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diff --git a/usergrps/uktug/baskervi/3_2/phons.tex b/usergrps/uktug/baskervi/3_2/phons.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..da915e5c0c --- /dev/null +++ b/usergrps/uktug/baskervi/3_2/phons.tex @@ -0,0 +1,454 @@ +\newcommand{\itemp}[1]{\item[{\series{bx}\selectfont #1}\hfill\ ]} +%\newcommand{\notin}{\in\hspace*{-3.5mm}/} +\font\mfont=logo10 +\hyphenchar\mfont=-1 +\def\METAFONT{{\mfont METAFONT}} +\def\README{\verb|readme.eng| or \verb|readme.ger|} +\def\vierdos{{\sc 4DOS}} +\def\amspell{{amSpell}} +\def\qedit{{Qedit}} +\def\wpf{{Wordperfect}} +\def\bs{$\backslash$} +\def\turbop{{Turbo Pascal}} +\def\turboc{{Turbo C}} +\def\babel{{\sf babel}} +\def\nfss{{\sf NFSS}} +\def\bibdb{BiBDB} +\def\makeindx{MakeIndx} +\def\dvidrv{{\sf dvidrv}} +\def\mfjob{{\sf MFJob}} +\def\gs{{Ghostscript}} +\def\bmtofont{{\sf BM2FONT}} +\def\texshell{{\TeX Shell}} +\def\texhelp{{\TeX Help}} +\def\emtex{{em\TeX }} +\def\minitex{{\sc \sf 4all\TeX}} +\def\viertex{{\rm 4\kern-.125em\TeX}} +\def\texcad{\TeX cad} +\def\emtex{{em\TeX }} +\def\minitex{{\sc \sf 4all\TeX}} +\def\bibtex{{BiB\TeX }} +\title{Shells for \TeX } +\author[Phons Bloemen]{Phons Bloemen\\ +Information \& Communication Theory\\ + Dept. of Electrical Engineering\\ + Eindhoven University of Technology\\ + The Netherlands\\{\tt Phons@EI.ELE.TUE.NL}} + +\begin{article} +{\sl [Editor's note: I am grateful to +Phons Bloemen and Gerard van Nes (editor) for permission to reprint this +article from MAPS 93.2, the journal of the Nederlandstalige \TeX\ +Gebruikersgroep.]} + +\section{Introduction} +The well-known \emtex\ package of Eberhard Mattes has brought +\TeX\ and its companions into the reach of the PC-compatible computers. +Besides a good implementation of \TeX\ and \METAFONT\ (even for various +processors like 8088, 80168 and 80386, which make use of +additional features like `protected mode', and special `big' versions), +\emtex\ offers an excellent previewer, which works on various +graphic screens from Hercules to (S)VGA. There are also printer +drivers for HP Laserjet and for nearly all dot matrix printers +(by making a little configuration {\tt .dot} file). A dozen +handy utilities come with the package, like \bibtex, \makeindx, +\texcad, and \mfjob. + +Because this is a collection of various programs, some way of +integration must be found, especially for users who want to make +\TeX\ their main document preparation system, and do not want to +be bothered by MSDOS commands. Furthermore, an integrated +environment consisting of an editor with function keys for the +various \TeX\ operations and utilities would greatly improve the +acceptation of \TeX\ by a large group of users, especially in +'\wpf\ country: The Netherlands'. + +I reviewed two environments by installing them on my home +\emtex\ installation, and on a `clean 1990 \emtex\ distribution'. +The latter is the distribution of 6 high-density disks of \emtex, +as it was released in 1990. Since, there have been various +updates on several programs, but more about that later. +My own \emtex\ distribution runs on a 386/25Mhz clone, and is +up-to-date, with the beta-test releases of \TeX, \dvidrv\ and +\METAFONT\ installed. I also installed \babel\ and \nfss, and a large +collection of fonts, and the \amspell\ spell checker. The +packages were also tested on a 286/8Mhz clone with Hercules +display. After installation, I used the two environments to make +some documents (including this one). + +\section{\texshell} +\texshell\ is an integrated environment for the \emtex\ family, +authored by J\"urgen Schlegelmilch. It is based on Borland's Turbo +Vision, and it looks a lot like the integrated environment of +Borland's programming languages like \turboc\ and \turbop. +Version 2.6 comes in a {\tt .ZIP} archive of 619 kilobytes. +It can be obtained from various FTP-servers, +like {\tt ftp.uni-stuttgart.de}. The archive contains a German and an +English version. Version 2.6 was released in September 1993. Most of the +evaluation is based on version 2.5.2. + +\subsection{Installation} +The installation is simple: unzip the archive and the files will be placed +in the correct directory in the \verb|\emtex| hierarchy. +Then the file \verb|\emtex\TEXSHELL.CFG| must be edited to +record the drive on which it is installed. It is possible to +install \texshell\ in a user-defined directory, but this is not recommended. +No files of the already installed \emtex\ need to be changed. +Start the program with +\begin{verbatim} +c:\emtex> texshell +\end{verbatim} +Now the \texshell\ manual advises you to check the {\em Options} menu, +to examine and adjust the other options to your own needs. The +{\em Options} menu has a consistency check built in: if you enter +something impossible (a reference to a program you +do not have, or an incorrect path name), the input window will +not disappear, and the cursor keeps blinking on the error. The +preloaded configuration is sufficient for a base installation of +\emtex\ (i.e. the `1990' distribution, with the german format files). + +\subsection{Customization} +If you want to change the external commands, or install new ones, +you have to dig into the manual. \texshell\ is very powerful +in calling external programs, but it takes some study to understand how +to make such a call. + +There are a few predefined menu options for the `standard' +\emtex\ utilities such as \dvidrv, \bibtex, \texcad, \makeindx, +these also have their own predefined `hotkeys'. With respect to +the dvi-drivers: it is possible to install a screen +previewer, a draft and a final printer (in most cases: {\tt +dviscr, dvidot, dvihplj}). This flaw has been corrected in version +2.6: here you can install up to 32 printing devices, and a screen +previewer. There is also a {\em User} menu, +where you can install your own programs: I tested this with +\amspell. + +For all external programs, the installation procedure +is the same: you can choose from a series of {\em +templates} to construct a command-line to call external programs +like \TeX\ itself, {\tt dviscr}, {\tt dvidot} and so on. +These `templates' depend on the filename being edited, the format file used +(\TeX, \LaTeX) and various directory names you can install in the {\em +Options} menu. +Furthermore, you can assign an {\em environment} to each call. Settings in +this environments are provided as DOS environment variables to the +program when it is called from \texshell. If you call a batch file as +external command, the COMSPEC variable must be set in the environment +(this is not mentioned in the manual)! The process of +installing your own tools is tedious, and there are a few caveats. + +For the `bare metal hackers': the configuration file {\tt +TEXSHELL.CFG} is a plain ASCII file. It looks a lot like a +Windows {\tt .INI} file, and you can edit it to your wishes. + +\subsection{Editor} +The editor provided by \texshell\ is much like a standard +\turbop/\turboc\ editor. The command structure is like old +Wordstar with its Ctrl-K and Ctrl-Q commands, it works very quickly. +The editor has a limit of 64 kilobytes per file, but it may have several +files opened at the same time. It is possible to transfer text +from one file to another using a clipboard and cut-n-paste. +There are 10 function keys to put macros under. The editor provides +wordwrap, but there is no way to make this the default. It also provides +full mouse support for pointing the cursor, moving, sizing, closing +windows and menu bar selection. + +The package looks very colorful. On the slow machine with the +Hercules display, the default `colors' do not look very well. +A little playing with the `color customization' menu improved +things a lot, but the program does not recognize monochrome +displays. + +There is a nice edit file selection scheme, which again much +resembles the one used in \turbop. The editor provides a `primary' +\TeX\ file: when \TeX\ is run, it starts with this file. +\texshell\ records its configuration together with the primary +file, by writing a {\tt .DSK} file. + +\subsection{Compile and preview} +There is a menu {\em TeX} on the menu bar which gives access to +these functions. Most of them have a `hotkey'. A very nice +feature is an separate menu to view the log file of the command +just executed in a {\em Log Window}, varying from \TeX\ to previewer +and \bibtex. The `e' option of \TeX\ (provided when there is an error) +is fully implemented, and with Ctrl-Q E / Ctrl-Q W you can go to the +next/previous \TeX\ error or warning! You can also use the {\em +Log Window} to find out from which file an error originated, by +point-and-shoot on the errors in the log file. Great if +you are editing a big document, or are playing around with +user-written style files. + +The previewer can be operated by a `hotkey' without any problems +(only the installation of \mfjob\ took some time, but everything works fine). + +\subsection{Help system} +F1 gives context sensitive help: it provides help for the +function you have selected. There is `help on Help' and with Sft-F1 you +can browse through an index and view the whole help file. The +help files are in English or German. There is also online \TeX\ help: +in an edit window you can put the cursor on a \TeX\ command, +and get help on that command with Ctrl-F1. + +\subsection{Manuals} +The \texshell\ manual seems to be `not yet ready'. It is more a +listing of all the features of every window. It contains a little +section on what files you should have, and how to install +\texshell. Then there is a extended explanation of the use of +{\em templates} and {\em environments}, and how to install new +commands. The last section of the manual explains how to use \texshell: +it is a list of command grouped per menu on the menu bar, and a +list of the editor functions. Everything is documented, but there +is no such thing as a `guided tour'. There is an appendix +containing a revision history. + +\subsection{Miscellaneous} +This section contains a few remarks on other features of the +system.\begin{itemize} +\item Installation of new format files is simple when you have +generated the appropriate {\tt .FMT} files. However, it is not +possible to assign \emtex\ command line options to each format +file. Version 2.6 has a new option to do this, but you can also +work around it with batch files. +\item \texshell\ provides good printing support. Before printing there +is a menu to enter first and last page, and the number of pages to print. +The `complete' print job is given as a default. You can enter your +own \dvidrv\ options (if you want to print two A5 sheets sideways). +\item \texshell\ provides no spelling support. With some effort, I +managed to install \amspell\ in \texshell, using the {\em User} +menu and a couple of batch files. \amspell\ provides all spelling +checking you want. +\item \texshell\ does not support \METAFONT\ when run `stand-alone' +You then have to install it in a batch file in the {\em User} menu. +\METAFONT\ is supported through \mfjob\ for automatic font generation. +\item I had to change the `default' {\tt TEXSHELL.CFG} to +customize it to my needs (installed \amspell, \METAFONT, \mfjob, +\bibdb). Contact me for copies of the {\tt TEXSHELL.CFG}) file. +\end{itemize} + +\section{\viertex} +\viertex\ is authored by Wietse Dol, Erik Frambach and Maarten +van der Vlerk, from the University of Groningen. This integrated +environment is based on JP Softwares \vierdos\ and SemWares \qedit. +The system is a large +collection of \vierdos\ `batch' {\tt .BTM} files, which perform the +various file-handling actions and call the programs from the +\emtex\ collection. To make the system work +nice, the authors have written several little utility programs to +perform selection functions.The system was written to +operate in networked environments, where the \emtex\ files are +placed on a Novell network server, and the users run the programs +from the network disk. +The review is based on version 2.15 of \viertex. +I will make some references to version 2.20: this is a +'$\beta$test-version' for the upcoming version 3.0 of \viertex. + +\subsection{Installation} + +\viertex\ was founded as a `complete' system, containing +the complete \emtex\ package, \amspell, \gs\ and so on. +The archive {\tt obelix.icce.rug.nl} in Groningen has organized the +package in several parts: take a look at the various {\tt .TXT} files. +The shell itself hides in {\tt 4TEX.ARJ}. This package is +intended for use on an existing `standard' \emtex\ installation. +It is about 3 megabytes, and contains the \vierdos\ {\tt .BTM} +files, updates to various \emtex\ utilities, and the shareware +distributions of {\tt PKZIP}, \qedit\ and \vierdos\ version 4. As a bonus, +over a 100 new style files will flood your \verb|\emtex\texinput| directory. +The \viertex\ shell itself is about 300 `compressed' kilobytes, +and the `isolated' shell can be installed on an existing em\TeX\ installation. + +Installation is done as follows: \begin{itemize} +\item Unpack the archive in the root of your \emtex\ drive with {\tt +c:\bs $>$ arj x -v a:4texupgr.arj}. +The use of {\tt ARJ} is necessary because the archive spans more +than one floppy (and {\tt ARJ} compresses better than {\tt PKZIP +1.1}). The whole package is put into the right directories. +\item Some \emtex\ files must be deleted or moved: the `compilers' {\tt +tex.exe, btex.exe} etc. must be moved to \verb|c:\emtex\compilers|, +and the utility programs {\tt bibtex.exe, texchk.exe, +makeindx.exe, texcad.exe, texchk.exe} to \verb|c:\emtex\utils|. +\item You must put {\tt `LASTDRIVE=T'} in your {\tt CONFIG.SYS} +\item You must edit \verb|c:\emtex\btm\system.set| and +\verb|c:\emtex\btm\texuser.set| +to configure the system to your needs. If you have a `standard' +\emtex, you don't have to touch {\tt system.set}. In {\tt +texuser.set} you have to set your personal defaults. Both files +provide extended comments on each of the options, but they are +quite long at first sight. +\end{itemize} +The system is started with +\begin{verbatim} +c:\emtex\btm> tex +\end{verbatim} +There are two batch files {\tt tex.bat} and {\tt tex.btm}: if you +are already running \vierdos, it will not load it again (However, +there are some restrictions to your personal {\tt 4DOS.INI} file, +and you must have loaded {\tt KSTACK}). If you are running MSDOS +or DRDOS, a new \vierdos\ command shell will be loaded with the +right settings. After a while, the main menu of \vierdos\ is +presented. + +\subsection{Customization} +All customization of \viertex\ is done via the configuration files +{\tt texuser.set} and {\tt system.set}. There is not much need +for the possibility to install `own' utilities, because there are +a lot of utilities predefined, like \gs, various graphics +utilities like \bmtofont, bibliography maintenance with \bibtex\ and +\bibdb, spelling check with \amspell\ and much, much more. Even some +commercial software like {\sc Word Finder} and {\sc Euroglot} is supported. +However, recent versions of \viertex\ do offer the opportunity to install +own utilities, in user-defined menus. + +A system that is made out of `human-readable' batch files ({\tt +.BTM}) is a paradise for `hackers': if you study the manual of +\vierdos\ (included in the distribution), you can +add your own enhancements to the system. Not recommended to keep +compatibility with the official release, but hard to resist. + +\subsection{Editor} +The editor of the \viertex\ system is the shareware editor \qedit. The +authors have defined a set of macros to use with \qedit. These extra macros +provide `hotkeys' to start the \emtex\ `compiler' and the previewer, to +start the \amspell\ spell checker, the \bibdb\ bibliography database +program. + +An editor help screen is brought up by F1, and it shows the standard +\qedit\ editor commands, as well as the special extensions. The +\qedit\ editor is capable of having more files open at the same time. +Spell-checking is done by \amspell\ on a word basis in the editor, or on +file basis from the main menu. Before \amspell\ is started, you can +choose your language. + +The mouse is supported in the \qedit\ editor for cursor pointing, block +definition and window switching. In the main menus, the mouse can be used +to point to menu choices. \viertex\ also provides the `primary file' system +as described in \texshell. It also records its configuration together with +the primary file, using the extension {\tt .OPT}. + +\subsection{Compile and preview} +The \emtex\ `compilers' are started from the main menu in most cases. +There are also `hotkeys' to start them from the editor. +A nice option is to start the \emtex\ compiler and previewer from the +editor with a block selected: then +only that block of text is \TeX ed and shown. \viertex\ is intelligent about +choosing the right documentstyles for such a text block: it examines the +primary file and puts its preamble together with a surrounding {\tt \bs +begin\{document\}} and {\tt \bs end\{document\}} around the text block. +The error processing is not as good as that of \texshell: the {\tt `e'} +option works, and you can view the log files, but that is all. The error +checking will be improved in version 3, according to the authors. + +The complete \viertex\ system comes with \LaTeX\ format files with +\babel\ and \nfss\ installed. The format file +contains hyphenation patterns for English, German, French and Dutch. +In \emtex's memory organization, they set aside 65K words for +hyphenation patterns where 36K should be enough according to my +information. This leaves little main memory to do the real \TeX\ jobs +in (like processing elaborate tables and figures). So the +notorious message {\tt TeX capacity exceeded} appears (too) soon\ldots. +Version 2.20 has the capability to generate new formats `on the fly' +where you can choose the languages to include from a menu. It then +makes a format with just enough space for the hyphenation patterns you +choose. A \TeX\ with 7 languages loaded is possible! + +\subsection{Help system} +\viertex\ provides two different help systems. First, there is help +available for each of the menus of the system explaining the various +options in short. Second, there is a good `online' \TeX help system +called \texhelp. This is a popup command which you can access everywhere +with Alt-F2, Alt-F3, Alt-F4. It provides help on the \TeX\ command the +cursor is on, and you can navigate through its index. \texhelp\ is a TSR +program, taking 9 Kb of main memory, and 250 Kb EMS / disk swap space. The +help is in English, but it is possible to install a help file in a +different language. + +\subsection{Manuals} +The \viertex\ manuals are very elaborate. In fact, they provide +information +on every aspect of the whole \emtex\ system, and all its utilities. Chapter +2 is fully devoted to using \viertex\ itself, and to install it. It contains +a section of format-file generation, and installing \babel\ and \nfss. + +Then the manual covers the following topics in brief, concise sections: +the \emtex\ `compilers' themselves, the \dvidrv\ programs, Postscript, +bibliography and index support, the \amspell\ spell-checker, a section on +importing graphics in various ways (\texcad, \bmtofont), some miscellaneous +utilities like {\tt detex}, the TSR programs like \texhelp\ and +commercially available translation programs, and finally something about +fonts and \METAFONT /\mfjob\ font generation. This is more than a manual, it +is an example of how a `local guide' should look like. + +The manual concludes with a list of sources for more information, like +\TeX\ users groups (TUG, NTG), and distribution lists ({\tt TEX-NL}). An +extended bibliography for further reading is added. + +\subsection{Miscellaneous} +\begin{itemize} +\item \viertex\ provides support for different types of printers. The +printer type can be chosen from a menu in the {\em Output} menu. There it +is also possible to enter the printer port, first and last page, and +the number of pages to print. You can enter your own \dvidrv\ options +Postscript printers are supported via {\tt dvips}, and even the use of +\gs\ to get the postscript files on a simpler printer is possible (not +tested). + +In earlier versions, the printer support was poor, especially for matrix +printers: only a 9-pin was supported, and there was no opportunity to +install user-defined printers. This was reported to the author, +together with a proposal for a better way to do it (\viertex\ hacking +is easy). Version 2.20 contains much better printer support. +\item \viertex\ provides an extra {\em Graphics} menu +where you can do all +types of conversions of pictures to get them into your \TeX\ documents, +provided the necessary programs are installed. It also provides +extra {\em \bibtex} and {\em \makeindx} menus to +manage bibliography databases and automatic indexing. +\item Because \viertex\ was initially developed to run on a network, there +is an extra menu called {\em \TeX batch}. Here you can send print jobs to +network printers and batch \TeX\ jobs to fast computers on the network. +\end{itemize} + +\section{Conclusions} +To conclude this review I give a short `pro-and-con' list for both systems. +First I want to remark that the authors of both systems did a good job, and +that the systems are still in a development phase. The use of a `shell' +around the \emtex\ system is very useful, and it can speed up things even +for experienced \TeX\ users. It is also a step on the way to make +\TeX\ more attractable to the `average \wpf\ user', and to a \TeX\ ` +beginners package'. Some attention must be given to the fact that \TeX\ +'beginners' should not be bothered by lengthy installation procedures: it +should be `plug-and-play'. + +\texshell\ in brief: +\begin{itemize} +\item[+] The use of Turbo Vision gives \texshell\ a professional look. +\item[+] There is an excellent system of tracing \TeX\ errors in your file. +\item[+] The package is rather small (about 300K). +\item[+] Powerful mechanism to call external programs. +\item[+] The package is reasonably fast, even on slow machines. +\item[--] Hard to configure. A major drawback, if there is a `universal' +{\tt TEXSHELL.CFG} file which covers the complete \emtex\ distribution and +some related things, this would ease the installation in a great way. +\item[--] Lacks `integration' of some utilities like \amspell. +\item[--] The manual needs some rewriting (especially if it is +going to be used as a beginners guide). +\end{itemize} +\viertex\ in brief: +\begin{itemize} +\item[+] The package covers almost everything in the \emtex\ package, and +even more. +\item[+] Excellent manual, discusses also the \emtex\ utilities. +\item[+] The \TeX\ help is given by a stand-alone TSR program. +\item[+] Spell-checking with \amspell\ is an integrated part. +\item[--] The package is slow (annoying on the 286 clone). +\item[--] The package is rather bulky, because it is packed with a lot of +other stuff. The shell itself is 300K. +\item[--] Installation procedure is elaborate. +\item[--] The use of `human-readable' programs makes the system +vulnerable to users who `customize' it by changing the program +itself. But this also may be an advantage\ldots +\end{itemize} + +\end{article} + |