rather than a solution. Finally, you probably don't want your problems all to appear in italic. Thus, a \Noit command is introduced to switch this off easily in a theorem environment---something not included with LaTeX but more recently supplied with theorem.sty in NFSS. eg, \newtheorem{exercise}{Exercise\Noit}[section] This is a release which works OK for me. Please make suggestions for improvements. Mike Piff ------------------------------ UK TeX ARCHIVE at ASTON UNIVERSITY >>> UK.AC.TEX <<< *** Interactive and file transfer access *** JANET: Host: uk.ac.tex, Username: public, Password: public (DTE 000020120091) Internet: host tex.ac.uk [134.151.40.18] For telnet access, login: public, password: public For anonymous ftp, login: anonymous, password: *** Mail server *** Send mail to TeXserver@uk.ac.tex (JANET) or TeXserver@tex.ac.uk (rest of the world) with message body containing the word HELP \section FILES OF INTEREST [tex-archive]00readme.txt [tex-archive]00directory.list [tex-archive]00directory.size [tex-archive]00directory_dates.list [tex-archive]00last30days.files [tex-archive.doc]TeX-FAQ.txt (Frequently Asked Questions list) [tex-archive.doc]FAQ-Supplement-*.txt (FAQ supplement) \section DIGESTS This year's UKTeX back issues are stored in the archive in directory [tex-archive.digests.uktex.92] This year's TeXhax back issues are stored in the archive in directory [tex-archive.digests.texhax.92] Latest TeXhax: V92 #19 TeXMaG back issues are stored in the archive in directory [tex-archive.digests.tex-mag] Latest TeXMaG: V5N3 \section MEDIA DISTRIBUTIONS Postal addresses are given below. \subsection Washington Unix TeX distribution tape Latest copy of May/June 1991 contains: TeX 3.14, LaTeX 2.09, Metafont 2.7, plus many utilities suitable for Unix 4.2/4.3BSD & System V tar format, 1600bpi, blockfactor 20, 1 file (36Mb) Copies available on: One 2400ft 0.5" tape sent to Aston with return labels AND return postage OR One Quarter-Inch Cartridge, QIC-120 or QIC-150 format (DC600A or DC6150) sent with envelope AND stamps for return postage to Nottingham (Due to currency exchange, this service is offered only within the UK) \subsection VMS tapes VMS backup of the archive requires three 2400ft tapes at 6250bpi. VMS backup of TeX 2.991 plus PSprint requires one 2400ft tape. \subsection Exabyte 8mm tapes Same contents available as 0.5" tapes. Following tape types available: SONY Video 8 cassette P5 90MP, MAXELL Video 8 cassette P5-90, TDK Video 8 cassette P5-90MPB \section TeX IMPLEMENTATIONS FOR SMALL COMPUTERS \subsection OzTeX V1.4 (for Macintosh) Send 7 UNFORMATTED 800K disks to Aston with return postage. \subsection emTeX (for OS/2, PC-DOS and MS-DOS) The complete package (3.5" High density disk format ONLY) is available from Aston at a cost of 15 pounds sterling, including documentation, disks, post and packing (DO NOT SEND DISKS): specify Set A. Additional utilities including DVIPS, 5 pounds sterling: specify Set B. FLI files for FX, 5 pounds sterling: specify Set C. FLI files for P6M, 5 pounds sterling: specify Set D. For general enquiries, and a free catalogue detailing other disk formats, precompiled fonts and lots of other goodies, contact: Eigen PD Software, P.O. Box 722, Swindon SN2 6YB (tel: 0793-611270) (JANET e-mail address: kellett@uk.ac.cran.rmcs) \subsection TeX for the Atari ST All enquiries for disks etc. should be directed to: The South West Software Library, P.O. Box 562, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 2YD (JANET e-mail address: mdryden@uk.co.compulink.cix) \section POSTAGE RATES All prices in Pounds Sterling. For Aston orders, make cheques payable to Aston University. 0.5" tapes: UK: 2.50 (one tape), 5.00 (two tapes). Europe: 5.00 (one tape), 9.00 (two tapes). Outside Europe please enquire. 8mm tapes: UK: 1.00, Europe: 2.00. Quarter-inch cartridges: UK: 1.00, Europe: 2.00. Diskettes: Quantity/Size Europe World UK 1st UK 2nd 18/3.5" 3.10 5.10 1.40 1.10 11/3.5" 1.80 2.90 0.80 0.65 18/5.25" 1.20 2.00 0.60 0.50 11/5.25" 0.80 1.30 0.50 0.35 \section POSTAL ADDRESSES Please include SELF-ADDRESSED ADHESIVE LABELS for return postage. Peter Abbott Information Systems, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET David Osborne Cripps Computing Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD (for Quarter-inch cartridges ONLY -- must include stamps for return postage ) \section UK TeX USERS GROUP For details, contact: David Penfold, Edgerton Publishing Services, 30 Edgerton Road, Edgerton, Huddersfield HD3 3AD (tel: 0484 519462) or E McNeil-Sinclair, fax: 0272 236169 \bye End of UKTeX Digest [Volume 92 Issue 40] ****************************************