UKTeX Digest Friday, 23 Nov 1990
Volume 90 : Issue 41
Today's Topics:
Testing for numeric-only input
program.sty for typesetting algorithms
Underlined keywords
PhD Thesis regulations on line spacing
Updated versions of LPLAIN.TEX and SPLAIN.TEX
Levy's Cweb system ported to MS-DOS and VAX/VMS
7-bit encodings
Typsetting fractions
Where can I find a manual for Rokicki's DVIPS program?
Is there a DVI driver for 24-pin printers for Unix?
Thesis Regulations
Moderator: Peter Abbott (Aston University)
Editor: David Osborne (University of Nottingham)
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E d i t o r ' s N o t e
Apologies for the distribution difficulties with UKTeX in the last
week. I have moved the distribution list to a new mail system which
meant that many people did not receive issue 41 last week.
Accordingly, I am re-sending issue 41, and issue 42 will be sent as
usual tomorrow. If you DID receive this issue last week, I'm sorry
for the inconvenience of a duplicate copy.
--Ed.
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 90 11:20:22 +0000
From: C20249@UK.AC.POLY-SOUTH-WEST.PRIME-A
Subject: Testing for numeric-only input
Back in March, I wrote to you asking for help with a TeX/LaTeX query.
I have still not had any acknowledgment or reply. Can you please help?
Here is my query:
I am writing a LaTeX "program" and need your help. I am using \typein
to prompt the user to enter a "number" via the terminal. Then I set a
counter to the value of the "number" read in.
\typein[\mynumber]{Please type a number}
\setcounter{mycounter}{\mynumber}
What I would like to do is to insert some TeX logic (before setting
the counter) to check the validity of the "number" entered (it should
consist of a sequence of digits 0-9 only) and to prompt the user again
if it contains anything else.
I have scoured the TeXbook looking for anything that might appear to
be useful or relevant, but I'm not a TeXpert and my search was
fruitless.
Please can you help. Many thanks.
Barry Good
- ---
Barry Good, Computing Service, POLYTECHNIC SOUTH WEST, Drake Circus, Plymouth,
PL4 8AA, U.K. Telephone: Plymouth (0752) 233912. Outside UK: +44 752 233912.
Fax: (0752) 233922.
POLYTECHNIC SOUTH WEST Brunel University (External user)
JANET: either B.GOOD@UK.AC.PSW Barry.John.Good@UK.AC.BRUNEL
or C20249@UK.AC.PSW.PA xxxxbjg@UK.AC.BRUNEL.CC
EAN: B.GOOD@PSW.AC.UK xxxxbjg@CC.BRUNEL.AC.UK
EARN/BITNET: B.GOOD%PSW.AC.UK@UKACRL xxxxbjg%CC.BRUNEL.AC.UK@UKACRL
INTERNET: As for EARN/BITNET, replacing @UKACRL by @CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 Nov 90 15:01:29 +0000
From: MARTIN.WARD@UK.AC.DURHAM
Subject: program.sty for typesetting algorithms
Here's an update to my LaTeX style file for typesetting programs and
algorithms in my favourite style without having to type in endless tabbing
commands. Each line is set in math mode so all the indentation and spacing
is done automatically. The notation |variable_name| can be used within
normal text, maths expressions or programs to indicate a variable name.
Use \origbar to get a normal | symbol in a program. The commands \A, \B, \R, \T
and \Z typeset the corresponding bold letter with the next object as a
substript (eg \S1 typesets {\bf S$_1$} etc). They now cope with primes as
well, (eg \S'''). The program.sty file can be
easily edited to reflect your favoured style. See the program-demo.tex file
for examples.
Note that I use the new ``font selection'' mechanism, if you don't there
are two lines to change in program.sty - search for FONTSEL to find them.
Martin.
JANET: Martin.Ward@uk.ac.durham Internet (eg US): Martin.Ward@DURHAM.AC.UK
or if that fails: Martin.Ward%uk.ac.durham@nfsnet-relay.ac.uk
or even: Martin.Ward%DURHAM.AC.UK@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
BITNET: IN%"Martin.Ward@DURHAM.AC.UK" UUCP:...!mcvax!ukc!durham!Martin.Ward
{ Martin's contributions are archived at Aston as files
PROGRAM.STY and PROGRAM.TEX in directory [TEX-ARCHIVE.LATEX.CONTRIB]
program-demo.tex was renamed to PROGRAM.TEX in the archive --Ed. }
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 Nov 90 11:49:30 +0000
From: MARTIN.WARD@UK.AC.DURHAM
Subject: Underlined keywords
In my program typesetting macros I used the following to typeset a bold
underlined keyword (taken from the TeXbook answer to exercise 18.26):
% Keyword style (works in any mode):
\def\keyword#1{\ifmmode\underline{\smash{\mbox{\bf #1}}}\else
$\underline{\smash{\mbox{\bf #1}}}$\fi}
Recently I stumbled on \underbar (in Appendix B of the TeXbook), with this
macro my \keyword macro can be written:
% Keyword style (works in any mode):
\def\keyword#1{\mbox{\underbar{\bf #1}}}
This small change _more_than_halved_ the running time for LaTeX on a 7 page
document consisting mostly of algorithms! ie 336 expansions of the first
definition of \keword took 30 seconds longer than 336 expansions of the
second on my SUN 3/80. It must be the \smash which is taking the time,
so the moral of this story is: don't \smash lots of things if there's
another way to do it!
Martin. (Martin.Ward@uk.ac.durham)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 90 09:30:00 +0000
From: TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS
Subject: PhD Thesis regulations on line spacing
In UKTeX Digest Volume 90 : Issue 40 of Friday, 16 Nov 1990,
David_Rhead@vme.nott.ac.uk wrote:
> I've been mailed by Brian Wylie (bjnw@uk.ac.ed.castle), who is in dispute
> with the Edinburgh Postgraduate Office about his thesis line-spacing.
> He's produced his thesis with standard LaTeX line-length and inter-line
> spacing (which would thus be acceptable to a typographic designer). Their
> initial reaction was to tell him to reformat, rebind and resubmit.
[...]
> If you have any evidence from other places, preferably in the form of
> specific regulations that have a "form of words" to cater for typeset
> (rather than typewritten) theses, he would be pleased to receive it.
My colleague, Niel Kempson, has recently submitted his thesis to the
Cranfield Institute of Technology. He writes:
> I'm pleased to let you all know that Cranfield accepts theses prepared with
> LaTeX. They've accepted an unmodified "report" style. All that they seem
> to be worried about is that the margins are wide enough for binding. The
> rules specifically recommend *single* spacing to save on "xerographic
> reproduction costs".
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: Tue, 20 Nov 90 14:30:08 +0000
From: TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS
Subject: Updated versions of LPLAIN.TEX and SPLAIN.TEX
In message <9011191725.AA03100@smiley.stanford.edu>
of Mon, 19 Nov 90 09:25:11 PST, kolk@edu.stanford.smiley (Dan Kolkowitz) wrote:
> I've updated the splain.tex and lplain.tex files in ftp/tex/latex.
These updated files, used to generate preloaded versions of SLiTeX and
LaTeX, respectively, have been placed in the UK TeX Archive at Aston as
[tex-archive.latex]splain.tex and [tex-archive.latex]lplain.tex.
They were written by Frank Mittelbach, and may be used with TeX V3.n AND
with pre-V3 versions of TeX also. Therefore it is not necessary to
retain old versions of the files in case one might want to revert to
pre-V3 TeX.
They may be obtained by NIFTP (username PUBLIC, password PUBLIC, and
specify the full file specification, including directory), or by sending
a message to <TeXserver@Uk.Ac.Aston.TeX>, containing the following:
> FILES
> [tex-archive.latex]%plain.tex
(without the > signs, naturally).
Brian {Hamilton Kelly}
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 90 16:24:48 +0000
From: TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS
Subject: Levy's Cweb system ported to MS-DOS and VAX/VMS
On the UK TeX Archive at Aston University, directory [tex-archive.web.cweb]
contains the sources for building Silvio Levy's CWEB system (a WEB suite
which uses C as the programming language, and TeX as the typesetting
language) under Unix; this includes a bootstrapping version of Ctangle
which permits one to get Cweave, etc., working.
Originally this was accompanied by a file VMS.CH which purported to
port Cweb onto VAX/VMS: however, Vax-C has been revised since Levy
released this, and further changes were necessary to get the system
working under VMS. The original VMS.CH has threfore been deleted, and a
new subdirectory [tex-archive.web.cweb.vms] added to hold the files for
bootstrapping CWEB onto VMS, and the change files to make this Ctangle
and Cweave.
In addition, I have ported CWEB to MS-DOS (under Borland's Turbo-C V1.5).
This was a *major* undertaking, because of clashes between identifiers
used in ANSI-standard function prototypes in Borland's libraries and
constants defined in the .web files. Other very extensive changes were
required to handle the large data structures, which exceed the 64kB
segment limit of the PC architecture. However, it's all working
eventually, and the files required for bootstrapping it, and the change
files, will be found in [tex-archive.web.cweb.ms-dos].
For both of the above ports, the majority of the files of the Unix
distribution will also be required.
To get started, fetch the file [tex-archive.web.cweb]00readme.txt from
Aston, either by NIFTP (username PUBLIC, password PUBLIC), or by sending
mail to <TeXserver@Uk.Ac.Aston.TeX>, with the body of the message
consisting of the two lines:
FILES
[tex-archive.web.cweb]00readme.txt
This file will tell you which other files will be required to be fetched
to have a working version of CWEB under Unix, VMS or MS-DOS.
Brian {Hamilton Kelly}
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 90 21:37:18 +0000
From: GTOAL@UK.AC.EDINBURGH.COMPUTER-SCIENCE.TARDIS
Subject: 7-bit encodings
I throw my rather substantial weight and less substantial influence
behind Dominik :-) ... to introduce a new 7-bit encoding format would
be shooting ourselves in the foot. I have exchanged binary files with
many sites abroad - often through bitnet - and the standard 'xxencode'
works beautifully (not the misnamed new program which was called
xxencode for a short time I might add).
Phil Taylor explained to me why a new program is wanted - it is
because a 7-bit encoded binary file cannot be properly reconstituded
on VMS without some extra information. Well, I can think of two
solutions:
1) Add *extra* vms information *BEFORE* a normal kosher xxencode
file (or after it of course, but not *in* it)
2) Since we only have a small fixed number of file types in the
archive where this is a problem (tfm, pk, gf, pxl?) we could
write a 'fixup' command which converted a stream_lf or ra binary
file to the appropriate record format.
Apart from those file types mentioned, I recommend that all other
files in the archive are line-based text files which should get through
most ftp implementations with their line-stucture preserved.
By the way, I ported Wayne Sullivan's sudeco some time back; unless
he has put a lot of work into it since then, it had no strong advantages
over xxencode and several disadvantages in the way it handled filenames.
Graham
[PS Personally I prefer btoa but that's only because I don't approve
of storing filenames in the file -- they're not portable either!]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 90 08:51:36 -0000
From: P.ABBOTT@UK.AC.ASTON
Subject: Typsetting fractions
I wrote the following code
\newcommand{\myfrac}[2]{{\scriptsize\raisebox{.6ex}{#1}%
\kern-.01em\raisebox{.3ex}{/}{#2}}}
to typset fractions when using Times Roman postscipt font. I did not
want to use mathamatical functions in LaTeX.
I now need fractions when using Baskerville font. The problem is now
that the fraction is too wide and if I use a smaller size then problems
occur between 1/2 and 3/4.
Any help on producing fractions that are pleasingto the eye in
Baskerville would be appreciated.
Peter
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 22 Nov 90 11:14:44 +0000
From: SCHUMANN%ERSMV1.DNET.NASA.GOV%NSFNET-RELAY.AC.UK@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS
Subject: Where can I find a manual for Rokicki's DVIPS program?
Does anyone know of any user guide for Rokicki's DVIPS program. I can't
seem to locate one on the archive, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong
place. I'm trying to VMSise it at the moment but the work is low
priority and I don't know when it will be finished.
Rob
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 22 Nov 90 15:06:49 +0000
From: CUDAT@UK.AC.WARWICK.CU
Subject: Is there a DVI driver for 24-pin printers for Unix?
We are looking for a utility to print DVI files on Epson
24-pin printers. The printers we have in mind are the
LQ-1500 and the LQ-2500.
The computers involved are Sun3's and Sun4's running Unix.
If anyone could point me in the right direction, I'd be very
pleased.
- --
Jim Hicks, Computing Services, Warwick University, Coventry, England. CV4 7AL
Office: Coventry (STD O2O3) 523262
On JANET: cudat@UK.AC.WARWICK.CU
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 90 12:29:00 +0000
From: PJH1@UK.AC.YORK.VAXB
Subject: Thesis Regulations
In the light of the revised British Standard, the 'advent of typesetting'(!)
and the fact that our regulations were last fully revised in the '70s, the
University of York has decided to revise its regulations for the presentation
of theses. A small working party has been set up to fast track the revision
so that they can become mandatory next academic year (such unseemly haste!!!).
In the light of experiences already aired here ... have any other Universities
tackled this problem - and are they willing, either through this forum or
confidentially direct to me, to let me know what changes they have made or
tried and what the experience of their new regulations has been in practise?
I will happily produce a summary of the results (mentioning no names when
so requested!) if this will be an aid to others about to embark on this
course.
Thank you,
Peter J Halls
PJH1@York
------------------------------
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End of UKTeX Digest
*******************