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author | Norbert Preining <norbert@preining.info> | 2021-05-27 03:01:40 +0000 |
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committer | Norbert Preining <norbert@preining.info> | 2021-05-27 03:01:40 +0000 |
commit | 5f1cfa686748068fedb95d8dafda3dc7f999c948 (patch) | |
tree | 874fa8430be12fe4633924f3b707428170316a46 /info/digests/tex-implementors/message.32 | |
parent | 8982c52e00ffb3fb5a913fc60913ebd9070f091a (diff) |
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diff --git a/info/digests/tex-implementors/message.32 b/info/digests/tex-implementors/message.32 new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..0f9426bccf --- /dev/null +++ b/info/digests/tex-implementors/message.32 @@ -0,0 +1,659 @@ +Date: 1 November 91 Message No: 032 + +To: TeX implementors and distributors + +From: Barbara Beeton + +Subject: Publication info for C & T; messages from DEK, part 1 + + +On my return from several weeks of out-of-town meetings, I found +waiting for me a large package from DEK (about 1cm of paper, plus half +a dozen checks, or checques, depending which side of the Atlantic you +were on when you learned to spell English). No major rewards in this +batch, although there will be a version 3.141 probably in January, +after some updates have been checked out a bit more thoroughly and DEK +returns from a couple months in Sweden. I am just about ready to +distribute the checks and the supporting documentation to the original +submitters. I will also post here the details of the submissions and +the replies; this involves deciphering DEK's handwritten notes and +typing them in so that they make sense. The first installment is +included below. + +I was also asked to find out the current status of several volumes in +the Computers & Typesetting series, in particular, whether volumes B +and D (**: The Program) now contain the version 3 (etc.) updates. As +this information is likely to be of general interest, the report from +Addison-Wesley is given below. + +As usual after such a long break in "official" messages, there have +been quite a few address updates and a few additions. So, once again, +acknowledgements would be appreciated, to make sure the mail is getting +through. + + +######################################################################## + +status of volumes in the series Computers & Typesetting, by Donald E. Knuth +information received from Addison-Wesley, 23 October 1991 + + printing + ref.no. vol. title edition number date + +hardbound: + + 13447 A The TeXbook 1 11th June 1, 1991 + + 13437 B TeX: The Program 1 4th May 1, 1991 + + 13445 C The METAFONTbook 1 4th Sept, 1991 + + 13438 D METAFONT: The Program 1 4th Oct, 1991 + + 13446 E Computer Modern Typefaces 1 3rd Aug, 1987 + +soft/spiral bound: + + 13448 The TeXbook 1 20th May 1, 1991 + + 13444 The METAFONTbook 1 6th Feb, 1991 + +note: all printings are marked "with corrections" + + +######################################################################## + +Date: Mon 24 Jun 91 13:28:03-EST +Subject: bug report (plain.tex) for don + +don, +here's a bug in plain that has been flushed out by phil taylor. + + Date: Fri, 21 JUN 91 20:54:14 BST + From: CHAA006@vax.rhbnc.ac.uk + "Philip Taylor (RHBNC) <P.Taylor@Uk.Ac.Rhbnc.Vax>" + Subject: Bug in PLAIN + + Hi, Barbara et al ... + + I have just spent nine hours searching for a bug in my code ... + I finally thought to check Plain.TeX (fmtversion{3.0}) and found ... + + \def\multispan#1{\omit \mscount#1 + \loop\ifnum\mscount>\@ne \sp@n\repeat} + \def\sp@n{\span\omit\advance\mscount\m@ne} + + which explained everything ... + + It's simply that the first line ends `#1', rather than `#1\relax'; + if \multispan is invoked with a \countdef'd register, as in + + \multispan \columns \hrulefill \cr + + an extra and totally unwanted space intrudes before the \hrulefill. + + Is this a known bug, or has it just failed to emerge from the woodwork + before ? + + ** Phil. + +this little test demonstrates the problem "loud and clear". + + \def\testmspan#1{% + \halign{##\hfil&&\qquad##\hfil\cr + XX&\multispan{#1}XXXXX&XX\cr + XX&XX&XX&XX&XX\cr}} + + \testmspan{3} + + \newcount\columns + \columns=3 + \testmspan{\columns} + + \catcode`\@=11 + \def\multispan#1{\omit \mscount#1\relax + \loop\ifnum\mscount>\@ne \sp@n\repeat} + \catcode`\@=12 + + \testmspan{\columns} + + \bye + +i wonder how many people have noticed something slightly wrong but +never went out of their way to check? + -- bb + +[ reply from dek: + + $2.56 (which works out to about 28\cents{} per hour) + Thanks very much! + will be fixed in plain version 3.1 +] + + +######################################################################## + +Date: Sun 15 Sep 91 15:03:54-EST +Subject: bugs and questions for don + +don, here are some bug reports and other comments that have been +accumulating. i should have sent most of them earlier, but most +of these aren't "easy" ones, and i've been out of town so much + [ dek: ^^^^ rather an understatement ... + but nothing to match the earlier stuff on hyphenation & ligatures. ] +that i just never got them organized. + -- bb + [ dek: + No problem -- good thing in fat, because I just finished a + big project that was causing me to turn off all other mail -- + and I'm just about tostart another -- so Sep 17 was the day + I chose to look at TeX stuff. ] + + -------------------- +Contents: + question on "final" update to TeX and MF + TeXbook errata and questions + easy items + handling of space tokens + still a bug in p. 377 footnote + incompatibility of positive/negative integer values + file name overflow of string pool + TeX + handling of \newlinechar within \special + size of \smash'ed boxes + verifying that 8-bit input is supported + incompatibilities between \input and \openin + WEB system + dealing with repeating code in .WEB files + +************************************************************************ + +Question on "final" update to TeX and MF + +Who will be authorized to change the version numbers of TeX and MF +to $\pi$ and $e$ respectively? It might be a good idea just to have +this information "on the record"; perhaps a message to be placed on +file in the TUG office would suffice. + + [ dek: + I put such a message into TEX82.BUG and MF84.BUG some time ago, + so I presume any archive keeper could make the change. (Actually + it also implies changes to Volumes B and D also, and in the + `Running' chapters of Volumes A and C; so I have added a phrase + to TEX82.BUG and MF84.BUG. I guess the authorized person will + be my literary executor, given that my program is supposed to be + literate? + ] + +************************************************************************ + +TeXbook errata and questions -- easy items + +Date: Thu, 27 Jun 91 23:11:47 BST +From: CET1@phoenix.cambridge.ac.uk +Subject: A TeXbook possible-bug from Robert Hunt, etc + +> Submitted: 20:44:00 12 Apr 91 +> From: Robert Hunt <REH10> +> To: cet1 +> Subject: TeX +> +> I've just discovered a _very_ minor problem with the TeXbook, but I thought I'd +> point it out to you anyway, while there's already an outstanding problem being +> considered. I certainly don't think it's a real "bug" but it's certainly worth +> telling Knuth! I've just noticed that the only place in the TeXbook where it +> informs you that exactly one space token is ignored after a closing $$ is in +> the answer to Exercise 14.30, on page 316. It surely ought to mention this in +> some other places as well: in particular, it should be on page 287, and +> possibly on page 189 (though Knuth is unlikely to want to do this as it'd be +> difficult to avoid having to rearrange lots of text to fit!). + +I think that there is something in this, although I suspect that the +canonical place it should be documented is on page 293 (treatment of +$ and $$ when encountered in math mode), not page 287. Anyway, I think + [ dek: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ right +it deserves to have Don look at it: as far as I can make out there +haven't been any TeXbook changes that affect Robert's claim. + [ dek: + Aha, there _is_ room on page 293! + $2.56 ] + +i still have outstanding the various error reports about the p.377 +footnote. I will try to get back to you on this *soon* (sigh). + +Chris Thompson + ------- + +Date: Mon, 9 Sep 91 13:19:21 PDT +From: raymond@math.berkeley.edu (Raymond Chen) +Subject: TeXbook errata + +Please pass these on to DEK, as I ran across them in my marginal notes +after I mailed off my letter... + +They're all index items, and they're not really errata. + +add `\note: 318'. Many times I've wanted to find that macro and couldn't. + though perhaps keeping it under `footnotes: 121' is good enough. + [ dek: \check ] + +add `72' to \hss, even though it doesn't appear explicitly, since that + is where we learn exactly how much glue an \hss produces. (Curiously, + \hfil, \hfill, and \hfilneg are indexed for that page. \hss is the + odd man out.) + [ dek: 32\cents ] + +add `93' to `hyphenation', since that's where the most obvious method + of suppressing hyphenation is presented. (I get asked this quite a bit, + and it's annoying not to be able to say, ``Just check the index.'') + [ dek: $2.56 + included in check sent directly to him in response to his letter ] + +My proposals to change the index are usually rejected, but if DEK feels +like considering them, he can do so. + + --rjc + ------- + +Date: Sun, 18 AUG 91 17:57:27 +0100 +From: CA_ROWLEY@vax.acs.open.ac.uk +Subject: Bug in TeXbook + +whilst idly perusing Chap 24, looking for yet more amazing syntax and +overloading (of the latter, \font was a new one for me!), + [ dek: you knew about \span ] +i discovered in black and white in the middle of page 275 the bold +statement: + +"but in all cases this sign (=) is optional" + +now you and i know that Don knows perfectly well that this is not +true---to take a simple example (there are other more subtle ones), +the assignment: + +\let \equalsign = = + +here the first equals sign is essential. + [ dek: precisely _because_ it is optional! ] + +do you think Don wants to know about this? + [ dek: a (black and white) lie? ] + +chris + ------- + +Date: Wed, 21 Aug 91 12:12:15 +0200 +From: Eberhard Mattes <mattes@azu.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de> +Subject: Very insignificant error in The TeXbook? + +p. 96: +---------------------------------------------------------------------------- +Some compound words in German text change their spelling when they are +split between lines. For example, `backen' becomes `bak-ken' and `Bettuch' +becomes `Bett-tuch'. +---------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +I think `backen' isn't a compound word, if `compound word' meens +a word composed of two or more words (in contrast to syllables). + [ dek: + $2.56 + should i have used `backenfisch' instead? ] + + -Eberhard Mattes + ------- + +************************************************************************ + +TeXbook errata and questions -- still a bug in p. 377 footnote + +[ note that according to Chris Thompson, Robert Hunt had already + informed him that the p. 377 bug wasn't entirely fixed; however + this commentary reached me first. ] + +Date: Fri, 31 May 91 11:43:02 +From: Mike Piff <PM1MJP@primea.sheffield.ac.uk> +To: beebe <@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk:beebe@MATH.UTAH.edu> +Subject: Space tokens + +% Please forward to DEK. +% The scheme in the footnote on p377 of The TeXbook appears not to work. +% Mike Piff + +[ test code was included, but was replaced by later version, below ] + ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- + From Dr M. J. Piff, Department of Pure Mathematics, PO Box 597, + Hicks Noisy Building Site, Hounsfield Road, + [ dek:^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ beautiful ] + SHEFFIELD S10 2UN, England. + Tel. SHEFFIELD(0742) 768555 Extension 4431. + JANET MPiff@UK.AC.SHEF.PA or MPiff@UK.AC.SHEF.IBM + ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- + ------- +Date: Sat 1 Jun 91 23:32:27-EST +From: bbeeton <BNB@MATH.AMS.COM> +To: mpiff@pa.shef.ac.uk +Cc: beebe@math.utah.edu +Subject: texbook bug, footnote, p377 + +nelson beebe forwarded to me your bug report on the footnote on p.377 +of the texbook. +this was already reported just a couple of months ago. the attached +correction appears in the most recent errata.tex file (the seventh +such file). + -- bb + -------------------- + +\bugonpage A377, the bottom 14 lines (3/26/91) + +\eightpoint\indent +ASCII \<space>; the macro +also decides whether a space token is explicit or implicit. +\begintt +\newif\ifspace \newif\iffunny \newif\ifexplicit +\def\stest#1{\expandafter\s\the#1! \stest} +\def\s{\funnyfalse \global\explicitfalse \futurelet\next\ss} +\def\ss{\ifcat\noexpand\next\stoken \spacetrue + \ifx\next\stoken \let\next=\sss \else\let\next=\ssss \fi + \else \let\next=\sssss \fi \next} +\long\def\sss#1 #2\stest{\def\next{#1}% + \ifx\next\empty \global\explicittrue \fi} +\long\def\ssss#1#2\stest{\funnytrue {\uccode`#1=`~ + \uppercase{\ifcat\noexpand#1}\noexpand~% active funny space + \else \escapechar=\if*#1`?\else`*\fi + \if#1\string#1\global\explicittrue\fi \fi}} +\long\def\sssss#1\stest{\spacefalse} +\endtt + ------- +Date: Tue, 04 Jun 91 10:11:21 +From: Mike Piff <PM1MJP@primea.sheffield.ac.uk> +Subject: texbook bug, footnote, p377 + +I don't think the code you sent works. It gives an error message on \ftoken. +Mine definitely works, and correctly distinguishes the SIX different space +[dek:^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ha ha + touch\'e [and I sure thought I had tested it ... ] +tokens. + +Mike Piff + ------- +Date: Wed, 05 Jun 91 10:25:12 +From: Mike Piff <PM1MJP@primea.sheffield.ac.uk> +Subject: Re: texbook bug, footnote, p377 + +% I attach a cleaned-up version of what I sent before. This looks more like +% the footnote on p377 of The TeXbook. +% Mike Piff + +\newif\ifspace \newif\iffunny \newif\ifexplicit \newif\ifactive +\def\stest#1{\expandafter\s\the#1 \stest} +% [ dek: ^ put ! here in case the token list is empty ] +\def\s{\spacetrue\explicittrue\activefalse\funnyfalse\futurelet\next\ss} +% [ dek: ^ ^ \global (see page 301 near bottom) ] +\def\ss{\ifcat\noexpand\next\stoken + \ifx\next\stoken\let\next=\sss\else\let\next=\ssss\fi + \else\spacefalse\let\next=\sssss\fi\next} +\long\def\seeifactive#1{\expandafter\seex\string#1\seex} +\long\def\seex#1#2\seex{\def\Temp{#2}\ifx\Temp\empty\global\activetrue\fi} +\long\def\sss#1 #2\stest{\def\next{#1}% + \ifx\next\empty\else\explicitfalse\seeifactive{#1}\fi} +% [ dek: ^^ + bug if the token list has length >1 ] +\long\def\ssss#1#2\stest{\funnytrue + {\escapechar=\if*#1`?\else`*\fi +% [ dek: ^ \relax needed here I think + [Because TeX wants a space after `*! Otherwise the escapechar + isn't changed until after the \if#1\string#2 .] + diagonalization, eh? ] + \if#1\string#1\else\global\explicitfalse\seeifactive{#1}\fi}} +\long\def\sssss#1\stest{} +\def\CR{\immediate\write16{}} + + [ dek: + nice; I had decided in March to give up trying to distinguish + active ones! Actually this _doesn't_ quite work, but it is + my fault (a bug in 3.0: \string^^88 comes out of length 1 when + ^^88 is not active, but of length 4 when it's active; according + to page 213 it should be length 1 in both cases). + Also it fails to distinguish _active_ _funny_ * + from explicit funny *, + Also there's a problem when you make |_| active because string + converts that into a space token! Then \seex will have a + runaway argument because an undelimited parameter #1 can't be + a space token. + +-------+ + | Aargh | + +-------+ + _Also_ a problem when \next is \futurelet to be \if ... + ] + +\def\report{% + \ifspace + \ifexplicit + \message{explicit}% + \else + \message{implicit}% + \ifactive + \message{active}% + \fi + \fi + \iffunny\message{funny}\else\message{normal}\fi + \message{space}% + \else + \message{nonspace} + \fi + \CR +} + + +% and now, a few tests of the various possibilities + +\newtoks\Test + +\def\1{\let\stoken= }\1 % + +\catcode`\!=\active +\def\2{\let!= }\2 % ! active let to space + +\uccode` =`* +\uppercase{\uppercase{\def\fspace{ }\let\ftoken= } } +% \fspace expands to *space, \ftoken let to *space + +\catcode`[=\active +\edef\3{\let\noexpand[=\fspace\fspace}\3% [active let to *space + + [ dek: where used? ] + +\CR + +\Test={ } % explicit normal space +\stest\Test\report + +\Test=\expandafter{\fspace} % explicit funny space +\stest\Test\report + +\Test={\stoken} %implicit normal space +\stest\Test\report + +\Test={\ftoken} % implicit funny space +\stest\Test\report + +\Test={!} % active normal space +\stest\Test\report + +\catcode`|=\active \let|= \ftoken % active funny space +\Test={|} +\stest\Test\report + +\end + + [ dek: + see enclosed test [p377.tex, p377.log] which I think _really_ + puts the thing through its paces + [actually I did additional tests too because the enclosed + trials always set \escapechar to `?] + ] + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + +p377 dated September 20, 1991 at 1014 + + +% decoding space tokens (footnote on page A377) +% solution found with help of Mike Piff + +\newif\ifspace \newif\iffunny \newif\ifexplicit \newif\ifactive +\def\stest#1{\funnyfalse \expandafter\s\the#1! \stest} +\def\s{\global\explicitfalse \global\activefalse \futurelet\next\ss} +\def\ss{\ifcat\noexpand\next\stoken\let\nxt\sx\else\let\nxt\ns\fi\nxt} +\def\sx{\spacetrue\ifx\next\stoken\let\nxt\sss\else\let\nxt=\ssss\fi\nxt} +\long\def\sss#1 #2\stest{\def\next{#1}% + \ifx\next\empty\global\explicittrue \else\testactive#1\s\fi} +\long\def\ssss#1#2\stest{\funnytrue{\escapechar=\if*#1`?\else`*\fi\relax + \if#1\string#1\uccode`#1=`~ % we assume that ~ is an active character + \uppercase{\ifcat\noexpand#1}\noexpand~\global\activetrue + \else\global\explicittrue\fi + \else\testactive#1\s\fi}} +\long\def\ns#1\stest{\spacefalse} +\long\def\testactive#1#2\s{\expandafter\tact\string#1\s\tact} +\long\def\tact#1#2\tact{\def\next{#2}\ifx\next\xs\global\activetrue + \else\ifx\next\empty \global\activetrue\fi\fi} \def\xs{\s} + +\def\report#1{\message{#1:}% + \ifspace + \message{\ifexplicit ex\elseim\fi plicit}% + \ifactive\message{active}% + \message{\iffunny funny\else normal\fi space}% + \else\message{nonspace} + \fi + \CR} +\def\CR{\immediate\write16{}} + +\newtoks\Test + +\def\1{\let\stoken= }\1 % implicit normal space token +\catcode`\!=\active +\def\2{\let!= }\2 % active normal space token +\uccode` =`* +\uppercase{\uppercase{\def\fspace{ }\let\ftoken= } } +% \fspace expands to explicit funny space, \ftoken is implicit funny *space +\uccode` =0 + +\CR + +\test={ } +\stest\test\report1 % explicit normal space + +\test=\expandafter{\fspace} +\stest\test\report2 % explicit funny space + +\test={\stoken} +\stest\test\report3 % implicit normal space + +\test={\ftoken} +\stest\test\report4 % implicit funny space + +\test={!} +\stest\test\report5 % implicit active normal space + +\catcode`\^^99=\active \let^^99= \ftoken +\test={^^99\par} +\stest\test\report6 % implicit active funny space + +{\catcode`\*=\active \let*= ^^99 +\test={*} +\stest\test\report7 % implicit active funny space +} + +\test={} +\stest\test\report8 % nonspace + +\test={{ }} +\stest\test\report9 % nonspace + +\test={\if} +\stest\test\report{10} % dangerous nonspace + +\test={ \par} +\stest\test\report{11} % explicit normal space + +{\catcode`\ =\active\let =\stoken\stoken% +\test={ }% +\stest\test\report{12} % implicit active normal space +} + +{\catcode`\ =\active\let =\stoken\ftoken% +\test={ }% +\stest\test\report{13} % implicit active funny space +} + +\bye + +(end of file) + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + +This is TeX, Version 3.14a for SunOS (preloaded format=plain 91.9.20) + 20 SEP 1991 10:13 + [ dek: ^^^^^ Note! + [Same variations do _not_ work with version 3.14; + 3.14a is an experimental "\alpha test" for next release] + ] +**p377.tex +(p377.tex +\test=\toks12 + + +1: explicit normalspace + +2: explicit funnyspace + +3: implicit normalspace + +4: implicit funnyspace + +5: implicit active normalspace + +6: implicit active funnyspace + +7: implicit active funnyspace + +8: nonspace + +9: nonspace + +10: nonspace + +11: explicit normalspace + +12: implicit active normalspace + +13: implicit active funnyspace + + ) +No pages of output. + +(end of file) + + +######################################################################## + +%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% +% Character code reference +%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% +% +% Upper case letters: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ +% Lower case letters: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz +% Digits: 0123456789 +% Square, curly, angle braces, parentheses: [] {} <> () +% Backslash, slash, vertical bar: \ / | +% Punctuation: . ? ! , : ; +% Underscore, hyphen, equals sign: _ - = +% Quotes--right left double: ' ` " +%"at", "number" "dollar", "percent", "and": @ # $ % & +% "hat", "star", "plus", "tilde": ^ * + ~ +% +%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% + +[ end of message 032 ] +------- + |