UKTeX Digest    Friday, 26 Apr 1991
                Volume 91 : Issue 17

Today's Topics:
 {Q&A}:
                    TiB (Re: UKTeX Digest V91 #16)
                     TeX on the Acorn Archimedes
                           Use of %special
                         RE: Use of %special
                         RE: Use of %special
                        Re: PK -> HP PCL (SFP)
               Re: Font arrangements in directory trees
                    TeX-compatible tools for a PC
                  RE: TeX-compatible tools for a PC
                          EMTeX DVIHPLJ bug
                             DVIPS on VMS
                           RE: DVIPS on VMS
                         Re: RE: DVIPS on VMS
                        De-TeX and Ghostscript
                      RE: De-TeX and Ghostscript
                            DVIPS / PSFig
                          RE: DVIPS / PSFig
          Re: Problem with Levy's Greek under MF V2.7 (VMS)
           emTeX font libraries for FX and NEC P6 printers

 {Archive News}:
                 Yannis Haralambous' Old German fonts
         Revised version of Berry's MODES.MF in Aston Archive


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, 19 Apr 91 16:50:01 +0000
From:    R.A.REESE@UK.AC.HULL
Subject: TiB (Re: UKTeX Digest V91 #16)

I also looked at TiB following Sebastian's recommendation but
failed to get it working fully on a PC. Problem was (my) inadequate
knowledge of C, TiB, and what I was trying to do with it.
A precompiled version for DOS would be appreciated.

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 20 Apr 91 14:39:57 +0000
From:    GTOAL@UK.AC.EDINBURGH.COMPUTER-SCIENCE.TARDIS
Subject: TeX on the Acorn Archimedes

The latest release of ArMaTuReS is now available from info-server@uk.ac.ncl
It comes compressed and fits on (I think) about a dozen floppies.  This
release includes an improved Risc Os previewer with outline cmr fonts.

Graham
PS Archive group - could you fetch a copy for Aston sometime please?

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 20 Apr 91 11:10:31 -0500
From:    EHLING%EARN.MITVMA@UK.AC.EARN-RELAY
Subject: Use of %special

An open query to TeX users:
 
How do you insert figures in your book or paper prepared in TeX?
 
What syntax for the argument of %special does the macro package
that you use for figure insertion follow?
 
We would like to learn just how varied the usage of %special for
figure insertion really is.  We hope a survey of this kind
might prove helpful for those involved in the development of
a standard for %special.
 
In your reply, as a minimum, please provide us with the following:
(a) a detailed example of the argument to %special for insertion
        of a scaled figure;
(b) the name of the TeX macro package that generates this for you;
(c) the name of the DVI processor that understands this form of
        %special usage.
 
It would be helpful if you were as specific as possible.  Note,
for example, that there are at least 2 different versions of
dvi2ps and 2 variations on dvips.  And it seems there are
several different macro packages called psfig.tex.
Please indicate the computer platform the DVI processor runs
on.
 
Any references to articles (or FTP-able files) which describe
the macro package and the DVI processing program would be
particularly useful.  If this is not possible, describe the
syntax for %special usage in detail.  We would also appreciate
evaluations of this form, i.e. "...this way of using %special
is better than any other because it allows more flexible
clipping" or "...this way of using %special is utterly ad hoc
and should be abolished".
 
We will compile all the responses and post a summary article
later this spring.
 
Many thanks in advance for your effort and your contributions.
 
T.A. Ehling
The MIT Press
 
B.K.P. Horn
MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab
 
Reply to:  ehling@mitvma.mit.edu

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 22 Apr 91 12:20:09 +0000
From:    P.TAYLOR@UK.AC.RHBNC.VAX
Subject: RE: Use of %special

Dear Teresa ---

>>> How do you insert figures in your book or paper prepared in TeX?

Through the medium of PostScript
 
>>> What syntax for the argument of %special does the macro package
>>> that you use for figure insertion follow?
 
            \special 
                   {ps::[asis,begin]
                    0 SPB
                    /ChartCheckPoint save def
                    Xpos Ypos translate
                    \width \xsize div 
                    \height \ysize div
                     scale
                    /sptobp 
                       {65536 div 72 mul 72.27 div} def
                    \xmean sptobp neg 
                    \ymean sptobp neg 
                     translate
                     newpath
                    /border {\border sptobp} def
                    \xmean sptobp \ymean sptobp moveto
                    \xsize sptobp 2 div neg border add
                    \ysize sptobp 2 div neg border add
                     rmoveto 
                    \xsize sptobp border 2 mul sub 0 rlineto 
                     0 \ysize sptobp border 2 mul sub rlineto 
                    \xsize sptobp border 2 mul sub neg 0 rlineto 
                     closepath
                     clip
                     newpath
                     255 dict begin
                    /showpage {} def
                    }%

            \special {ps:plotfile \file asis}%

            \special
                    {ps::[asis,end]
                     end
                     ChartCheckPoint restore
                     0 SPE
                    }%

>>> We would like to learn just how varied the usage of %special for
>>> figure insertion really is.  We hope a survey of this kind
>>> might prove helpful for those involved in the development of
>>> a standard for %special.
 
>>> In your reply, as a minimum, please provide us with the following:

(a) a detailed example of the argument to %special for insertion
        of a scaled figure;

As illustrated above and defined in ArborText's DVILASER/PS documentation;
however, the \special is by no means the whole story, and it is therefore
better to consider the command \stress {as seen by the user}: 

\PostScript file:TeX_Inputs:Rhbnc1.Eps;
            xmin:0 bp; ymin:0 bp; xmax:384 bp; ymax:287 bp;
            width:3.84 in; height:2.87 in; options:{\box \border = 1 \jot}

(b) the name of the TeX macro package that generates this for you;

None; users generate their own \PostScript commands.  However, the
resulting \special (etc) is generated by the file/macro PostScript,
written by myself.

(c) the name of the DVI processor that understands this form of
        %special usage.

ArborText's DVILASER/PS
 
>>> Please indicate the computer platform the DVI processor runs
>>> on.

VAX/VMS; MS/DOS; many others.
 
>>> Any references to articles (or FTP-able files) which describe
>>> the macro package and the DVI processing program would be
>>> particularly useful.

The macro package: TUGboat V12 #1 p.38

The DVI processor: ArborText's DVILASER/PS manual.

Comments: The \PostScript command allows the user complete flexibility in
scaling and positioning the PostScript image;  however, the syntax will be
changed in a future release to allow the omission of one or more parameters,
where these may be deduced from the others (for example, assuming
non-anamorphic scaling, either width or height is redundant; if both were
omitted, it could be reasonably assumed that the image was to retain the same
dimensions as in the original PostScript file).  Rotations, translations and
reflections will possibly be added.  The new syntax will probably be: 

\PostScript {\file = #1; 
             \xmin = #2; \ymin = #3; \xmax = #4; \ymax = #5;
             \width = #6; \height = #7; \options = #8%}

                                        Philip Taylor
                            Royal Holloway and Bedford New College,
                            ``The University of London at Windsor''

[Appendix A: the source of PostScript.TeX]

%
%       A very arcane TeX/PostScript macro
%       ==================================
%

\newif \ifoutline
\newdimen \border

\def \PostScript file:#1; 
                 xmin:#2; ymin:#3; xmax:#4; ymax:#5;
                 width:#6; height:#7; options:#8%
{%
        \outlinefalse
        \border = 0 pc
        \setbox 0 = \hbox 
               {\def    \file   {#1 }%
                \def    \xmin   {#2 }%
                \def    \ymin   {#3 }%
                \def    \xmax   {#4 }%
                \def    \ymax   {#5 }%
                \def    \width  {#6 }%
                \def    \height {#7 }%
                \def    \options{#8}%
                \def    \Xmean  {\dimen 0 }%
                \def    \Ymean  {\dimen 1 }%
                \def    \Xsize  {\dimen 2 }%
                \def    \Ysize  {\dimen 3 }%
                \def    \Width  {\dimen 4 }%
                \def    \Height {\dimen 5 }%
                \def    \0{\count 0 }%
                \def    \1{\count 1 }%
                \def    \2{\count 2 }%
                \def    \3{\count 3 }%
                \def    \4{\count 4 }%
                \def    \5{\count 5 }%
                \def    \6{\count 6 }%
%
% The options macros
%
                \def    \box {\outlinetrue}%
                \def    \outline {\outlinetrue}%
                \options
                \message {Border is \the \border}%
                \6 = \border
                \ifoutline
                        \message {Figure will be enclosed in a box}%
                        \def \rule     
                               {\ifhmode 
                                        \vrule 
                                \else   \ifvmode
                                                \hrule
                                        \else
                                                \message {Are you sure you
                                                          should be trying to
                                                          draw rules in this
                                                          mode ?}%
                                        \fi
                                \fi
                               }%
                \else 
                        \message {Figure will not be enclosed in a box}%
                        \def \rule     
                               {\ifhmode 
                                        \vrule width 0 sp
                                \else   \ifvmode
                                                \hrule width 0 sp
                                        \else
                                                \message {Are you sure you
                                                          should be trying to
                                                          draw rules in this
                                                          mode ?}%
                                        \fi
                                \fi
                               }%
                \fi
                \Xmean = \xmin 
                \advance \Xmean by \xmax 
                \divide \Xmean by 2
                \0 = \Xmean
                \Ymean = \ymin
                \advance \Ymean by \ymax
                \divide \Ymean by 2
                \1 = \Ymean
                \Xsize = \xmax
                \advance \Xsize by -\xmin
                \2 = \Xsize
                \Ysize = \ymax
                \advance \Ysize by -\ymin
                \3 = \Ysize
                \Width = \width
                \4 = \Width
                \Height = \height
                \5 = \Height
                \def    \xmean  {\the \0 }%
                \def    \ymean  {\the \1 }%
                \def    \xsize  {\the \2 }%
                \def    \ysize  {\the \3 }%
                \def    \width  {\the \4 }%
                \def    \height {\the \5 }%
                \def    \border {\the \6 }%
                \vbox to \Height
                       {\vss \rule 
                        \hbox to \Width
                               {\hss 
                                \rule height 0.5 \Height depth 0.5 \Height
                                \hskip 0.5 \Width
                                \special 
                                       {ps::[asis,begin]
                                        0 SPB
                                        /ChartCheckPoint save def
                                        Xpos Ypos translate
                                        \width \xsize div 
                                        \height \ysize div
                                         scale
                                        /sptobp 
                                           {65536 div 72 mul 72.27 div} def
                                        \xmean sptobp neg 
                                        \ymean sptobp neg 
                                         translate
                                         newpath
                                        /border {\border sptobp} def
                                        \xmean sptobp \ymean sptobp moveto
                                        \xsize sptobp 2 div neg border add
                                        \ysize sptobp 2 div neg border add
                                         rmoveto 
                                        \xsize sptobp border 2 mul sub 0 rlinet
o 
                                        0 \ysize sptobp border 2 mul sub rlinet
o 
                                    \xsize sptobp border 2 mul sub neg 0 rlinet
o 
                                         closepath
                                         clip
                                         newpath
                                         255 dict begin
                                        /showpage {} def
                                        }%
                                \special {ps:plotfile \file asis}%
                                \special
                                        {ps::[asis,end]
                                         end
                                         ChartCheckPoint restore
                                         0 SPE
                                        }%
                                \hskip 0.5 \Width
                                \rule height 0.5 \Height depth 0.5 \Height
                                \hss
                               }%
                        \rule \vss
                       }%
        }%
        \message {The dimensions of the figure are: 
                        {ht: \the \ht 0}
                        {dp: \the \dp 0}
                        {wd: \the \wd 0}}%
        \copy 0
}

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 22 Apr 91 15:39:00 +0000
From:    MALCOLMC@UK.AC.PCL.MOLE
Subject: RE: Use of %special

but you don't {\em have} to use \specials to
insert/include figures:

1. through fonts with graphic elements
e.g. rules, a la PiCTeX or a variety of
other macro packages; diagonals & quarter circles,
a la LaTeX; the milstd font, a la Rick Simpson, etc.
or even grey scale fonts a la Adrian (no relation Clark)
or Don (no relation) Knuth.

2. through the creation of very large Metafont
characters: see for example, Metaplot, Rick Simpson.

3. through the creation of pk/tfm pairs, sans
Metafont, just processing a raster file:
Rick Simpson (again), Texas A&M, etc.

if you do discuss specials, please distinguish between
those drivers which permit a whole `file' to be
included in a special, and those which will also
permit individual commands to be relayed to
the print engine. beebe's old drivers (as far as i can
see) would not permit simgle commands; these therefore
had to be individual files. it helps increase the inconvenience factor,
already huge.

but maybe i'll tell you what Textures does, later.
(unless someone else does in between...)

malcolm clark 

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 20 Apr 91 21:07:20 -0500
From:    AAS%AU.OZ.UQ.CC@UK.AC.EAN-RELAY
Subject: Re: PK -> HP PCL (SFP)

Peter Flynn can stop flagellating himself, his finger was right:

> BooBoo time, I'm afraid. I mentioned a .PK to HP's PCL converter.
> No such thing, I'm afraid...finger trouble on my part. What I have
> is the HP softfont to .PK converter (ie the other way round) from
> Arbortext (came with my DVIHP) and a PD one from Simtel-20.
> Sorry for the foul-up. Hope I didn't raise too many people's expectations!
 
There *is* least one such converter from .PK to HP's .SFP (soft font format).
This is pk2sfp, a part of Chris Lewis' psroff package (posted late last year
to alt.sources) which converts the output of "classical" unix CAT troff to
PostScript, HP Laserjet, etc.  Not only is C source available, but pk2sfp does
quite a good job of the character set conversions.

Incidentally, the PD HP2TEX utility mentioned by Peter as being available on
simtel-20 was reviewed by Dominic Wujastyk in his "The Many Faces of TeX"
survey.  It is written in Pascal.  There is an sfp2pk utility (in C)
buried in the jetroff package (DWB troff to HP postprocessor) posted in
comp.sources.misc/volume4 posted back in 1988, but this does *not* attempt
to estimate fontdimen parameters or ligatures, and indeed it does not output
a .TFM (or .PL) file for use by TeX.

Now, if only there was a PD font editor that also did both types of
conversions properly en-passant...

Alex.

 _--_|\    Alex A Sergejew               ACSnet:    aas@cc.uq.OZ
/      X   University of Queensland      Internet:  aas@cc.uq.OZ.AU
\_.--._/   Brisbane, Qld, Australia      Voice:     +61-7-271-8298

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 22 Apr 91 14:46:50 +0000
From:    P.TAYLOR@UK.AC.RHBNC.VAX
Subject: Re: Font arrangements in directory trees

>I have always been puzzled by this arrangement, and when
>I recompiled the whole system myself, I changed all the
>dvi utilities to use instead this arrangement:
> 
>     /usr/lib/tex/fontbits/laser/cmr5/300pk
>                                      360pk
>                                 cmr6/300pk
>                                      360pk
> 
>which is in fact easier to integrate into the search
>algorithms in which one also looks for cmr5.300pk, for
>example.  We have now been using this system quite
>happily for about two years.  It is easier for users to
>find what fonts are available.
> 
>Is there any argument for having the old arrangement
>(other than the fact that at the moment the existing
>versions of most dvi tools are written that way)?

As a result of frequent difficulties in guessing exactly what sizes/prefixes/-
suffices are implied by a particular combination of font design size, magnifi-
cation and resolution, I would like to propose Yet Another Naming Scheme. 

Bearing in mind the constraints of most drivers (that they can load fonts only
at pre-existing sizes, and cannot scale fonts on the fly --- this is clearly
untrue for PostScript drivers, but they are not yet predominant), most users
choose to load their fonts `scaled \magstep <n>', where <n> is either a small
positive integer in the range 0 .. 5 or `half', if 0.5 is required.  From these
\magsteps, TeX calculates a scale factor, based at 1000 --- for example, a font
scaled \magstep 0 will be loaded at a scale factor of 1000; a font scaled
\magstep 1 will be loaded at 1200; scaled \magstep 2 at 1440, etc.  These scale
factors are well defined, and are capable of extrapolation to any reasonable
\magstep beyond those originally provided by Knuth (the upper bound is actually
67, before integer overflow occurs in TeX). 

I would therefore like to propose that the numeric value of the implied or
explicit \magstep be taken as the canonical `size'/prefix/suffix' of the font,
and that the resolution component be factored out and placed at a different
level in the hierarchy.  One might therefore have a font hierarchy which
resembles the following (shewn for only 300 and 1270 dpi fonts; others may be
added in a directly analogous manner): 

        TeX---Fonts---PK----300----1000----Cmb10
                         |      |       |--Cmbsy10
                         |      |       |-- ...
                         |      |       |--Cmvtt10
                         |      |       |-- ...
                         |      |        --Manual
                         |      |--1095 
                         |      |--1200 
                         |      |--1440 
                         |      |--1728 (etc)
                         |      |--2074  
                         |      |--2488
                         |      |--2986
                         |      |-- ...
                         |      |--201884904 (! --- \magstep 67)
                         |
                         |-1270----1000
                         |      |--1095
                         |      |--1200
                         |      |--1440
                         |      |--1728
                         |      |--2074
                         |      |--2488
                         |      |--2986
                         |      |-- ...
                         |       --201884904 

The advantage, I believe, is that the magnification-dependent component becomes
unambiguously and predictably specified, and the resolution-dependent
component, having been factored out, is equally unambiguous.  The disadvantages
include greater difficulty in re-using fonts for different resolution devices
(greater intelligence needed in the driver), and the omission of any facility
for specifying magnifications other than those which yield integral scale
factors; this last deficiency would require a further level in the hierarchy
in which the fractional scale factor could be specified (fonts sizes are
integral at the scaled-point level, but may well be fractional at the
scale-factor level if \magstep is not used).

I believed that Frank Mittelbach and/or Rainer Sch\"opf may have made a
similar proposal in the recent past, but I have not been able to unearth
the correspondence at the time of generating this message; if any ideas
in this proposal appear in Frank or Rainer's proposal, then I acknowledge
their prior publication of them; no plagiarism is intended.

                                        Philip Taylor
                            Royal Holloway and Bedford New College,
                            ``The University of London at Windsor''

------------------------------

Date:    Tue, 23 Apr 91 10:56:06 +0000
From:    ALIEN@UK.AC.ESSEX
Subject: TeX-compatible tools for a PC

It looks likely that I'll be acquiring a (lap-top) PC for some work I
seem to have become involved in.  I'm aware that the best
implementation of TeX for the PC is probably emTeX.  But what about
support programs?  Is James Clark's DVItoPS compatible with emTeX?

And what about "non-TeX" programs?  Could anyone recommend a spelling
checker or drawing tool which generates EPSF?  (Remember, most
lap-tops don't have a mouse.)  Are there any other documentation
goodies I haven't thought of?

Many thanks in advance.

 Dr Adrian F. Clark                                   JANET: alien@uk.ac.essex
 INTERNET: alien%uk.ac.essex@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk          FAX: (+44) 206-872900
 BITNET: alien%uk.ac.essex@ac.uk              PHONE: (+44) 206-872432 (direct)
 Dept ESE, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, C04 3SQ, UK.

------------------------------

Date:    Tue, 23 Apr 91 13:02:04 +0000
From:    P.TAYLOR@UK.AC.RHBNC.VAX
Subject: RE: TeX-compatible tools for a PC

Adrian ---

>>> But what about
>>> support programs?  Is James Clark's DVItoPS compatible with emTeX?

Yes.

>>> And what about "non-TeX" programs?  Could anyone recommend a spelling
                                                                 ^^^^^^^^
>>> checker or drawing tool which generates EPSF?  (Remember, most
    ^^^^^^^                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Is this serious ?  A `spelling checker which generates EPSF' ?  What on earth
would you do with it ?

>>> lap-tops don't have a mouse.)  Are there any other documentation
>>> goodies I haven't thought of?

Dunno.  emTeX is so complete it's hard to think what else you would want
apart from a copy of EDT+,of course).

                                                ** Phil                 

------------------------------

Date:    Tue, 23 Apr 91 11:59:54
From:    PM1MJP@UK.AC.SHEFFIELD.PRIMEA
Subject: EMTeX DVIHPLJ bug

The /la option in DVIHPLJ in the EMTeX distribution appears not to be working.
This is supposed to adjust the printed page so that TeX' 1in margin is a real
1in margin when printed. However, setting

SET DVIHPLJ=/la.5

or

SET DVIHPLJ=/la-.5

appear to generate an indeterminate amount of fuzz on both of our two
LaserJets here. Neither shifts the print .5in.   /ta works correctly.

Is there any reason why the /l option should not be used instead?
/l and /la appear to do the same thing.

Mike Piff


From   Dr M. J. Piff, Department of Pure Mathematics, PO Box 597,
       Hicks Building Site, Hounsfield Road,
       SHEFFIELD S10 2UN, England.
Tel.   SHEFFIELD(0742) 768555 Extension 4431.
JANET  MPiff@UK.AC.SHEF.PA  or MPiff@UK.AC.SHEF.IBM

------------------------------

Date:    Tue, 23 Apr 91 11:38:00 +0000
From:    GAGA50@UK.AC.GLASGOW.VMS3
Subject: DVIPS on VMS

I've been installing DVIPS on our local VAX/VMS system, and thought the
following might be worth pointing out:

   1)   Although it might look as if the various paths that DVIPS looks
        along are being specified in the [.VMS]MAKE.COM file, you should
        be aware that they are most (if not all) actually hard-coded into
        PATHS.H in the main directory. I made the following specific
        changes:

        line 54: PKPATH
                 changed "TEX_PK" to be "TEX$PKS:"
                 whilst the name change is not particularly important
                 (it's just to meet existing practice), the insertion
                 of the missing `:' is essential for the program to work
        line 55: VFPATH
                 changed "TEX_VF:" to be "TEX$VF:"
                 note that the colon was in place here already. The dollar
                 instead of underline just follows other logical names here.
        line 56: CONFIGPATH
                 changed "TEX$POSTSCRIPT" to be "TEX$POSTSCRIPT:"
                 again, the addition of the colon makes it work (otherwise
                 the program will never find you configuration file)
        
   2)   To make the /DEBUG qualifier work, edit [.VMS]VMSCLI.C at line 78
        and change

                if(sscanf(...) != 0)
        to be
                if(sscanf(...) == 0)

   3)   I also added a new qualifier, /[NO]AUTOGENERATE, to control whether
        the program tries to generate a new font using MakeTeXPK - ie, the
        -M qualifier under Unix. This involved adding a `qual25' in the
        aforementioned [.VMS]VMSCLI.C - the following code fragments were
        used:

        After the definition of `qual24':

            static $DESCRIPTOR(qual25,"autogenerate");

        At the end of the routine:

            status = cli$present(&qual25);
            if(status == CLI$_NEGATED) dontmakefont=1;

I also fiddled with the [.VMS]MAKE.COM command file to improve it a little,
but if you know VMS you should be able to work with the existing one anyway
(it requires either altering or the shuffling around of some of the source
files - I preferred to make the command file more intelligent)

Now for a couple of questions:

Firstly, if I want to use the MakeTeXPK facility, I need to customise
[.VMS]MAKETEXPK.COM, but I don't know anything about MetaFont. What base
file should I be using? (answers as for a totally ignorant fool, please)

Secondly, what IS the recommended layout of directories for DVIPS use,
and what goes where? Much of it is specified in the documentation (at least
to some extent) and I expect the rest can be found by trial and error, but
a statement of what directories are needed, what they are conventionally
called (under Unix and VMS (and MS-DOS?)), which files from the distribution
go where, etc, ALL IN ONE PLACE, would be very useful.

General impressions, though, are good - for a piece of software with little
support, it's all going together quite quickly.

Tony J Ibbs (Tibs)
Department of Geography and Topographic Science
University of Glasgow
GLASGOW G12 8QQ                          Telephone: +41-339-8855 x6649
Scotland                        Email - Janet (UK): GAGA50@uk.ac.Glasgow.vms
                                          (non-UK): GAGA50@vms.Glasgow.ac.uk

------------------------------

Date:    Tue, 23 Apr 91 12:01:42 +0000
From:    P.TAYLOR@UK.AC.RHBNC.VAX
Subject: RE: DVIPS on VMS

Tony ---

>>>     line 54: PKPATH
>>>              changed "TEX_PK" to be "TEX$PKS:"
>>>              whilst the name change is not particularly important
>>>              (it's just to meet existing practice), the insertion
>>>              of the missing `:' is essential for the program to work

DEC standards reserve the dollar sign in logical names to DEC's own usage;
sites should use underscores.

>>>         status = cli$present(&qual25);
>>>         if(status == CLI$_NEGATED) dontmakefont=1;

You should use Lib$Match_Cond rather than comparing conditions values directly;
Lib$Match_Cond strips off all the `don't care' bits, thereby guaranteeing a
match even if (for example) the severity is other than expected.

>>> Firstly, if I want to use the MakeTeXPK facility, I need to customise
>>> [.VMS]MAKETEXPK.COM, but I don't know anything about MetaFont. What base
>>> file should I be using? (answers as for a totally ignorant fool, please)

CMBASE (sometimes called CM or CMPLAIN) for the CM files, and for a few
others that explicitly expect the CM base; PLAIN for LaTeX files and all
others.

                                        Philip Taylor
                             Royal Holloway and Bedford New College,
                            ``The University of London at Windsor''

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 24 Apr 91 13:20:00 +0100
From:    FISICA%IT.UNIPD.ASTRPD@UK.AC.EARN-RELAY
Subject: Re: RE: DVIPS on VMS

beware that also the files dospecial.c and special.pro do not work
properly under vms.
The "working" version of DVIPS under VMS is in the new DECUS tape.
Max

------------------------------

Date:    Tue, 23 Apr 91 16:35:00 +0000
From:    QGNO31@UK.AC.ULSTER.MGVAX
Subject: De-TeX and Ghostscript

I believe there exists a program which will convert a TeX and LaTeX to pure
ascii ... do you where I could get this in the archive?

Ghostscript is a postscript previewer that runs on the VAX ... can you tell 
me is it public domain and where I would get a copy of it?

Thanks in advance,

Trevor McMullan
Computer Officer (Academic Services)
Magee College
University of Ulster
QGNO31@UK.AC.ULSTER.MGVAX

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 24 Apr 91 11:35:24 +0000
From:    P.TAYLOR@UK.AC.RHBNC.VAX
Subject: RE: De-TeX and Ghostscript

Trevor ---

>>> Ghostscript is a postscript previewer that runs on the VAX ... can you tell
>>> me is it public domain and where I would get a copy of it?

GhostScript V2.1.1 is available for anonymous NIFTP from this site 
(Uk.Ac.Rhbnc.Vax); the files are G-script.Zip (binary) or G-Script.Boo (ASCII).

                                        ** Phil.

------------------------------

Date:    23 Apr 91 19:32:28 +0000
From:    D.MATHER@UK.AC.EDINBURGH
Subject: DVIPS / PSFig

Can anyone help ? I have a DOS executable copy of DVIPS from the ASTON
archivers. The documentation states v5.4, whilst in use in identifies
itself as v5.395.

I'm trying to use PSFig (which v5.4 says is supported), beginning with
PSFig's own manual PSFIGDOC.TEX from the archive, but whenever DVIPS
encounters a `\psfig', it outputs several (typically 8) lines like;

\begin{verbatim}
C:\EMTEX\DVIPS.EXE Unknown keyword ("836254794) in \special will be ignored
\end{verbatim}

(The numbers may be different; the `"' only appears in the first such
statement, whilst something like `635283946"' appears in the last)

This is then followed by;

\begin{verbatim}
C:\EMTEX\DVIPS.EXE No \special psfile was given; figure will be blank
\end{verbatim}

Apart from this DVIPS, works perfectly.  Is the problem in my version,
or is there something more subtle ?

Dunc

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 24 Apr 91 08:10:00 +0000
From:    MALCOLMC@UK.AC.PCL.MOLE
Subject: RE: DVIPS / PSFig

could it be that the syntax of an emTeX special
is not identical to the specials used by psfig
(which started life as a unix macro)? almost
all specials have a different syntax.

malcolm

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 24 Apr 91 19:28:26 +0000
From:    TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS
Subject: Re: Problem with Levy's Greek under MF V2.7 (VMS)

Following my posting in UKTeX V91 #16, there was considerable discussion
between the archivists.  Phil Taylor had experienced the same problem,
and long ago changed Levy's GREEK.MF so as to provide the additional
font setup commands between the calls of mode_setup and font_setup.
Dave Osborne discovered that he too had the same problem as myself,
whereas Rainer Sch\"opf reported no problems at all.  Eventually, I
adopted Phil's workaround.

I later attempted to build Norbert Schwarz' extended Computer Modern
(dcr10, etc), and ran into the same snag.  Since Schwarz' dxbase.mf
provides a completely new definition for font_setup (because it isn't
built on top of cmbase, unlike Levy's Greek), I was unable to take the
same approach, and did some more investigation.  It eventually
transpired that the problem really lay in the modes.mf upon which we've
recently standardized: for any write-white printer, such as our LN03, it
blindly redefines font_setup, thus vitiating the changes introduced by
Levy and Schwarz.

I have evolved what I think is an elegant workaround, but am waiting to
hear from Karl Berry (the consolidator of modes.mf) before releasing the
modified version.  In the meantime, be warned that you can't build the
Greek or Extended-CM for a write-white printer.

So I've really managed to answer my own question...

                               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:      {mcsun,ukc,uunet}!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:    Thu, 25 Apr 91 16:25:11 +0000
From:    CS1CWM@UK.AC.SHEFFIELD.IBM
Subject: emTeX font libraries for FX and NEC P6 printers

I have got copies of the FX and NEC P6 font libraries which Eberhard Mattes
sent me. The FX fonts take 4 1.44Mb disks as do the P6M's. The P6H fonts take
6 1.44Mb disks -- I haven't the P6L disks to hand but I think they take 3.
Does the archive want copies?

Chris
P.S. Typed on an IBM mainframe, caveat emptor.

------------------------------

Date:    Tue, 23 Apr 91 13:56:21 +0000
From:    David Osborne <cczdao@uk.ac.nott.mips>
Subject: Yannis Haralambous' Old German fonts

The Old German fonts by Yannis Haralambous, which he described at the
European TeX conference in Cork last September, have been installed in
the Aston archive.  See his article in TUGboat 12(1), March 1991, for
details of the fonts.

The directory structure is as follows:

[TEX-ARCHIVE.FONTS.OLDGERMAN.YFRAK]     - Breitkopf's Fraktur
[TEX-ARCHIVE.FONTS.OLDGERMAN.YGOTH]     - Gothic
[TEX-ARCHIVE.FONTS.OLDGERMAN.YINIT]     - decorative initials
[TEX-ARCHIVE.FONTS.OLDGERMAN.YSWAB]     - Schwabacher

- --dave
David Osborne (pp Aston TeX Archive group)

------------------------------

Date:    Fri, 26 Apr 91 11:54:27 +0000
From:    TEX@UK.AC.CRANFIELD.RMCS
Subject: Revised version of Berry's MODES.MF in Aston Archive

Following my earlier postings on the problems with using Berry's
modes.mf in conjunction with such base files as Levy's GRBASE or
Schwarz' DXBASE, which each redefine font_setup, and also following
correspondence with Karl Berry, a revised version of his modes.mf is now
in the Aston Archive, as [tex-archive.metafont.contrib]modes.mf.

This will permit sites that require write-white fonts to build such
fonts as Levy's grreg10, or Schwarz' dcr10 (the prototype extended-CM
font thrashed out at Cork last September).

                               Brian {Hamilton Kelly}

------------------------------

                 UK TeX ARCHIVE at ASTON UNIVERSITY

              *** JANET Interactive and NIFTP access ***
             Host: uk.ac.tex    (JANET DTE 000020120091)
                 Username: public    Password: public

                      *** FILES OF INTEREST ***

    [tex-archive]00readme.txt
    [tex-archive]00directory.list        [tex-archive]00directory.size
    [tex-archive]00directory_dates.list  [tex-archive]00last30days.files

This year's UKTeX back issues are stored in the archive in directory
    [tex-archive.digests.uktex.91]
This year's TeXhax back issues are stored in the archive in directory
    [tex-archive.digests.texhax.91]
    Latest TeXhax: #21
TeXMaG back issues are stored in the archive in directory
    [tex-archive.digests.tex-mag]
    Latest TeXMaG: V5 N2

                     *** MEDIA DISTRIBUTIONS ***

Washington Unix tape (28 March 1990)
    TeX 2.993(==3.0), LaTeX 2.09, Metafont 1.9 (2.0)
    Unix 4.2/4.3BSD & System V.  tar 1600bpi, blockfactor 20, 1 file.
    Copies available on:
        One 2400' tape with return labels AND return postage.
    OR  One Quarter-Inch Cartridge (min. 60Mb capacity) with envelope
        AND return postage.

VMS backup of the archive requires two 2400' tapes at 6250bpi.
VMS backup of TeX 2.991 plus PSprint requires one tape.

Exabyte 8mm tapes: same formats available as 1/2in tapes.
    The following tapes are available: SONY Video 8 cassette P5 90MP,
    MAXELL Video 8 cassette P5-90, TDK Video 8 cassette P5-90MPB

OzTeX (for Macintosh): Send 10 UNFORMATTED 800K disks with return postage.

emTeX (for MS-DOS):
    Send 11 UNFORMATTED 1.44Mb or 18 (EIGHTEEN!) 720K 3.5" disks;
    or 12 UNFORMATTED 5.25" disks; with return postage.  emTeX is now
    distributed with a copy of `Baskerville' and documentation.  Please
    therefore send the disks in packing of A4 size or enclose an A4 envelope.

			*** POSTAGE RATES ***
		   (all prices in Pounds Sterling)
              (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.
DC600A 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

                        *** POSTAL ADDRESS ***
    (Please include SELF-ADDRESSED ADHESIVE LABELS for return postage).

			     Peter Abbott
		 Computing Service, Aston University,
		  Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET

                      *** UK TeX USERS GROUP ***
 For details, contact
      Malcolm Clark          or        Geeti Granger
      IRS                              John Wiley & Sons
      Polytechnic of Central London    Baffins Lane
      115 New Cavendish Street         Chichester
      London W1M 8JS                   W Sussex PO19 1UD
      email: malcolmc@uk.ac.pcl.mole

End of UKTeX Digest [Volume 91 Issue 17]
****************************************