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author | Norbert Preining <norbert@preining.info> | 2019-09-02 13:46:59 +0900 |
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committer | Norbert Preining <norbert@preining.info> | 2019-09-02 13:46:59 +0900 |
commit | e0c6872cf40896c7be36b11dcc744620f10adf1d (patch) | |
tree | 60335e10d2f4354b0674ec22d7b53f0f8abee672 /info/digests/tex-mag/v4.n2 |
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diff --git a/info/digests/tex-mag/v4.n2 b/info/digests/tex-mag/v4.n2 new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..1f880ae6aa --- /dev/null +++ b/info/digests/tex-mag/v4.n2 @@ -0,0 +1,589 @@ +*=============================================================================* +| | +| =====//===== \\ // ____ A Mostly Unofficial | +| // \\ // |\ /| // Publication for Users | +| // //====== \V/ ||\ //| \\ of the TeX Typesetting | +| // // // \\ || \// | /\ \\ ===\ System. | +| // //==== // \\ || | // \ \\ | | +| // // // \\ || | //===\ \\___/ Volume 4, Number 2 | +| //======= // \ Distribution: 2150 or so | +| | +*=============================================================================* + +Contents + +Departments + \headline..........................................................1 + \footnote..........................................................2 + ToolBox............................................................3 +Features + Reader's Survey....................................................4 + Bart Childs' Thoughts on TUG.......................................5 + Notes on Coming Issues.............................................6 + + + + + + + + + + +TeXMaG Volume 4 Number 2 page 1 + +*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------* +| \headline{TeXMaG's New Look...} | +*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------* + +TeXMaG is undergoing some changes, the biggest of which is a change of +editorial staff. Formerly, as we all know, it was produced by Don +Hosek, who is putting TeXMaG aside for greater and grander pursuits. +In the past TeXMaG was published rather sporadically. We would like +to change this and produce TeXMaG close to once a month. If this +becomes an unreasonable goal, it will be published regularly, no less +that once every two months. + +In the past TeXMaG has been a sort of melting pot for articles ranging +from macros to device drivers to fonts to beginning topics in both TeX +and LaTeX. We feel it would be good to narrow the scope of TeXMaG +somewhat. While we feel it should definitely be a valuable resource +for TeX and LaTeX users alike, we also feel its topics should be more +centralized as an aid to the reader. This issue contains a Reader's +Survey which we feel will help guide us in finding your biggest needs. +PLEASE! Help us by filling it out and returning it by July 20. + +In addition, we would also like to start a letters to the editor +column. Feel free to send your comments and suggestions for TeXMaG to +my address (which is listed about a dozen times in this issue so I +won't type it again). + +This issue is abbreviated in size due to the change in editing staff +coupled with the fact that we wanted to get the survey out as quickly +as possible. The last article details some upcoming features to look +for in future issues. + +-ed. + + + + + + + + + +TeXMaG Volume 4, Issue 2 page 2 + +*----------------------------------------------------------------------------* +| \footline{The Banner Contest} | +*----------------------------------------------------------------------------* + +Avid readers of the TeXMaG probably noticed the revised banner. We +thought it was time for a change, but we were not perfectly satisfied +with the results. While we thought it looked nice and was a good +effort, we feel more could be done. + + ***** NOW HERE THIS!! ****** + +We are calling for all interested parties to butt your heads together +and devise a new banner. We are going to have a judging between now and +the next issue to determine the winner. The prize? Well, your banner +will be the NEW banner and we will announce your name and put your +banner in the next issue of TeXMaG. Of course, all entries are subject +to the approval of the editing staff, and we reserve the right to keep +the current banner if we deem it to be the best (so there!). + +Regulations for a New Banner: Only standard printable characters. +80-columns wide. Must reserve a place for volume, issue, and distrib- +ution counts. The current caption describing TeXMaG is fine, but if +you think you have a better one, send it in. + +Send entries to NABTEXM@TAMVENUS (NABTEXM@VENUS.TAMU.EDU). + +-ed. + + + + + + + + + +TeXMaG Volume 4, Issue 2 page 3 + +*----------------------------------------------------------------------------* +| The ToolBox | +*----------------------------------------------------------------------------* + +In this month's ToolBox we have a LaTeX style file which allows you to +create an outlined box with a shadow; following we have a plain TeX +macro to do the same. In addition, the TeX macro allows you the option +of having angled corners on the shadowed box. + +We played around with the style file some and got some nice results. +You can put an entire paragraph in the box if you like; however we did +have some problems trying to use this in multiple column mode, so +don't try that unless you are sure your box is less than the column +width. + +(Mauro, any solutions to this problem?) + +(cut here for LaTeX style file) +------------------------------------------------------------------------ +% +% File: SHADOW.STY +% (adapted from the file dropshadow.tex by drstrip@cd.sandia.gov) +% +% Creation date: 6 June 1990 +% +% Abstract: The command \sbox has the same meaning of the LaTeX command +% \fbox except for the fact that a "shadow" is added to the +% bottom and the right side of the box. +% It computes the right dimension of the box, also if the text +% spans over more than one line; in this case a warning message +% is given. +% There are three parameters governing: +% 1. the width of the lines comprising the box -> \sboxrule +% 2. the separation between the edge of the box +% and its contents -> \sboxsep +% 3. the dimension of the shadow -> \sdim +% To use this file put it in the preamble, as usual: +% \documentstyle[...,shadow,...]{...} +% +% Syntax: \sbox{<text>} +% where <text> is the text to be put in the framed box +% Example: \sbox{This is an example.} +% +% Author: Mauro Orlandini +% International School for Advanced Studies - Trieste - Italy +% ORLANDIN@ITSSISSA +% 38007::ORLANDINI +% +\newdimen\sht \newdimen\shw \newbox\shbox +\newdimen\sboxsep \newdimen\sboxrule \newdimen\sdim +\sboxsep = 10pt +\sdim = 4pt +\sboxrule = .4pt +\def\sbox#1{\setbox\@tempboxa\hbox{#1} +\shw\wd\@tempboxa +\ifdim\shw<\textwidth + \leavevmode\setbox\@tempboxa\hbox{#1} +\else + \typeout{Warning. Box dimension greater than textwidth.} + \setbox\@tempboxa\vbox{\hsize\textwidth\advance\hsize-2\sboxsep + \advance\hsize-2\sboxrule \advance\hsize-\sdim#1} +\fi + \setbox\shbox\hbox{\@tempdima\sboxrule + \advance\@tempdima \sboxsep \advance\@tempdima \dp\@tempboxa + \hbox{\lower \@tempdima\hbox + {\vbox{\hrule \@height \sboxrule + \hbox{\vrule \@width \sboxrule \hskip\sboxsep + \vbox{\vskip\sboxsep \box\@tempboxa\vskip\sboxsep}\hskip + \sboxsep\vrule \@width \sboxrule} + \hrule \@height \sboxrule}}}} +\sht\ht\shbox \advance\sht-\sdim +\leavevmode\vbox{\baselineskip0pt\lineskip0pt + \hbox{\copy\shbox\vrule width\sdim height\sht} + \hbox{\kern\sdim\vrule height\sdim width \wd\shbox}}} +% +% End of SHADOW.STY +% +____________________________________________________________________ +(cut here) + +Here is a similar macro for use in plain TeX. The format is +\shadowbox{...text...}. You also have the option of angled edges +(which is the default). To get non angled edges, the appropriate +command is \anglesfalse. The accuracy of the angled edges can be +adjusted. The default is 50 (this means that there are 50 hrules in +each of the angles). Use the \accuracy= token to do this. + +Of course, to typeset a paragraph, put the text into a \vbox within +\shadowbox. + +(cut here for TeX macro) +--------------------------------------------------------------------- +% +% Shadow Box Macro v1.0 +% +% Academic Computing Services +% +% Texas A&M University +% +% Written by Robert Nilsson (RANHELP@VENUS.TAMU.EDU) +% +\message{<Shadow Box v1.0, ACS, TAMU (RANHELP@VENUS.TAMU.EDU)>} +% +% Control Values +% +\newdimen\shadowwidth +\shadowwidth=4pt +\newdimen\normalwidth +\normalwidth=0.4pt +\newcount\accuracy +\accuracy=50 +\newif\ifangles +\anglestrue +% +% Define \shadowbuff to be the amount of space on +% either side of the contents of the box. +% +\def\shadowbuff{\quad} +% +% Internal Variables +% +\newdimen\shadowboxwd +\newdimen\shadowboxht +\newcount\shadowloop +\newdimen\shadowamount +% +% Macro Body +% +\def\shadowbox#1{% + \setbox0=\hbox{\strut\shadowbuff#1\shadowbuff}% + \shadowboxwd=\wd0% + \shadowboxht=\ht0% + \advance\shadowboxht by \dp0% + \advance\shadowboxht by -\shadowwidth% + \advance\shadowboxht by 2\normalwidth% + \shadowamount=\shadowwidth% + \divide\shadowamount by \accuracy% + \vbox{\hbox{\vrule width\normalwidth% + \vbox{\hrule height\normalwidth% + \hbox to\shadowboxwd{\box0}\hrule height\normalwidth}\vrule% + \shadowloop=\accuracy% + \hbox{\vbox{% + \ifangles + \loop% + \ifnum\shadowloop>0% + \hbox to \shadowwidth{\leaders\hrule height + \shadowamount\hfil% + \hskip\shadowloop\shadowamount}\nointerlineskip% + \advance\shadowloop by -1% + \repeat% + \else% + \vskip \shadowwidth% + \fi% + \hbox to \shadowwidth{\leaders\hrule height\shadowboxht\hfil}}}% + }\nointerlineskip% + \advance\shadowboxwd by 2\normalwidth% + \shadowloop=0% + \hbox{\hbox to \shadowwidth{% + \ifangles% + \vbox{% + \loop% + \ifnum\shadowloop<\accuracy% + \hbox to \shadowwidth{\hskip\shadowloop\shadowamount% + \leaders\hrule height \shadowamount\hfil}\nointerlineskip% + \advance\shadowloop by 1% + \repeat}% + \else% + \hfil% + \fi}% + \hbox to \shadowboxwd{\leaders\hrule height \shadowwidth\hfil}}}}% +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + + +TeXMaG Volume 4, Issue 2 page 4 + +*----------------------------------------------------------------------------* +| Reader's Survey | +*----------------------------------------------------------------------------* + +PLEASE! We need YOUR help to make TeXMaG the electronic mailer YOU want +it to be. Help us by editing the (short) survey below with your favorite +text editor and returning it to the address below. + + Name________________________________________________________________ + E-mail Address______________________________________________________ + +Part I. + + What kind of Machine do you run TeX on? (Check all applicable answers) + ___ VAX running VMS ___ Unix system + ___ IBM running VM/CMS ___ IBM running MVS + ___ SUN ___ Apple MacIntosh + ___ IBM PC or Clone ___ Amiga + ___ Other (Specify)______________ + + What type of printer do you use? + ___ PostScript ___ HP LaserJet Series // + ___ DEC LN03 (or compatible) + ___ Xerox 4050/9700 ___ Dot Matrix Printer + ___ QMS Laser Printer ___ Other, specify: + ______________________________ + + Which version of TeX are you currently running? + ___ 3.0 ___ 2.9x ___ Other:___ ___ Not sure + + + Which of the following do you subscribe to/read regularly? + ___ TeXHAX (Arpanet mailing list) ___ TUGBoat + ___ TeXline ___ Other__________________ + + +Part II (The important part.) + + What would you like to see in the coming year in TeXMaG? + (check all applicable) + ___ Beginning Articles on TeX, LaTeX, etc. + ___ Intermediate Articles on TeX, LaTeX, etc. + ___ Advanced Macros and Articles for TeX, Latex, etc. + ___ Graphics in TeX + ___ Articles on installing/upgrading TeX, et al... + ___ Reviews of TeX formats/services/utilities... + ___ Articles you don't find anywhere else + ___ Other __________________________________________________ + __________________________________________________ + +The one thing I dislike most about TeXMaG is________________________ +____________________________________________________________________ +____________________________________________________________________ +___________________________________________________________________. + +The one thing I like the most about TeXMaG is_______________________ +____________________________________________________________________ +____________________________________________________________________ +____________________________________________________________________ +___________________________________________________________________. + +More than anything, I wish TeXMaG talked more about_________________ +___________________________________________________________________. + +I feel I get repeated information in TeXMaG. It isn't anything new. + ___Agree ____Disagree. + + + +Additional Comments: +___________________________________________________________________ +___________________________________________________________________ +___________________________________________________________________ +___________________________________________________________________ +___________________________________________________________________ +___________________________________________________________________ +___________________________________________________________________ + + +Return this survey to NABTEXM@TAMVENUS (that's +NABTEXM@VENUS.TAMU.EDU to those of you on internet) +sometime before July 20. We will use this information to help +point TeXMaG in the right direction. A summary of the results +will be published in the next issue. + + + + + + + + + + + +TeXMaG Volume 4, Issue 2 page 5 + +*----------------------------------------------------------------------------* +| Bart Childs' Thoughts on TUG | +*----------------------------------------------------------------------------* + +Bart Childs, the local host for the recent TeX User's Group +Annual Conference, was kind enough to post his reflections on +the classes and meeting. Our thanks goes out to him for his hard +work and his desire to make the meeting the best it could be. + + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + + Some Reflections on Hosting a Meeting + + (by S. Bart Childs) + + +Let me begin with a few ramblings. Those of you who weren't here +might be helped by the following annotated capsule of the conference +and some related activities. + +My last conference at Stanford was wonderful and frustrating. +Each day of the conference we had 1.5 hours for lunch. The TUG +Board of Directors spent at least 10 minutes (probably more like +15) walking to lunch, meeting until the line was short, breaking +and going through the line, eating, meeting, and then allowing +10 minutes to hurry back to the conference. We lost a valuable +time to meet with "our constituents." This time we scheduled +Sunday from noon till five and that was not enough! Next year it +will probably be scheduled for 8 till 5 and be through at 10:30. + +I have heard lots of good reports on the courses before and after +the conference. This is in spite of the horrible problems I had +with the equipment. File served PS2s are a logical way to provide +a lot of TeX with previewers ... to a lot of people. However, +there are problems. Ours was not transparent! Help files placed +in /usr/tex/inputs from the unix side of the server were not +compatible with the PC's TeX. The utilities to convert between +did not work! There were errors in PATH on systems without hard +drives... + +The actual conference was held on the usual Monday, Tuesday, +Wednesday schedule. We had a get acquainted "ethnic feast" +on Sunday night, for a price. About 70 percent of those registered +paid and were there (I think a few more sneaked in.) +This started out with snacks from a Mexican Restaurant and +was to be followed by a wonderful TeXas barbecue. Well, +when my handwritten instructions were converted to the order, +the time I left for clean up and be gone got used as the time +to serve. That was the longest hour and a half in my life. +We had a polka band from a nearby Czech community for entertainment. +I invited seven couples from the area to be designated dancers. +The band had to start before the main course was served. +They broke while we ate because they got to eat, too. +We had a ball, even our Executive Director, Ray Goucher, +did the "Chicken Dance." + +Most of the Monday schedule is necessary and boring stuff. +We had elections, status reports, business meeting, ... +I am sure that some of the new attendees wondered. We finally +got to TeX things in the last session of the day. The last +two days were primarily papers that you would expect at a +TeX conference. + +We had a good set of exhibitors showing some really good TeX +systems. Really neat gifts were given by TUG and the exhibitors. +We got key fobs, nard badges, TeX rulers, bought T-shirts, ... +The worst loss was one vendor's high resolution display was +damaged in transit and couldn't show his wares. + +The conference was held on campus but campus housing was not +offered because we wanted to gauge the effects of having ONE place +(a hotel in this case) for everybody. We generally rode back and +forth in shuttles. The after hours meetings were held in hotel +facilities. + +I had some wonderful helpers and volunteers. The only problem is +that I should have always finished every conference or agreement +by putting it in writing and copying everybody. That would have +avoided the problem like I had with the BBQ. + +In retrospect, I thought it was a wonderful conference. We had +some really good discussions, disagreements, and agreements. I +guess one of the most telling stories is: + + + One person saw me standing across the room and was + on his way to thank me for the conference. As he + walked he thought about what he would say and was + going to start it with a compliment about the BBQ + and dance. He planned to mention my friends who + danced with any willing experimenters. On the way, + he heard from another conversation, "it was really + a good conference but we sure could do without the + dancing and singing." + + +A recommendation to the next local host: if you have any +continuing local obligations you had better have a good and +available staff to carry the load for you. + + + + + + + + + +TeXMaG Volume 4, Issue 2 page 6 + +*----------------------------------------------------------------------------* +| An Afterthought on Coming Issues | +*----------------------------------------------------------------------------* + +Like we mentioned earlier, this issue has been abbreviated for various +reasons. But stay tuned! Next issue promises to have a Tables Macro +called S-Tables (don't know what the S stands for, yet). It provides +multi-row, multi-column, variant-width ruled tables (by variant I +mean you can *easily* set the width of rules throughout the table). +In addition, it provides for easy paragraph insertion into a table +which again can span multiple columns and rows. Full documentation +will be provided. + +We also will have survey results, and you can be sure to see TeXMaG +grow to fit the interests of the general reader as best as we can. + +Feel free to submit articles you feel would be a general help to the +TeX community. We are at present accepting articles on all aspects of +TeX, MetaFont, etc. Macros and style files are always helpful, too. + +-ed. + + + + + + + + + +---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +TeXMaG is an independently published electronic magazine available +free of charge to all interested parties reachable by electronic +mail. It is published monthly. Letters to the editor may be sent to +NABTEXM@TAMVENUS (BITNet) or NABTEXM@VENUS.TAMU.EDU (Internet) and +may be published in a future issue. + + Publisher: Academic Computing Services of + Texas A&M University + + Managing Editor: Neil Burleson + TeX Editor: Robert Nilsson + LaTeX Editor: Saad Mir + Graphics/TeX Editor Stewart Robinson + Copy Editor: Diana Armstrong + + Chief Consultant: John McClain, Ph.D + + + SUBSCRIPTIONS: + CDNnet: Send a note to <list-request@relay.cdnnet.ca> asking to receive + TeXMaG. + JANET: Send a note to Peter Abbott, <Abbottp@Uk.Ac.Aston> asking to + receive TeXMaG. + All others: Send the following command as an interactive message + (Bitnet) or as a single-line mail message to LISTSERV@UICVM + or LISTSERV@UICVM.UIC.EDU: + SUBS TEXMAG-L Your_Full_Name. + If you have difficulty doing this, send a note to Neil Burleson + <NABTEXM@VENUS.TAMU.EDU>. + + SUBMISSIONS: + Please send submissions to <TEXMAG-L@UICVM.UIC.EDU> or + <TEXMAG-L@UICVM>; they will automatically be forwarded to the + editor. + + BACK ISSUES: + Back issues may be FTP'd from YMIR.CLAREMONT.EDU from the directory + [ANONYMOUS.TEX.PERIODICALS.TEXMAG] + + Back issues may also be FTP'd from SUN.SOE.CLARKSON.EDU from the + directory pub/texmag. Users without FTP access may request back + issues from the Clarkson repository by sending a mail message + to <archive-server@sun.soe.clarkson.edu> with the form + path A_MAIL_PATH_FROM_CLARKSON_TO_YOU + get texmag texmag.V.NN + where V is the volume number and NN is the issue number. Including + a line "index texmag" in the message will return a list of back + issues available. + + Back issues may also be FTP's from SCIENCE.UTAH.EDU from the file + BBD:TEXMAG.TXT. + + Janet users may obtain back issues from the Aston archive. + DECNET/SPAN users may obtain them from the Decnet repository (see + below). + + +\bye bye! +% End of TeXMaG +%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% |