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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/texline/no8/st.tex |
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diff --git a/info/digests/texline/no8/st.tex b/info/digests/texline/no8/st.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..538a897e7b --- /dev/null +++ b/info/digests/texline/no8/st.tex @@ -0,0 +1,112 @@ +\centerline{\bf Atari-ST \TeX} +\medskip +\noindent +In the February issue of \TeXline, an implementation of \TeX\ for +the {\sc Atari-ST}~(by Tools {\sc gmbh}) was reviewed. An alternative +implementation, this time by the \TeX sys, {\sc st\TeX}, +is the subject of the present review. The review copy was supplied as six +diskettes in compressed format contain \TeX, \IniTeX, \LaTeX, \BibTeX, \SliTeX, +\AmSTeX, as well as the screen preview program and associated fonts for a +wide range of magnifications. A shell menu, installation program +and a number of other utility programs are also included. The +review program was version~1.0 of \TeX~(version~2.92) and runs on +the 1040~STF and any of the larger machines. The use of a hard +disk is highly recommended, though the program will run happily on +a two disk drive system. + +To start with, it's good to see that the program comes equipped +with a {\sc gem}-style shell environment, so that the cycle of editing, +processing and previewing~(and even printing) can all be achieved +without the need to revert back to the desktop to load in the +individual application programs. To help tailor your own shell +environment and to deal with different system configurations, the +use of environment-variables~(similar to {\sc unix}) is supported and +these can be specified in a set-up file either using an editor or +from within the shell environment itself. Options specified in the +set-up file appear highlighted in the menu and can be invoked +either by using the mouse to select the desired option or by +directly using the function keys, the meanings of which are +reflected in a separate bar menu at the bottom of the screen. +Additionally, the use of command interpreters, for those who +prefer it to the menu, is also supported.\par +The present implementation was tested using \LaTeX\ sample files. +The format~(e.g. |lplain.fmt|) to be used can be specified in the +shell menu and is automatically loaded whenever \TeX\ is invoked. +As expected, no major problems were encountered.\par +Unlike the Tools implementation, here the screen previewing and +printing are done by separate programs. Although printer drivers +were not supplied, it appears from the documentation that a number +of printers are supported, including {\sc Epson-fx}, {\sc Epson-lq} and the +{\sc hp}-Laserjet. Consequently, as regards print quality, this could +not be properly assessed.\par +The screen preview program once started, loads in the \dvi\ +file of the current document being processed showing the first +page by default. Alternatively, the various options for the +preview program can be prespecified in the set-up file or set from +the shell menu. The display uses a default screen resolution of +100 dpi, and the text appears quite legible. The physical page +limits are also highlighted by default. The text can be moved +around by selecting the appropriate option from the menu bar or +alternatively using the cursor keys short cuts provided. The +{\sc return} key pressed repeatedly has a stepping action, moving the +text from right to left and then down when the right edge of the +text is reached. The mouse can be used to set the top-left or +bottom-right corners of the text. This can be forced to be +the new reference point which can then be returned to using the +{\sc home} key. Options for moving to the next or previous page as well +as skipping a number of pages in either direction have also been +provided. In addition, the text can be viewed at standard +reduction ratios of 4:1 and 9:1. Other magnification factors can +also be selected as long as the appropriate fonts are available, +otherwise the program automatically uses substitute fonts. The +standard fonts supplied cover a range from |\magstep0| through +to |\magstep5|. As an added bonus, the preview program permits +the inclusion of bit-mapped graphics. Graphical data stored in +{\sc degas} format need to be converted first using a utility program +supplied as part of the package. Unfortunately, despite numerous +attempts, the preview program kept complaining about `Bad File' +format, thus ignoring the graphical information. + +I am +impressed with this latest effort, which is quite thorough and +does not appear to have any serious bugs. Details of the various +aspects of the implementation are covered in accompanying +leaflets, a copy of which is included on the diskettes in \dvi\ +format. It is also encouraging to see that some of the +enhancements suggested in the February issue of \TeXline\ have been +implemented here. + +Finally, I would like to suggest a number of improvements for +future versions. To begin with, the use of environment variables +should be extended to allow the path for various output +files~(e.g. {\dvi}, {|.log|, {|.aux|}, etc.) and also the +read-, write- and even graphic files to be independently +specified. Secondly, I feel that inclusion of {\sc gem} slider bars in +the preview program would be a very welcomed addition, since +it provides an indication of what portion of the text is being +viewed and is more natural for people familiar with {\sc gem} for moving +around a document. Provision of some sort of magnifying glass for +viewing a selectable portion of text at a readable magnification, +while in reduced or tiny modes, would be an added advantage. One +last point concerns the log file of the preview program. At +present any warning messages or messages regarding font +substitutions are written to a file and on exit the user is +reminded to read this log file if it has been generated. This is +inconvenient since it would mean either leaving the shell menu or +loading this log file into the editor in order to read it. Apart +from this I have noticed that this log file keeps ending up in the +editor sub-directory~(Why?). I suggest that an option be provided +for the user to assign a separate window to this log file so that +any messages issued by the program can be read and acted upon by +the user interactively. + +The price of {\sc st}\TeX\ on its own, as described above, is \quid85.00, +but when bought together with the {\sc hp} LaserJet driver the figure is +\quid188.00. Bought with the dot matrix drivers, the combined total ({\sc +st}\TeX\ with {\sc dvidot}) is \quid160.00. Both driver packs can be bought +separately, at \quid128.00 and \quid100.00 respectively. \TeX sys also offer +{\sc st}{\mf MF}, their \MF\ implementation at \quid68.00. It is difficult to +say whether the iniquitous {\sc vat} would be applicable if you purchased +directly from \TeX sys. +\smallskip +\rightline{\sl Bijan Djahansouzi} |