UKTeX V89 #35 Friday 29 September 1989
Re: UKTeX V89 #34
RE: DVItoLN03 problem
TeX 2.99
METAFONT
PubTex: is it on the archive yet?
Info on TeX please
LaTeX and theses
Binary files
LaTeX vs troff
TeX books
Empty macro arguments
Editor Peter Abbott
Latest TeXhax in the Archive is #85 (83 is now available)
Latest TeXmag in the Archive is V3N3
Issue 36 is likely to be delayed and MAY NOT be issued until Monday Oct 9 1989.
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.EDINBURGH.LFCS; Fri, 22 Sep 89 17:29 BST
From: Claire Jones <ccmj@uk.ac.ed.lfcs>
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 89 17:28:34 BST
Message-Id: <1623.8909221628@subnode.lfcs.ed.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: UKTeX V89 #34
Newsgroups: mail.uktex
In-Reply-To: <8392.8909221230@vanuata.cs.glasgow.ac.uk>
Organization: Laboratory for the Foundations of Computer Science, Edinburgh U
I have hacked a bibliography style file which produces citations
in style Haltiner and Williams [1988] etc. This was in
response to a request from a met. (and physics) student. He didn't
seem to have any problems with the way the references were laid
out, and this might be harder to change. Anyone who wants a copy
of this style file, just mail me and I can send you one.
Claire Jones
ccmj@uk.ac.ed.lfcs
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS; Fri, 22 Sep 89 17:55 BST
Date: Fri, 22 SEP 89 16:53:41 BST
From: TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS
Subject: RE: DVItoLN03 problem
Sender: JANET"TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS" <TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS>
Message-Id: <0000005A_0006D880.0092B2E26E87C3A0$45_1@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS>
Acknowledge-to: RMCS TeX Account <TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS>
Originally-to: CBS%UK.AC.EARN-RELAY::EARN.ITOPOLI::SILVANO
Originally-from:TEX "RMCS TeX Account <TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS>"
Mailer: Janet_Mailshr V3.4 (23-May-1989)
(I presume you have some method of FTPing without going through the Bitnet
gateway.)
>>I have trouble with the ftp of the .exe file. It hangs.
>>I succesfully fetched all the other files.
>>Do you have any suggestion ?
OK, this is a binary file, and perhaps your ftp needs instruction in how to
handle it. However, I think it highly unlikely that it would still look like
a VAX .EXE by the time it reached you anyway!
Therefore, to assist you, and anyone else who cannot do a direct VAX-VAX FTP
from Aston, I've placed the file DVITOLN03.UUE into the archive at Aston.
This is a UU-encoded version of the .EXE file; just transfer it, pass it
through UUDECODE and you should end up with a VAX executable. (And those who
CAN do a VAX-VAX FTP from ASton, MUST specify /CODE=FAST to retain the VAX
file attributes.)
>>Is the machine connected to HEPNET/SPAN/PHYSNET so I can
>>try with decnet ?
I can't answer that, although I do know that Peter Abbott can make appearances
on SPAN. You could contact Max Calvani, who has, I believe, copied this
DVItoLN03 to some SPAN node in Italy.
***************************************************************************
Editor - I have personal access to SPAN but our system is not connected.
***************************************************************************
Brian {Hamilton Kelly}
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---------------------------------
Via: [000041131500.ftp.mail]; Sat, 23 Sep 89 10:47 BST
Received: from Terra by Pluto.me.brunel.ac.uk; Sat, 23 Sep 89 10:47:10 +0100
From: Andrew J Michael <ds86ajm@uk.ac.brunel.cc>
Date: Sat, 23 Sep 89 10:46:48 +0100
Message-Id: <9940.8909230946@Terra.cc.brunel.ac.uk>
Subject: TeX 2.99
Is TeX 2.99 available in the UK ? Piete Brooks suggested that I should
mail here to find out ....
Regards
Andy Michael
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.SHEFFIELD.PRIMEA; Mon, 25 Sep 89 10:10 BST
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 89 10:12:32
From: Mike Piff <PM1MJP @ UK.AC.SHEFFIELD.PRIMEA>
Subject: METAFONT
Is there a PD version of METAFONT available for the PC?
Mike Piff
- ----
From: Dr M. J. Piff,
Department of Pure Mathematics, University of Sheffield,
The Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, SHEFFIELD S3 7RH, England.
Telephone SHEFFIELD(0742) 768555 Extension 4431.
JANET address: PM1MJP@UK.AC.SHEF.PA or PM1MJP@UK.AC.SHEF.IBM
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.EDINBURGH.EMAS-A; Mon, 25 Sep 89 17:41 BST
Via: UK.AC.EDINBURGH.COMPUTER-SCIENCE.TARDIS ; (to uk.ac.edinburgh.emas-a) 25 Sep 89 17:43:12 bst
Date: Mon Sep 25 16:40:10 GMT 1989
From: gtoal@uk.ac.ed.cs.tardis
Subject: PubTex: is it on the archive yet?
Message-ID: <sent Mon Sep 25 16:40:10 GMT 1989 via CS.TARDIS>
PubTeX was recently mention as being on the archive somewhere. I can't
find it -- there seems to be an empty directory though. As this is the
only MSDos PD TeX which copes with swapping memory off disk, I'ld
really like to try it out sometime. [I've tried 3 other PD TeX's
for Domestos, all of which ended up being flushed down the ... -- my
TeX stuff seems pretty greedy on memory]
Thanks,
Graham.
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.GLASGOW.ENG.CAE; Mon, 14 Aug 89 14:35 GMT
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 89 14:35 GMT
From: Linda McCormick, CAE Centre, Uni. of Glasgow, X4323 <SYSTEM@UK.AC.GLA.ENG.CAE>
Subject: Info on TeX please
Could you tell me please if you have a version of TeX which will run on an
Apollo worksation? If you have does it run under version 10.1 of the op. sys.
and does it allow you to capture graphics in another window & incorporate them
in your TeX document a la Interleaf?
Many thanks for your help,
Linda McCormick (SYSTEM@GLA.ENG.CAE)
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.GLASGOW.PHYSICS.IBM1; Thu, 21 Sep 89 11:13 GMT
Date: 21 September 89 11:02:28 BST
From: David J. Martin 041-339 8855 x4197 (SY04 AT GWIA ) <SY04@UK.AC.GLA.PH.I1>
Comment: N.B. GLA.PH.I2 will be removed - use only GLA.PH.I1 in future.
Message-id: <21 September 1989, 11:02:28 BST SY04@UK.AC.GLA.PH.I1>
Sorry I can't find a proper mailbox.
A few days ago I tried fetching the <tex-archive.tex>readme.apollo to our
IBM VM/CMS system running the RAL network software. The file persistently
failed with "record too long". As ASTON.TEX told us the maximum record length
would be 0 that was hardly surprising. We succeeded in using
TRANSFER/CODE=FAST to our VAXstation. As we get involved with many network
problems we took the opportunity of reporting the problem to RAL as a
potential error in the IBM or VAX coloured books. I append the reply sent to
my colleague Alan Flavell.
David Martin (Joint manager of particle physics computing at Glasgow)
- - - - - - - - - - Start of forwarded note - - - - - - - - - -
Via: UK.AC.RL.VE; 20 SEP 89 17:24:22 BST
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 89 17:23 BST
From: Peter Chiu RAL VAX Support X-5398 <SUPPORT@UK.AC.RUTHERFORD.VAX-E>
Subject: NIFTP from Aston to IBM
Alan,
Yes, sorry that I have misunderstood the point thinking that the
VAX was sending a wrong maximum record size in response to the
NIFTP request from the IBM.
I have fetched a copy of the file (README.APOLLO) from Aston
and have reproduced the problem in transfering the file from RL.IB:
I have observed the following points though:
a. The VAX file doesn't seem to be in a correct format. Some how
the file was created without a suitable maximum record size
attribute.
b. In response to the file transfer request, the VAX is seen taking
the actual value of maximum record size (namely 0) for the file
and rightly pass it to the IBM. As far as the VAX file transfer
is concerned, I don't think it is doing anything improper in this
instance.
c. I believe the IBM is accepting the zero maximum record size
and check each data record received with this value.
In the trace collected from the VAX, it can be seen that the VAX
is sending out records with a maximum size of 64 bytes (decimal)
well below the maximum value the IBM originially proposed and
presumeably prepared to accept.
It appears to me that the problem is actually provoked by an odd file
on the VAX. As mentioned earlier that transfers with Stream_LF files
which normally is attributed with a maximum record size work quite
happily between the VAX and the IBM. Transfer between VAX to VAX of
this kind of files is not affected since the VAX is not using the
maximum record size at all.
My feeling is that the author of the file should be informed of this
problem and see how he thinks about this.
Regards,
Peter
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.IMPERIAL.CC.VAXA; Tue, 26 Sep 89 15:15 BST
Date: 26-SEP-1989 14:23:58 GMT
From: FPS@UK.AC.IMPERIAL.CC.VAXA
BibTeX styles:
Tony Lee asks for help with suitable bibliographic
styles for various journals. There are, of course,
quite a few `extra' styles around, but I think
there is a more general problem. The `standard'
styles which come with LaTeX are rather Computer
Science oriented, and we do need a wider range of
possibilities. BibTeX has its own `language' which
allows references to be `assembled' correctly, but
frankly I find the documentation opaque. A BibTeX
tutorial/workshop would make a very suitable subject
for the six or ten people in the country who are
likely to be interested. I suggest that this could
be organised by ukTuG (come to the meeting on October 11th
at Aston), or, failing that, I would be happy to
arrange something here. Any takers?
Note that BibTeX 1.0 is being finished, even as I
type. In the hope that no significant changes take
place, we may see a greater use of BibTeX, and
standardisation at last (there are still lots
of 0.98c and 0.99i, or is it 0.98i and 0.99c
confusions).
More widely though, I noticed in my latest copy
oif Computer Graphics (April 1989, it comes surface,
via Australia I think) that there is an on-line
bibliography of computer graphics references, stored
in refer (something to do with unix?) format
and administered by acm/siggraph. An omen?
malcolm clark (aardvarks -- mainly harmless)
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.NOTTINGHAM.CCC.VAX; Wed, 27 Sep 89 9:54 BST
Date: Wed, 27 SEP 89 09:53:53 GMT
From: CCZDGR@UK.AC.NOTTINGHAM.CCC.VAX
Subject: LaTeX and theses
Sender: JANET"CCZDGR@UK.AC.NOTTINGHAM.CCC.VAX" <CCZDGR@UK.AC.NOTTINGHAM.CCC.VAX>
Message-Id: <216000D3_00113D88.0092B6959E65A680$23_1@UK.AC.NOTTINGHAM.CCC.VAX>
Originally-to: JANET"info-tex@uk.ac.aston"
Originally-from:CCZDGR "David Rhead"
Mailer: Janet_Mailshr V3.4 (23-May-1989)
Dave Lindsey (Aberdeen) asked about LaTeX style files for theses.
We've had a go at the Lamport-approved procedure here, with partial success.
That is, rather than producing style-files to satisfy the (typewriter oriented)
thesis regulations (with their references to double- or one-and-a-half-line
spacing), we tried to get the regulations changed to include a form of words
that would accomodate people who are "typesetting" their theses.
While the relevant committee here acknowledged that the regulations need
updating, saying "The Board was aware that typesetting developments have
outpaced the current Higher Degree regulations", they do not seem ready to
revise them at the moment. However, I sent them some samples of LaTeX
output (11pt and 12pt, Lamport's standard report line-length and line-spacing,
chapter- and section-headings redefined to use smaller fonts than Lamport's,
\textheight and \topmargin redefined to use more of an A4 sheet than Lamport),
and got a memo back saying "... satisfied that the inter-line spacing obtained
by default from the LaTeX software was acceptable, and you may advise enquiring
postgraduate students to that effect". Thus we have "de facto" dispensation
to leave the line-spacing at Lamport's settings (assuming that 11pt or 12pt
are being used and that the line-length is left at Lamport's setting), and if
any students are worried about it, we give them a copy of the memo giving the
dispensation. (In any case, one-and-a-half spaced typewriting will give 4.5
lines/inch and the LaTeX default, at about 5 lines/inch in 11pt, isn't all
that different.)
We still get odd problems from people who say "my Prof wants it like this".
I show them the table on page 179 of "Digital Typography" by Rubinstein, which
shows the results of Tinker's research on readability. The gist of it is that
increasing the line-spacing from that adopted by traditional typesetting will
make things more difficult to read (but you must keep to a moderate
line-length). So I try to convince them that they are making it less readable
for their Prof and others. Some are convinced; some say "Yes, but my Prof
wants it like this".
Other developments include:
- at Oxford, I believe the layout may be that "of a well-designed book",
and the Proctors have approved the 12pt report style
- the British Standards Institute is revising their standard for theses.
The last draft I saw had a phrase about "space between lines at any point
should be not less than the space between words", but one would need to
see the published version to see whether this is the final form and
whether it is given in a "typesetting" context.
David Rhead
Cripps Computing Centre
Nottingham University
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.EDINBURGH.EUSIP; Wed, 27 Sep 89 11:49 BST
From: Tim Bradshaw <tim@uk.ac.ed.eusip>
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 89 11:45:31 BST
Message-Id: <21018.8909271045@hume.eusip.ed.ac.uk>
Subject: Binary files
X-Organisation: Centre for Speech Technology, University of Edinburgh
I am interested in the JTeX stuff in the archive as mentioned by
Sebastian Rahtz the other week. Many of the files are binaries (pk,
tfm etc). Is there a painless way (or any way in fact) to transfer
these with NIFTP to a Unix machine? I know there was talk about this
sort of thing earlier this year but I lost several issues of UKTeX so
apologies if I should know this...
- -tim
Tim Bradshaw
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.DURHAM.MTS; Wed, 27 Sep 89 15:41 BST
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 89 15:34:59 +0100
From: Roger.Gawley @ uk.ac.durham
Subject: LaTeX vs troff
Message-id: <emu-ul04.1989.0927.153459.cl12@uk.ac.dur.mts>
Having recently got LaTeX running on our mainframe, I used Tim Clark's
mail hints document as a test. This was originally circulated in
PostScript and later converted to LaTeX by some kind souls at Aston.
I would have hoped that the (La)Tex version would look much better
than the PostScript one which was generated by troff, I believe. I was
disappointed.
Each version has some good and bad points and the LaTeX one does have
page numbers on the contents page which gains it marks, but overall,
the PostScript one is much nicer to look at and to use.
Why?
The answer is a combination of page design and typefaces. I am no
design expert except that I know a bad example when I see one. As far
as typefaces go, the LaTeX one uses Computer Modern fonts, many of them
magnified while troff has used resident Adobe fonts. On our Agfa
P400PS, the Adobe fonts look much better.
Of course one could use Adobe fonts with TeX. If I get the time, I
will do this and bring three versions to Aston.
What is the moral here? Do not use LaTeX? Maybe; more fully do not use
inappropriate combinations of typeface and page design. Unfortunately,
most of the LaTeX designs that you see are bad. If geniuses are going
to design something for use by idiots, the geniuses had better get it
right.
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.KEELE.SEQ1; Thu, 28 Sep 89 9:27 BST
From: P.G. Collis <cca05@uk.ac.keele.seq1>
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 89 09:25:34 -0100
Message-Id: <18188.8909280825@uk.ac.keele.seq1>
Subject: TeX books
Peter,
I've seen a number of book references in TeXhax and TeXmag. The local
bookshop are having difficulty with:
Another Look at TeX : Stephan Bechtolsheim
First Grade TeX, A Beginner's TeX manual : Arthur Samuel
A Guide to TeX for the Troff User : Mike Urban
Can you help with an ISBN or Publisher for any/all of them?
Paul Collis
Computer Centre
University of Keele
---------------------------------
Via: UK.AC.DURHAM.MTS; Thu, 28 Sep 89 10:44 BST
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 89 10:38:25 +0100
From: Roger.Gawley @ uk.ac.durham
Subject: Empty macro arguments
Message-id: <emu-ul04.1989.0928.103825.cl12@uk.ac.dur.mts>
Can anyone tell me how to find out if the argument to a macro is empty?
I have a macro: \def\trouble#1{...} which runs into difficulties when
invoked with an empty argument as \trouble{}.
I want to test #1 and take avoiding action. It looks as though I could
use the \length macro from page 219 of the TeXbook, but that will slow
things down quite a bit when #1 is long. My attempt to reduce \length
to return either 0 or more-than-zero quickly, failed.
My second attempt goes like:
\def\trouble#1{\setbox0=\hbox{#1} \ifdim\wd0=0pt \message{EMPTY} \fi }
This nearly works but it thinks that \trouble{ } is not empty and it
is empty as far as I am concerned. I need something like \ignorespaces#1.
Any suggestions?
---------------------------------
!!
!! Files of interest
!! [tex-archive]000aston.readme [tex-archive]000directory.list
!! [tex-archive]000directory_dates.list [tex-archive]000directory.size
!! [tex-archive]000last30days.files
!!
!! Editor - I have a tape labelled TeX 2.99 LaTeX 2.09 Metafont 1.7
!! Unix 4.2/3BSD & System V. Tar 1600 bpi blocked 20 1 file dated
!! 25 July 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.
!!
!! A VMS backup of TeX 2.991 plus PSprint is available one tape is needed.
!!
!! 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
!!
!! OzTeX - Send 10 UNFORMATTED (800k) disks with return postage.
!!
!! Replies/submissions to info-tex@uk.ac.aston please
!! distribution changes to info-tex-request@uk.ac.aston please
!!
!! end of issue