TeXhax Digest Sunday, March 10, 1991 Volume 91 : Issue 011 Moderators: Tiina Modisett and Pierre MacKay %%% The TeXhax digest is brought to you as a service of the TeX Users Group %%% %%% in cooperation with the UnixTeX distribution service at the %%% %%% University of Washington %%% Today's Topics: Formation of ITALIC (Irish TeX And LaTeX Interest Community) scribe macros Has this bug been fixed? dvips : Where can I find it? font scaling in LaTeX typewriter bold, bold italic? RE: Bug in TeX optional spaces are mandatory (TeXhax V91 #8) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 22 Feb 91 14:15 GMT From: Peter Flynn UCC Subject: Formation of ITALIC (Irish TeX And LaTeX Interest Community) Keywords: ITALIC, Irish, TeX, LaTeX \magnification=\magstep1 \vsize=9truein \hsize=6truein \font\lit=cmti10 scaled \magstep4 \font\mf=manfnt \font\sc=cmcsc10 \font\sltt=cmsltt10 \font\mrm=cmr10 scaled \magstep2 \font\msc=cmcsc10 scaled \magstep2 \def\larger{\let\rm=\mrm \let\sc=\msc\rm} \def\LaTeX{{\rm L\kern-.36em\raise.3ex\hbox{\sc a}\kern-.15em T\kern-.1667em\lower.7ex\hbox{E}\kern-.125emX}} \def\MetaFont{{\mf METAFONT}} \def\csc#1{{\sc\lowercase{#1}}} \newbox\ibox\setbox\ibox=\hbox{{\mrm The}} \parindent=\wd\ibox\advance\parindent by.5em \nopagenumbers \setbox\ibox=\hbox{{\lit % i t a l i c % }}\newdimen\iwd\iwd=\wd\ibox \indent\box\ibox\par \setbox\ibox=\hbox to\iwd {\leaders\hrule height2pt\hfill} \indent\box\ibox\smallskip\begingroup\larger \item{The} Irish \TeX\ And \LaTeX\ Interest Community \bigskip\endgroup\parskip=\smallskipamount\noindent\ignorespaces At the \TeX90 conference in Cork last September there was a brief meeting to discuss forming a group for Irish users of \TeX, \LaTeX, \MetaFont\ and allied software. Users in Ireland and abroad are now invited to signal their interest in this group and join the mail discussion list {\tt ITALIC-L} by sending a one-line electronic mail message to {\tt LISTSERV@IRLEARN.BITNET} saying\hfil\break {\tt SUBSCRIBE ITALIC-L {\sltt your\_real\_name}} Present at the meeting were: Peter Flynn (UCC); M\i che\'al \'O Searc\'o\i d (UCD); Brendan Dixon (UCD); John Finnegan (UCG); Tim Murphy (TCD); John Simmie (UCG). \noindent\ignorespaces The following topics were discussed: \item{1.} Name of the group: the acronym \csc{ITALIC} had been suggested at the Texas \csc{TUG} conference by Pierre MacKay. Some members of the meeting felt an Irish word related to typography or calligraphy would be more appropriate: suggestions to date have been: \csc{TACA} (\TeX\ Agus Cl\'o-dhearadh Ailg\'eabrach---{\it \TeX\ and Algebraic Type Design\/}); \csc{CELTIC} (Cl\'od\'o\i reacht \'E\i feachtach Le \TeX\ \'I gC\'omhar---{\it Effective Printing together with \TeX\/}); \csc{CL\'AR} (Cl\'ochurad\'o\i reacht Le\i ctreonach Agus R\'\i omhchu\i d\i the---{\it Electronic and Computer-Aided Typesetting\/}). \csc{TACA} was turned down because the acronym has political connotations in Ireland. Comments on the others' suitability (or new suggestions) are welcomed. For the moment, \csc{ITALIC} remains the most comprehensible internationally. \item{2.} Mail distribution: \csc{BD} has set up {\tt ITALIC-L} on {\tt LISTSERV@IRLEARN} with some file space for storing pointers to the major repositories ({\it eg\/} filelists for Aston, Heidelberg, \csc{YMIR}, Clarkson and Labrea), but not much in the way of \TeX ware itself, as this is easily retrievable from the aforementioned repositories. \item{3.} \csc{PF} will supply a regularly-updated copy of the file {\tt ASTON~ARCHIVE}, containing the complete list of files at Aston in denormalised form, suitable for searching. \item{4.} \csc{TM} is to investigate the inclusion of \csc{SGML} users and software. \item{5.} \csc{TM} is also to contact Irish \TeX ware authors to arrange for their notification and eventual inclusion of their software where permitted. \item{6.} \csc{PF} is to contact the academic computer centres to sound out the possibility of making an institutional membership fee at a low level (instead of an individual membership fee) to cover (initially) the cost of a meeting later this year (1991) \bigskip\noindent\sl Peter Flynn, 19 February 1991, Computer Centre, UCC \hfil\break\tt cbts8001@iruccvax.ucc.ie \eject\end ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Feb 91 16:47:44 EST From: Joe Konczal Subject: scribe macros Keywords: TeX, Scribe Is there a set of macros that would allow one to format a Scribe document with TeX. I looked in some popular TeX archives, but I didn't find anything with "scribe" or "mss" in the name. Joe Konczal konczal@ncsl.nist.gov ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 27 Feb 1991 23:32:13 PST From: asnd@erich.triumf.ca (Donald Arseneau) Subject: Has this bug been fixed? Keywords: TeX, bug Here are two things I ran into recently; the first is definately a bug, but I think it may have been fixed already as there are a number of fixes to \input listed in tex82.bug: \input BUG.\expandafter A\string BC tries to input the file ABUG.BC instaed of BUG.ABC. Both the \expandafter and the \string are needed to cause the error. Could someone with a more recent version of TeX give this a try? The next example is more of a complaint than a bug: \show is not allowed after an alignment display: $$\halign{#\cr}\show\something$$ where \show could also be \showthe, \showbox, \showlists, (or \begingroup\endgroup, etc.). I realize that Ch. 24 of the TeXbook says that the pre-\halign material need only be free of math lists, but the post-\halign material can only be assignments. But why not something like \show?? Donald Arseneau asnd@triumfcl (.bitnet) arseneau@mtsg.ubc.ca ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Feb 1991 23:32:13 PST From: "Dr. Jim Walker @CRL" Subject: dvips : Where can I find it? Keywords: Can somebody let me know where I can find a VAX/VMS version of dvips? Jim Walker --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 25 Feb 91 22:15:56 EST From: barr@triples.Math.McGill.CA (Michael Barr) Subject: font scaling in LaTeX Keywords: LaTeX, font scaling I don't recall this point being made previously about the LaTeX fonts at other than 10pt. I usually use 12pt (failing eyesight, I guess) and have lately been using 20pt to prepare some slides, lacking the slitex fonts. I was quite surprised to discover that two fonts, at least, were not scaled in the latex macro \xxpt. I was astonished to discover that the same two fonts were not scalded at 12pt and, once you know that, the effect becomes obvious. They are the cmex10 and the line10 (actually, I should include the linew10 and the two circle fonts but I never use them). The failure to scale the cmex10 means that the large operators are only a bit larger than the normal sized one and the failure to scale the line fonts means that arrows drawn with them have the arrowheads rather emacitated looking and badly placed besides (not at the ends of the arrows). The remedy for cmex10 is to add \font\twlex=cmex10 scaled\magstep1 \def\@xiipt{\textfont\thr@@\twlex \scriptfont\thr@@\tenex \scriptscriptfont\thr@@\tenex} to the art12.sty (and the other 12.sty files). For the line10, I have added \font \@linefnt=line10 scaled \magstep1 but this disables the \thicklines macro. A somewhat more subtle approach is needed to avoid that. An art20.sty file I have made up includes the lines: \font\twtyex=cmex10 scaled\magstep4 \font\frtnex=cmex10 scaled\magstep2 \def\@xxpt{\textfont\thr@@\twtyex \scriptfont\thr@@\frtnex \scriptscriptfont\thr@@\tenex} \font \@linefnt=line10 scaled \magstep4 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 25 Feb 91 13:54:48 PST From: uunet!uunet!xilinx!castor!kelem@cs.washington.edu Subject: typewriter bold, bold italic? Keywords: typewriter bold, bold italic Has anyone modified cmtt10.mf to get a bold typewriter and a bold italic typewriter fonts? What changes did you make? Thanks, Steve Kelem ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 25 FEB 91 11:22:53 GMT From: TEX@rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk Subject: RE: Bug in TeX optional spaces are mandatory (TeXhax V91 #8) Keywords: TeX, bug In TeXhax V91 #8 (Thu, 21 Feb 91 21:22:33 -0800) a message of Fri, 8 Feb 91 15:33:18 +0100, nath@cernvax.cern.ch (Alfred Nathaniel) wrote: > I discovered a bug in TeX3.0. It also shows up in TeX2.9. Going through the > change records I couldn't find any reference to it. So I suppose that it has > been there for much longer. > > In sequences > > ...\counter=\ifnum\counter... > and > > ...\counter=\fi \ifnum\counter... > > the \ifnum test fails if is not followed by a space. > . > . > . > To look for another digit belonging to get_x_token is called. > But if the next token is \ifnum the condition is evaluated before scan_int > did realize that is complete and has to be stored in \counter. > > Here is an example where the bug occurs: > > > \tracingcommands=2 > % > \count255=0 > \count255=999\ifnum \count255=0 \message{[BOGUS: \the\count255<>0]} \fi > % > \count255=0 > \ifnum 0=0 \count255=888\fi > \ifnum \count255=0 \message{[BOGUS: \the\count255<>0]} \fi > % > \end > . > . > . > Simply replacing get_x_token by get_token fixes this bug but the trip test > falls flat on its face. I would classify it as category S according to > "The Errors of TeX". > . > . > . > The lesson I learned from this that when writing TeX macros optional spaces > are sometimes mandatory. Alfred, I expect you'll get a flood of replies such as this telling you that THIS IS NOT A BUG!!!! TeX _deliberately_ looks ahead after any sort of , expanding macros and conditionals, until it finds something that cannot contribute to a number. This is necessary so that longer numbers can be constructed by appending the expansion of a macro to something that's a number in its own right. One useful paragraph to read in the TeXbook is the first double-double-bend one on p.208 (especially the emphasixed text); also note the caveats at the top of p.270. The answer is: always insert the optional space, unless you're sure that you want the next macro or \if to be evaluated; if you think the space token is too invisible, try some unexpandable control sequences, such as \relax. > Is this the right channel for bug reports? If not could somebody who knows > forward it or let me know where to send it to. It's as good a place as any, particularly to float ideas; but perhaps next time you'de better say ``is this a bug in TeX...''. Brian {Hamilton Kelly} +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + JANET: tex@uk.ac.cranfield.rmcs + + BITNET: tex%uk.ac.cranfield.rmcs@ac.uk + + INTERNET: tex%uk.ac.cranfield.rmcs@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk + + UUCP: ...!mcvax!rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk!tex + + OR ...!ukc!rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk!tex + + 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) + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 FEB 91 20:53:36 GMT From: TEX@rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk Subject: Apologies to UUCP clients of TeXserver@Uk.Ac.TeX Keywords: TeXserver, bounced mail From an analysis of bounced mail, sent out by TeXserver@uk.ac.tex, in response to requests from users connected via UUCP outside the UK, I've discovered that the Janet-UUCP gateway at the University of Kent has been bouncing all the mail, because the new archive machine UK.AC.TEX appears not to be authorized to send international mail! Peter Abbott did request UKC to add this new machine towards the end of last year, and it did work for a while; now it's started to refuse traffic. I'm asking Peter to chase UKC and ask for them to (re-) register us. I expect this will get fixed within a day or two, so if those users of the archive who heard zilch in response to their requests would care to try again, I have every hope that they'll work this time! Would users of the Aston Archive mail server, TeXserver@Uk.Ac.TeX, please ensure that they have sufficient room on their disks before requesting information from the archive. I've just been analysing the log of bounced mail, and a lot of it was due to traffic being returned by the target machine because the requesting individual had either insufficient disk quota, or the file system was full! If you are unsure as to how much space any particular file might take, you should fetch the 00files.txt from the relevant directory before requesting the file itself; such files are only about 1--2kB long, but something like [tex-archive]00directory.size is over 1MB in length. Still, if you _have_ got room to keep a copy of this file, it'll save you having to make DIRECTORY requests. The file is updated daily, so it's more efficient to request a copy of this (or its smaller brother, [tex-archive]00directory.list) rather than asking the TeXserver to repeat all the work by saying DIRECTORY [tex-archive...]! (You'd be amazed how often that one comes up.) Requesting files when you've got insufficient space to hold them not only results in your not getting them, but also wastes our limited bandwidth for e-mail (9600Bd only!), not to mention the time taken in the TeXserver sending them out, and the disk space of the TeXserver taken up by the bounced traffic. Sorry for curtailing your enjoyment! Brian HK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- %%% The TeXhax digest is brought to you as a service of the TeX Users Group %%% in cooperation with the UnixTeX distribution service at the %%% University of Washington %%% %%% Concerning subscriptions, address changes, unsubscribing: %%% BITNET: send a one-line mail message to LISTSERV@xxx %%% where xxx is the nearest geographical site in the %%% tree shown below %%% SUBSCRIBE TEX-L % to subscribe %%% or UNSUBSCRIBE TEX-L %%% Here is the BITNET re-distribution tree as shown in a recent %%% REVIEW (The geography is guessed at from the subscription list) %%% %%% CLVM TAMVM1 FINHUTC %%% | | (Finland, UK, Scand, CERN) %%% | | | %%% TeXhax ----> UWAVM ----- MARIST ----- EB0UB011 ----- BNANDP11 %%% | (France,Italy,Spain) (Belgium) %%% | | %%% UBVM HEARN --- DEARN %%% (Netherlands) (Germany) %%% %%% Internet: send a similar one line mail message to %%% TeXhax-request@cs.washington.edu %%% Please be sure you send a valid internet address!! %%% in the form name@domain or name%routing@domain %%% and use the style of the Bitnet one-line message, so that %%% we can find your subscription request easily. %%% %%% JANET users may choose to use %%% texhax-request@uk.ac.nsf %%% %%% All submissions to: TeXhax@cs.washington.edu %%% %%% Back issues available for FTPing as: %%% machine: directory: filename: %%% JUNE.CS.WASHINGTON.EDU TeXhax/TeXhaxyy.nnn %%% yy = last two digits of current year %%% nnn = issue number %%% Previous years in TeXhax/TeXhaxyy.dir/ %%% %%% For further information about TeX Users Group services and publications %%% contact Karen at KLB@MATH.AMS.COM or write to TUG at %%% TeX Users Group %%% P.O. 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