UKTeX Digest Friday, 27 Mar 1992 Volume 92 : Issue 12
``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}:
Stretchable space in LaTeX \dbltextfloatsep
Is the QMS-PS 825 MR
{Announcements}:
LaTeX updates, as of March 18, 1992.
{Archive News}:
FEYNMAN 1.0 latex macros available
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: Sun, 22 Mar 92 20:23:15 +0000
From: Alan Jeffrey <alanje@uk.ac.sussex.cogs>
Subject: Stretchable space in LaTeX \dbltextfloatsep
I'm writing a newsletter using LaTeX, set in two columns. In the
document style, I've removed any stretching space from all the page
style parameters, in order to make sure that the baselines of the two
columns lines up properly. This is all fine and well, as I can set
all the vertical space in multiples of \baselineskip, and I won't get
any underfull vboxes, even though there is no stretchable space
anywhere on the page. Until, that is, I start using floats.
My first attempt at setting floats was to set \textfloatsep and
\dbltextfloatsep to be \baselineskip plus \baselineskip. This, I
thought, would ensure that there was enough stretchable space at the
top of the page to make up for its absence anywhere else.
Unfortunately, this doesn't work, as my test file below shows.
As far as I can see, what's going on is this:
When LaTeX sets a 2-column page with a 2-column float of height X at
the top, it calls \@addtodblcol, which (amongst other things) sets
\@colht to be \@colht minus X minus \dbltextfloatsep. Then the text
for that page is set in a box of height \@colht. Unfortunately, in
doing so, all the stretchiness of \dbltextfloatsep has been lost.
So, even if \dbltextfloatsep is strechable, its stretchiness will
never be used, since the box containing the page will always be
exactly \textheight - (height of floats) - \dbltextfloatsep high.
Thus, although art10.sty sets:
\dbltextfloatsep 20pt plus 2pt minus 4pt
this strechiness will never be used.
For the moment, I'll work out some hacky workaround for this problem,
but it would be nice if it were sorted out for the next LaTeX release.
Cheers,
Alan.
Alan Jeffrey Tel: +44 273 606755 x 3238 alanje@cogs.sussex.ac.uk
School of Cognitive and Computer Sciences, Sussex Univ., Brighton BN1 9QH, UK.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% cut here for test file %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
\documentstyle[twocolumn]{article}
\begin{document}
\makeatletter
\def\dbltopfraction{1}
\dbltextfloatsep .5\baselineskip plus \baselineskip
\parsep0pt
\flushbottom
\begin{figure*}[t]
This is a figure, with a gap in the middle of it:
\vskip 15cm
Wasn't that exciting?
\end{figure*}
This is a lot of text to pad out the rest of the page.
This is a lot of text to pad out the rest of the page.
This is a lot of text to pad out the rest of the page.
This is a lot of text to pad out the rest of the page.
This is a lot of text to pad out the rest of the page.
This is a lot of text to pad out the rest of the page.
[repeat often enough to get a three page document]
\end{document}
This produces the result:
This is TeX, C Version 3.14t3
(test.tex
LaTeX Version 2.09 <14 January 1992>
(/usr/local/lib/tex/inputs/article.sty
Standard Document Style `article' <14 Jan 92>.
(/usr/local/lib/tex/inputs/art10.sty) (/usr/local/lib/tex/inputs/twocolum.sty))
(test.aux) [1]
Underfull \vbox (badness 1242) has occurred while \output is active
Underfull \vbox (badness 1242) has occurred while \output is active [2]
[3] (test.aux) )
(see the transcript file for additional information)
Output written on test.dvi (3 pages, 10412 bytes).
Transcript written on test.log.
Page two has had to be stretched, even though there is enough
stretchable space in \dbltextfloatsep to make up for it.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 92 14:53:19 +0000
From: Adrian F Clark <alien@uk.ac.essex>
Subject: Is the QMS-PS 825 MR
Does anyone have experience of the QMS-PS 825 MR laser printer as a
TeX or PS output device? We're thinking of getting a couple and would
like to know whether people have had any problems with it. It's based
on the Canon TX engine, if that helps.
Many thanks in advance.
..Adrian
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: Fri, 20 Mar 92 19:13:15 +0100
From: schoepf@de.ZIB-Berlin.sc (Rainer Schoepf)
Subject: LaTeX updates, as of March 18, 1992.
plain.tex has been updated recently by Donald Knuth. I take the
opportunity to update the corresponding LaTeX files as well. At the
same time, a number of minor problems and oversights have been
corrected. For a detailed list consult the file latex.bug.
The following files have been changed:
latex.bug
latex.tex
local.tex
lplain.tex
slitex.tex
splain.tex
lcircle10.mf
lcirclew10.mf
line.mf
line10.mf
linew10.mf
proc.doc
bezier.sty
letter.sty
proc.sty
Note: the changes to the Metafont files do not affect the fonts
themselves, they provide better error checking when Metafont is used
with the wrong base file. Therefore it is NOT necessary to recompile
the fonts.
Rainer Schoepf
Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum ,,Ich mag es nicht, wenn
fuer Informationstechnik Berlin sich die Dinge so frueh
Heilbronner Strasse 10 am Morgen schon so
D-1000 Berlin 31 dynamisch entwickeln!''
Federal Republic of Germany
<Schoepf@sc.ZIB-Berlin.de> or <Schoepf@sc.ZIB-Berlin.dbp.de>
------------------------------
Date: 23 Mar 92 16:18:52 +0000
From: spqr@uk.ac.york.minster
Subject: FEYNMAN 1.0 latex macros available
Michael Levine's latex macros package (version 1.0) for drawing FEYNMAN
diagrams is in the UK TeX Archive in
[tex-archive.latex.contrib.feynman]. The [.doc] directory contains
documenattion source and a pre-made PostScript version.
NOTE! I have changed these macros to \input *lowercase* names because
of the case-insensitive VAX the UK TeX Archive uses.
Sebastian Rahtz
------------------------------
UK TeX ARCHIVE at ASTON UNIVERSITY
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\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
\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
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\section MEDIA DISTRIBUTIONS
\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:
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OR One Quarter-Inch Cartridge, QIC-120 or QIC-150 format (DC600A or DC6150)
sent with envelope AND stamps for return postage to Nottingham
(This service is offered only within the UK).
(addresses below).
\subsection VMS tapes
VMS backup of the archive requires three 2400ft tapes at 6250bpi.
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\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 MS-DOS)
The complete package (3.5" High density disk format ONLY)
is available from Aston at a cost of 15 pounds,
including disks, post and packing.
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).
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Outside Europe please enquire.
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UK: 1.00, Europe: 2.00.
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Diskettes:
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\section POSTAL ADDRESSES
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(for Quarter-inch cartridges ONLY -- must include stamps for return postage
)
\section UK TeX USERS GROUP
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or David Penfold, Edgerton Publishing Services,
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\bye
End of UKTeX Digest [Volume 92 Issue 12]
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