path: root/info/digests/tex-mag/v3.n3

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*   TTTTTTT       X     X M     M        GGGGGG  A Mostly Unofficial          *
*      T           X   X  MM   MM       G        Publication for Users        *
*      T   EEEEEEE  XXX   M M M M   A   G    GG  Of the TeX Computer          *
*      T   E       X   X  M  M  M  A A  G     G  Typesetting System.          *
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*          E                     A     A         Volume 3, Number 3           *
*          EEEEEEE              A       A        Distribution: 1689 or so...  *
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June 7, 1989
 
Contents
\footnote............................................................1
Letters to the Editor................................................2
News
 Headlines...........................................................3
 Nordic TeX Meeting..................................................4
 Announcement of a Forthcoming Meeting on FONTS, DESIGN AND USE......5
 TeX Users Group TeX courses 1989....................................6
 TeX Users Group annual meeting: Ten years of TeX and Metafont.......7
 Second Announcement and Registration Form: TeX89....................8
DANTE --- Deutschsprachige Anwendervereinigung TeX...................9
Preliminary table of contents, TUGboat 10#2 July 1989...............10
Report from the DVI Driver standards committee......................11
PD version of TeX for MSDOS/PCDOS...................................12
METAPLOT: a package for integrating line printer plots with TeX
         using Metafont.............................................13
RUMDJET -- A DVI Driver for the HP DeskJet..........................14
Books on type: _An Atlas of Typeforms...............................15
TeX mysteries and puzzles...........................................16
A summary of TeX-related information of note........................17
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__1
\footnote{Come together}
 
One of the stunning things that one might notice from this issue of
TeXMaG is that there is a large amount of activity of national TeX
groups in Europe. Those of you who remember my last \footnote on
TeX in Europe will doubtless be able to predict what comes next: I'm
still jealous.
 
It could be said that TUG is America's national group and we're just
really nice guys for allowing all those foreigners in, but I don't
think that is a satisfactory solution to my malaise. What I would
like to see here in North America is a proliferation of regional TeX
Users Groups. Certainly some of the functions of the national groups
in Europe are unnecessary (e.g., developing protocols for TeX use in
the local vernacular), but other functions can certainly come into
play. Local help sessions would be helpful. Also, a local users group
might be helpful in convincing local typesetters to support
typesetting DVI output. A local users group might also be able to
efficiently sponsor courses in TeX, LaTeX, and Metafont as well as
other related topics.
 
So let's hear from people from the U.S. about starting up local
groups. I'm more than willing whatever support I can through TeXMaG
to help get things started.
 
---
 
On a related note, here are a couple of not-so-new local TeX mailing
lists on Bitnet. To subscribe to any of these lists, send the command
         SUBS listname your name here
to LISTSERV at the node indicated. For example, if I were to subscribe
to GUT@FRULM11, I would send the command
         SUBS GUT Don Hosek
to LISTSERV@FRULM11
 
GUT@FRULM11        French Language TeX discussion list.
TEX_D-L@DEARN      German Language TeX discussion list.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__2
**********************************************************************
*                       Letters to the Editor                        *
**********************************************************************
 
>Date: Thu, 13 Apr 89 13:05:29 -0400
>From: bernsten@phoenix (Dan Bernstein)
>Subject: Re:  TeXMaG V3N2
 
I respond to the message of Fritz Zaucker <F48@DHDURZ1> in V3N2.
 
Mr. Zaucker wonders why TeX can't insert italic corrections for
itself. This would be an easy extension, and TeX could do the job much
more straightforwardly and reliably than my macros. However, a rule
like that goes against the generality and beauty of TeX. If there were
a sensible and simple way to specify such inter-font, general kerning
rules, it would indeed be appropriate to add such capability to TeX.
But I see no such general way, other than to allow arbitrarily
specified kerns between characters from arbitrary fonts, which would
require large and inefficient data structures, and destroy the
integrity of each individual font.
 
I have never had a problem using my macros; I haven't typed \/ in a
long time. Who cares whether TeX can do it by itself?
 
---Dan Bernstein, bernsten@phoenix.princeton.edu
 
=====================================================================
 
> Date: Thu, 13 Apr 89 11:39 EST
> From: TEXAMPLE@VUVAXCOM.BITNET
> Subject: HELP!??
 
Dear Don Hosek,
 
I know you are not really the person to ask this question, but having
received the latest TeXMaG, with the TeX-related info at the end, I
thought I would give it a try.
 
I receive TeXhax on Bitnet.
 
CORRECTION: make that  I RECEIVED TeXhax on Bitnet.
 
In the changeover of managing of TeXhax, a sizable piece of the bitnet
distribution was screwed up. I received only issue 12.89 this year. I
got confusing messages from my listserver telling me I was transferred
to another one. At the new one I cannot even get a listing of TeXhax
files or any information. Now I cannot seem to get the listing from
the old listserver.
 
When I did in October it was way behind and therefore useless.
Glenn Vandenberg doesn't answer me. I am stuck. How can I get the
first 20 issues of TeXhax on my own? Can I get them from Clarkson? If
so, your info is not sufficient for me; what is the full address
including username or whatever? or is SUN.SOE.CLARKSON.EDU all I need?
 
Through a special appeal to the editors of TeXhax, I have somehow been
put directly on a distribution I think (I am not sure) since issue 20.
 
How can TeXhax function so poorly? Who can I complain to? All I want
is the possibility to get the back issues that have not been sent to
me, and resume the past reliable reception.
 
Is it hopeless? Have I been lucky that TeXMaG seems to have reached
me? Or what? I cannot believe that there are not lots of other people
in my same situation. What can we do?
 
Thanks for whatever help you can give me.
 
Frustrated in Philly
Bob Jantzen Villanova University
 
=====================================================================
 
>Subject: Producing on-line and printed documentation
>Date: Fri, 14 Apr 89 12:41:22 -0400
>From: Stephen Gildea <gildea@BBN.COM>
 
In TeXMaG V3N2, Hubert Partl asks about systems that allow the same
source to produce both printed documents and on-line information
files.
 
The Free Software Foundation's TeXinfo provides this feature.
Documents written for TeXinfo can be run through TeX to produce
beautiful printed documents, or can be run through an Info formatter
to produce a file that can be read with Info, a sophisticated
documentation reader. Info is currently part of GNU Emacs, but will
probably soon be available separately.
 
From the manual, "TeXinfo files contain a stricly limited set of
constructs for a TeX macro package quite different from plain TeX. The
strict limits make it possible for TeXinfo files to be understood also
by the texinfo program, which converts them into Info files."
 
Information about TeXinfo can be obtained by sending mail to
gnu@prep.ai.mit.edu or by writing to the Free Software Foundation,
675 Mass Ave, Cambridge Massachusetts 02139.
 
======================================================================
 
> From: <msholind@sol.UVic.ca>
> Date: 21 Apr 89 12:28 -0800
> Subject: resume.tex
 
I hope you can remember resume.tex. My question is how to separate
lines inside the \tag...\endtag so it looks somewhat like the
following
 
       Heading
 
               (date)  first line
                       second line
                       third line
 
or
       Heading         first line
                       second line
                       ...
where each line is not long enough to fill the whole line.
 
Any help which would point me in the right direction so I can solve
this would be great, eh.
 
       Murray Sholinder
 
[Anyone care to offer some solutions?]]
 
======================================================================== 121
 
>Date: Wed 24 May 89 16:51:36-EST
>From: bbeeton <BNB@MATH.AMS.COM>
 
A recommended book:
   Raymond Seroul, Un petit Livre de TeX
   InterEditions, Paris, 1989
   317 pages, in French
   Includes a substantial glossary of control sequences, with
   good explanations and references to more substantial coverage
   in the text.  TUG is investigating the possibility of having
   it translated into English and publishing it.
 
(I got a copy at the recent GUTenberg meeting in Paris. The topic of
the meeting was "TeX and Graphics".  Very interesting -- a short
report will be in the "editorial comments" column of TUGboat 10#2.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__3
**********************************************************************
*                           Headlines...                             *
**********************************************************************
 
-> Northlake Software has renamed and expanded their family of DVI
   drivers for VAX/VMS systems. A recent relase stated:
    T2 Family
    T2 is our new name for a family of products that interface TeX to
    a variety of output devices. T2 mimics the VMS PRINT command and
    builds on this familiar foundation to give full control over the
    appearance of the typeset document.
    T2/jet Prints TeX output on Hewlett Packard LaserJet printers. The
    current release is 1.0 and is currently in field test. Initial
    release is scheduled in April.
    T2/ln03 Prints TeX output on DEC LN03 printers. (Previously called
    LNTeX.) The current release is 1.0.5. Version 1.1 is scheduled for
    shipment May 30 and will include fixes to all known bugs, new
    documentation, and other enhancements.
    T2/script Prints TeX output on PostScript printers and
    typesetters. It supports the full range of PostScript devices, and
    allows access to the font and graphic capabilities inherent in the
    PostScript language. The current release is 1.0 and is in field
    test. Initial release is scheduled in May.
   The address for Northlake software is:
         Northlake Software
         812 SW Washington Street
         Portland, Oregon 97205 (USA)
         Phone: 503-228-3383
         Fax:   503-228-5562
 
-> Some more new versions of MFware have been released: MFT 1.1,
   GFtoDVI 2.0, and GFtoPK 2.0. These are available for anonymous FTP
   from Score.Stanford.Edu
 
-> Score, the DECsystem-20 machine at Stanford that has been the home
   of the "canonical" TeX source files since the beginning, will be
   unplugged on 31 August 1989.  Members of the TUG Board are
   investigating possible alternative arrangements, at Stanford and
   elsewhere, to try to avoid any disruption of service to TeX users.
   Developments will be publicized in TeXMaG and in the other
   TeX-related periodicals.
 
-> The following new files are available from LISTSERV@DHDURZ1:
   In TEXTOOLS FILELIST:
      SUPERTAB STY - a new version
   In TEX-PC FILELIST:
      RUMDJET UUE - a driver for a HP DESKJET
      RUMHELP UUE - a help text (in German)
      CDVI12 UUE - a preview for a IBM PC
 
   If the files are uuencoded, the programs to decode are available in
   the TEXTOOLS FILELIST.
 
-> In an effort to let the TeX community know what public domain TeX
   resources are available, and how to get them, a regular column will
   begin in an upcoming issue of TUGboat which will describe how you
   can obtain a public domain copy of TeX for your computer. If you
   have, or are aware of public domain copies of TeX that can be
   requested, FTP'd, or in some other manner be obtained, please send
   a note to:
         Dean Guenther
         WSUCSC
         Pullman, WA. 99164-1220
         USA
 
         Bitnet:   GUENTHER@WSUVM1
         Internet: guenther@wsuvm1.wsu.edu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__4
**********************************************************************
*                    NORDIC TeX Meeting                              *
**********************************************************************
 
                      June 12th, 1989
 
                        To be held at
                    Lindstedtsv\"agen 25,
                           room D1,
                Royal Institute of Technology,
                           Stockholm
 
Program:
 
TeX today and in the future. -- Niels Mortensen
Back to international standards. -- Malcolm Clark
Nordic national letters. -- Staffan Romberger
Standard proposal (recommendations for TUG 89)
TeX and graphics. -- Bj\o{}rn Larsen
Integeration of Autocad in LaTeX. -- Anders Eriksson
Graphics in TeXtures. -- Miro Sedlacek
TeX on workstations (demo of the Publisher).
Phototypesetting and high quality output. -- Peter Busk Laursen
TeX and PostScript -- experiences. -- Jan M Rynning
Panel discussion.
Dinner at the KTH "V\"ardshus"
 
Contact: Roswitha Graham
         tel: 46 8 790 6525
         fax: 46 8 25 10
         tlx: 103 89 KTHB S
       email: roswitha@admin.kth.se
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__5
**********************************************************************
*                               UKTUG                                *
*                      The UK TeX Users Group                        *
*              Announcement of a Forthcoming Meeting on              *
*                      FONTS, DESIGN AND USE                         *
*                    on Wednesday 5th July 1989                      *
*               at Aston University, Birmingham, U.K.                *
**********************************************************************
 
The main topic of this third one-day meeting of UKTUG will be "Fonts,
Design and Use", with a programme of invited speakers. Anyone else
wishing to contribute a talk on this topic should contact Peter Abbott
at the address below.  There will also be a session during the day to
provide an update on the organisation and structure of UKTUG, together
with an election of committee members.
 
MEETING DETAILS:
The meeting will be held in Room G17, Main Building, Aston University.
It will commence at 11.30am, with coffee available from 11 o'clock.
There will be breaks for lunch and tea -- it is expected that the
meeting will finish around 4.30pm.
 
DIRECTIONS:
By train:  To Birmingham New Street Station. After passing the ticket
           barrier go up the escalator opposite, turn left and walk
           through the shopping area, and down a ramp into Corporation
           Street. Walk along Corporation Street (two underpasses) and
           across the road where the QE II Law Courts are on the
           right. At the end of the street (which turns back on itself
           is a grassy bank on the right, and a subway. The fire
           station (white tower with a defunct clock) and the campus
           can be seen across the road to the right. Take the subway
           to the University campus, and follow the signposts to the
           Main Building.
 
By car:    From the M6 leave at junction 6, the A38(M). Follow the
           signs to the end of the expressway (DO NOT follow the signs
           to Aston -- this is a district of Birmingham, NOT the
           University). At the end of the expressway move to the left
           hand lane (do not go over the flyover). Drive past the fire
           station and the first road, but turn into the slip road
           signposted to the University car park. Park on the visitors
           car park, and walk across the campus to the Main Building.
 
Once at the Main Building, room G17 will be signposted from the
entrance.
 
BOOKING ARRANGEMENTS:
There will be a charge for the meeting of 12.00 (pounds) to cover
room hire and refreshments, including a buffet lunch. Please complete
the booking form below, and send it together with your payment to:
 
     Peter Abbott
     UKTUG
     Computing Service
     Aston University
     Aston Triangle
     Birmingham              Tel:   (021) 359 5492
     B4 7ET                  Janet: ABBOTTP@UK.AC.ASTON
 
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                          UKTUG BOOKING FORM
 
I wish to attend the third one-day UKTUG meeting at Aston University
on 5th July 1989.
 
Name:         ________________________________________________________
Organisation: ________________________________________________________
Address:      ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Telephone:    ____________________  Email: ___________________________
 
 
            Car parking space required:          Yes/No
      *     12 pounds payment enclosed:          Yes/No
      ** or 17 pounds purchase order number: _________________________
 
                                     Signed: _________________________
 
                                       Date: _________________________
 
Notes:
*   Cheques should be made payable to UKTUG.
**  A Purchase Order, with an order number, is an acceptable
    alternative method of payment, but will attract a 5 pounds
    surcharge (total 17 pounds).
 
Please send this completed booking form, together with your payment,
to:
     Peter Abbott
     UKTUG
     Computing Service
     Aston University
     Aston Triangle
     Birmingham
     B4 7ET
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__6
**********************************************************************
*             TeX Users Group European TeX courses 1989              *
**********************************************************************
 
                    Exeter University, England
 
Intensive Beginning/Intermediate TeX             10th--14th July 1989
Advanced TeX/Macro Writing                  18th--22nd September 1989
Beginning METAFONT                          26th--29th September 1989
 
All three courses are being run on behalf of the TeX Users Group.
All courses will include a mixture of lectures and hands-on practical
sessions, using networked IBM-PC compatibles with screen preview,
connected to a laser printer. Instruction on use of the PCs and a
text editor will be provided where necessary. For each course, the
course fee and accommodation bookings have been combined to give one
"package" if required. All bookings and payment are being handled
within the U.K. (in pounds sterling). Details of the courses are given
below. An email version of the registration form is also included.
Anyone wishing more details, or a TeXed registration form, should
contact either Cathy Booth <BOOTH.CM@UK.AC.EXETER> (outside the U.K.,
<BOOTH.CM@EXETER.AC.UK>) or Clive Nicholas at the address below.
 
*** Important Note:
    Early booking for all courses is highly recommended, since if
    insufficient registrations have been received *at least* three
    weeks prior to the start of each course, then the relevant course
    will probably be cancelled (see registration form below).
 
Beginning/Intermediate TeX:
This 5-day course is an introduction to TeX using the standard plain
TeX macro package. It will be appropriate for those with little or no
knowledge of using TeX. Each registrant will be given extensive course
notes plus a copy of The TeXbook. Topics covered include: altering the
default plain TeX page layout, dealing with TeX's error and warning
messages, and the fundamental concepts of boxes and glue. Other topics
will include accents and diacritical marks, the use of fonts in a
variety of styles and sizes, the creation of simple macros, and text
indentation. Page layout features like headers, footers and page
numbering will also be included, using the output routine provided
in plain TeX. Various methods of producing simple tables will be
introduced. Instruction on TeX's mathematical capabilities will
include the use of Greek letters, special symbols, fractions and
delimiters -- using both display and text style maths -- as well as
multi-line equation alignments. Pre-requisite:  Familiarity with a
text editor.
 
Advanced TeX/Macro Writing
This 5-day course is designed for *all* experienced TeX users.
Following on from the Beginning/Intermediate TeX course, there will be
more detailed explanations of the relationship of boxes and glue,
using \hbox, \vbox and \vtop. Also ruled tables, using \halign. The
course will discuss how to construct macros which are both elegant and
useful, as well as how to avoid some of the more obvious pitfalls of
the art. Consideration will also be given to the use of registers,
grouping and conditional statements, as well as tools such as \let and
\futurelet, \begingroup and \endgroup. It is hoped that participants
will come along with lots of questions and home-grown macros
(successful or otherwise), and be prepared to learn by discussion and
"trial and error" as well as by example. Pre-requisites:  A sound
working knowledge of TeX (or LaTeX) -- at least equivalent to
Beginning/Intermediate standard, coupled with day-to-day experience.
Please bring your own well-thumbed copy of The TeXbook.
 
Beginning METAFONT:
This 4-day course presents the basics of METAFONT, a system for the
design of alphabets. The course includes: basics (coordinate systems,
control points, pens and curves), the organisation of Computer Modern
fonts, METAFONT utilities, and an introduction to logo creation. After
learning how to make logo characters, participants design and produce
a logo of their own during hands-on sessions. The course will be
presented by Doug Henderson -- the METAFONT coordinator for the TeX
Users Group for the past three years -- who works at the University of
California at Berkeley.
 
 
------------------  cut here for registration form  -----------------
 
 
                            TeX USERS GROUP
                           REGISTRATION FORM
                      EUROPEAN TeX COURSES 1989
 
This registration form should be completed in block capitals, and
returned with your payment to the address below. Please photocopy this
form as necessary, and complete a separate copy for each participant
on each course. Alternatively, a TeXed version of this form may be
obtained either from Cathy Booth <BOOTH.CM@UK.AC.EXETER> (outside the
U.K.: <BOOTH.CM@EXETER.AC.UK>) or from Clive Nicholas at the address
below. Detailed course descriptions are given above.
 
REGISTRATION FEES:
The fee for each 5-day course is 360 pounds per person for those from
academic organisations, and 420 pounds for commercial (non-academic)
companies. For the 4-day METAFONT course the corresponding rates are
300 pounds academic and 360 pounds non-academic. TUG Institutional
Members will be eligible for a 10% discount on the course fee. Groups
of 3 or more from one organisation attending the same course may also
deduct 10% per person. Substitutions may be made at any time before
the start of the course for no additional charge. Individual
cancellations will however incur cancellation charges. If a complete
course has to be cancelled by the TeX Users Group through lack of
numbers, then payment will be refunded in full (including any
accommodation fee).
 
INDIVIDUAL CANCELLATIONS:
80% of the registration fee is refundable if notification of
cancellation is received or postmarked not less than two weeks prior
to the starting date. Thereafter 50% is refundable. There is no refund
for partial completion of the course.
 
LATE REGISTRATION:
Registration notification received or postmarked less than two weeks
before the start of the course will incur a 5% late registration
surcharge. Notification of late bookings by telephone to Exeter
(0392) 411906 will be accepted up until the Friday before the course.
 
ACCOMMODATION:
On-campus accommodation in a hall of residence can be booked for
25 pounds per night -- amounting to an additional 125 pounds for each
5-day course, or 100 pounds for the 4-day course. This includes all
meals, commencing with dinner on the evening preceding the course.
Further accommodation, travel and course details will be circulated to
all registrants a couple of weeks before the course start. Discounts
do not apply to the accommodation charge.
 
 
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
 
Name: _______________________________________________________________
 
Employing Organisation: _____________________________________________
 
Telephone: ___________________________  Institutional Member?  Yes/No
 
Address:   __________________________________________________________
 
_____________________________________________________________________
 
_____________________________________________________________________
 
 
Course Title: _______________________________________________________
 
1 Course fee           (5-day: 360/420; 4-day: 300/360)      ________
 
2 Institutional member discount        (-10% of line 1)    - ________
 
3 Group discount                       (-10% of line 1)    - ________
 
4 Late registration surcharge           (+5% of line 1)    + ________
 
5 TOTAL course fee              (total of lines 1 to 4)      ________
 
6 Accommodation          (5 nights: 125; 4 nights: 100)      ________
 
7 TOTAL REMITTANCE               (total of lines 5 & 6)      ________
 
 
REMITTANCE DETAILS:
Payment for the course fee and accommodation may be combined on one
cheque. This must be in pounds sterling, made out to the "University
of Exeter", and sent to:
 
   Mr. Clive Nicholas
   Continuing Education and Training Officer
   University of Exeter
   Cotley
   Streatham Rise           Telephone:   (0392) 411906
   Exeter EX4 4PE           Fax:         (0392) 263108
   U.K.                     Janet email: NICHOLAS.CS@UK.AC.EXETER
                            Outside U.K.: NICHOLAS.CS@EXETER.AC.UK
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__7
**********************************************************************
*                  TeX Users Group annual meeting:                   *
*                   Ten years of TeX and Metafont                    *
**********************************************************************
 
                   Stanford University
                   August 20-23, 1989
                   Updated Program as of April 25, 1989
 
Sunday -- August 20
 
   12:00 - 2:00P.M.  Registration
Font Forum
   1:00 - 1:30  Introduction to Metafont -- Doug Henderson
   1:30 - 2:00  From Character Set to Font -- Pierre MacKay
   2:00 - 2:30  Opening Pandora's Box -- Neenie Billawala
   2:30 - 3:00  Order into Chaos: Typesetting Factal Images
                   -- Alan Hoenig
 
   3:00 - 3:15  Break
 
   3:15 - 3:45  Design of Oriental Characters with Metafont
                   -- Don Hosek
   3:45 - 4:15  Thai Languages and Metafont
                   -- Bob Batzinger (Thailand)
   4:15 - 4:45  A Metafont-like System with PostScript Output
                   -- John Hobby
   4:45 - 5:15  Migration from Computer Modern Fonts to Times Fonts
                   -- Ralph Youngen, Daniel Latterner, and
                      William Woolf
   5:15 - 5:45  Fine Typesetting with TeX Using Native Autologic Fonts
                   -- Arvin Conrad
   7:00 - 10:00P.M.  Dinner at the Sino Restaurant
                   Reservation required. Formerly known as the China
                      First restaurant
 
Monday -- August 21
 
   7:45 - 9:30A.M.  Registration
   8:00 - 8:30  Introduction to TeX and TeX Systems
                   (for New Members) -- Bart Childs and Alan Hoenig
   8:30 - 9:00  Introduction to TUG and TUG Officers and Staff
 
Keynote Address
   9:00 - 11:30  The Errors of TeX -- Don Knuth
 
   11:30 - 1:00P.M.  Lunch
 
   1:00 - 2:30  Elections/Business Meeting
   2:30 - 2:45  Break
   2:45 - 3:00  Report from the Driver Standards Committee
                   -- Robert McGaffey
   3:00 - 5:00  Output device manufacturer/exhibitor presentations:
                   ArborText, Inc.; Blue Sky Research;
                   Computer Composition Corp.;
                   K-Talk Communications; Kinch Computer Co.;
                   Micro Publishing Systems; Personal TeX;
                   TeXnology, Inc. (Tentative listing based on
                   previous participation. Representatives will be
                   available throughout the meeting. Exhibit rooms
                   will be open from 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, until
                   5:00 p.m., Wednesday.
 
Orientation
   5:00 - 5:15  Things to do in and around Palo Alto -- Ginger Brower
   5:15 - 5:30  Organization of the Birds-of-a-Feather Sessions for
                Sites (DG, CMS, MVS, CDC, UNIX, VMS, etc.)
                to be held during and after the Wine & Cheese
   5:30 - ???   Wine & Cheese -- hosted by Personal TeX, Inc.
 
 
Tuesday -- August 22
 
TeX Training
   8:30 - 9:00A.M.  Of the Computer Scientist, by the Computer
                    Scientist, for the Computer Scientist
                    -- Michael Doob (Canada)
   9:00 - 9:30  Mastering TeX with Templates -- Hope Hamilton
   9:30 -10:00  TeX and its Versatility in Office Production
                    -- Jo Ann Rattey-Hicks
  10:00 -10:30  TeX for the Word Processing Operator
                    -- Robin Kubek
 
  10:30 - 10:45 Break
 
  10:45 - 11:30  Site coordinators' status reports:
                 (Preliminary listing based on previous participation)
                   CDC Cyber -- Jim Fox
                   Data General & Cray -- Bart Childs
                   IBM MVS -- Craig Platt
                   IBM VM/CMS -- Dean Guenther
                   Small Systems -- Lance Carnes
                   VAX (VMS) -- David Kellerman
                   UNIX -- Pierre MacKay
 
  11:30 - 1:00P.M.  Lunch
 
General Applications
   1:00 - 1:30  TeX in M\'exico -- Max D\'\i az (M\'exico)
   1:30 - 2:00  TeX for 30,000 -- James Haskell, Wally Deschene and
                   Alan Stolleis
   2:00 - 2:30  TeX Enslaved -- Alan Wittbecker
 
Graphics Applications
   2:30 - 3:00  Methodologies for Preparing and Integrating PostScript
                   Graphics -- Tom Renfrow
   3:00 - 3:40  TeXpic -- Design and Implementation of a Picture
                   Graphics Language in TeX  \`a la {\sl pic} --
                   Rolf Olejniczak (West Germany)
   3:40 - 4:00  Break and organization of Topical Birds-of-a-Feather
                 (Topics to be decided at this time.)
 
Database Applications
   4:00 - 4:30  TeX at Mathematical Reviews -- William Woolf and
                   Daniel Latterner
   4:30 - 5:00  Lexicography with TeX -- J\"orgen Pind (Iceland)
   5:00 - 5:40  Automated Database Publishing -- Two Case Studies
                    -- Alex Warman, Alun Vaughan, and Tim Kelly
                       (Australia)
   5:40 - ???   Topical Birds-of-a-Feather sessions (LaTeX,
                    graphics, fonts, etc.)
   6:30 - 8:00  10th Anniversary ``Mexican Fiesta'' Dinner
                   -- sponsored by the TeX Users Group
   8:00 - ???   Social Hour/Party Time -- hosted by ArborText
 
 
Wednesday -- August 23
 
Help Sessions
   8:30 - 9:30A.M.  TeX Help Session -- Barbara Beeton
   9:30 -10:15  WEB Help Session -- Wayne Sewell
   10:15-10:30  Break
 
General Information
  10:30 - 11:00  The State of TeX Users Groups in Europe
                   -- Malcolm Clark (England)
   11:00 - 11:30  Keeping an Archive Dust Free
                   -- Peter Abbott (England)
 
   11:30 - 1:00P.M.  Lunch
 
TeX Tools
   1:00 - 1:30  Recent Improvements of jTeX and jLaTeX
                   -- Hideki Isozaki (Japan)
   1:30 - 2:00  TeXreation -- Playing Games with TeX's Mind
                   -- Andrew Greene
   2:00 - 2:30  Indexing TeX's Commands -- Bill Cheswick
   2:30 - 3:00  DVI File Processing Programs -- Stephan von Bechtolsheim
    "   -  "    A Study in Producing Local Style Files for Letters and
                   Memos -- Steve Sydoriak
 
   3:00 - 3:15  Break
 
   3:15 - 3:45  Using WordPerfect 5.0 to Create TeX and LaTeX Documents
                   -- Anita Hoover
    "      "    Inserts in Multiple Columns -- Gary Benson, Debi
                      Erpenbeck, and Janet Holmes
   3:45 - 4:15  TeX Macros for COBOL Syntax Diagrams
                   -- Mary McClure
   4:15 - 4:45  Coordinating a Procedural Language and Text Editor to
                Create an Efficient and Workable PC Interface for TeX
                   -- Brad Halverson and Don Riley
   4:45 - 5:00  General wrap-up and closing -- Bart Childs et al.
 
An IBM PC and an Apple Macintosh will be available so that member may
exchange software.
 
Program Coordinator:
   Dean Guenther -- Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
Program Committee:
   Hope Hamilton -- National Center for Atmospheric Research,
                    Boulder, Colorado
   Doug Henderson -- University of California, Berkeley, California
   Christina Thiele -- Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
 
For more information and a registration form contact the TeX Users
Group, <TUG@Seed.Ams.Com>.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__8
**********************************************************************
*             Second Announcement and Registration Form              *
*                               TeX89                                *
*             4th Annual Meeting of European TeX  Users              *
*               September 11-13, 1989, Karlsruhe, FRG                *
**********************************************************************
 
As announced before, TeX89, the 4th European TeX Conference, will take
place at Karlsruhe University, FRG, from Monday, September 11, to
Wednesday, September 13, 1989. The conference will be organized by
Anne Br\"uggemann-Klein, Institut f\"ur Informatik, Universit\"at
Freiburg, and Rainer Rupprecht, Rechenzentrum, Universit\"at
Karlsruhe.
 
Karlsruhe is a young town situated in the valley of the upper Rhine
and surrounded by the wooded mountains of the Black Forest, the
Palatinate, and Alsace. Some information about Karlsruhe and a
registration card for the room reservation by the Karlsruhe tourist
center are enclosed.
 
So far, about 20 papers have been submitted. Main topics are:
 
o Retrieving archived files
o SGML and TeX/LaTeX
o Fonts
o LaTeX ...
 
There is great interest to discuss special topics, so discussion
groups will be scheduled as part of the conference. Highlights of the
discussions will be presented to the general audience on the last day
of the conference.
 
Workshops before and after the conference will be announced
separately.
 
The conference fee is DM 280,--. The fee includes registration
materials, lunches, social events and a copy of the conference
proceedings. If paid before the July 1, the fee will be reduced to
DM 250,--.
 
If you have any questions or suggestions for the conference, don't
hesitate to contact Rainer Rupprecht, Universit\"at Karlsruhe,
Rechenzentrum, Am Zirkel 2, 7500 Karlsruhe 1, FRG; e-mail:
RZ32@DKAUNI48 (bitnet); tel. (0721) 608-4031. Please give copies of
this form to your colleagues, as the mailing list is incomplete.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                TeX89
                    Conference Registration Form
 
 Name ________________________________________________________________
 Affiliation _________________________________________________________
 Address _____________________________________________________________
         _____________________________________________________________
         _____________________________________________________________
 Telephone ___________________________________________________________
 E-mail ______________________________________________________________
 
 Please tick where appropriate:
 
 ___  Conference fee DM 250.-- (DM 280.--
      after July 1) is enclosed by check.
 ___  Conference fee DM 250.-- (DM 280.--
      after July 1) will be sent by check.
 ___  Please invoice me, bank transfer will be done
      immediately.
 ___  I would like to contribute to or participate in discussion
      groups on:
            1st choice _______________________________________________
            __________________________________________________________
            2nd choice _______________________________________________
            __________________________________________________________
            3rd choice _______________________________________________
            __________________________________________________________
 
Send to:       Rainer Rupprecht
               Rechenzentrum
               Universit\"at Karlsruhe
               Postfach 6980
               7500 Karlsruhe 1, FRG
               Telephone: (0721) 608-4031
               e-mail: RZ32@DKAUNI48 (bitnet)
 
TeX89 -- We hope to see you in September
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__9
**********************************************************************
*         DANTE --- Deutschsprachige Anwendervereinigung TeX         *
**********************************************************************
By Joachim Lammarsch <RZ92@DHDURZ1.BITNET>
 
Last year, when I was in Exeter at the European TeX meeting, was the
first time that the idea of a German TeX society came into my mind. I
saw that the organisation and representation of the European TeX users
was not very good. And the first step towards making it better, in my
opinion, is to improve the organisation of the national groups.
 
So because of that, in Freiburg at the German TeX meeting I made the
proposal in my capacity as the coordinator of the German group to
found a German TeX society, and asked for comments about that idea.
The response has been so positive that I have gone on to prepare the
foundation.
 
On 14th of April 1989 in Heidelberg, it has come to fruition. DANTE,
Deutschsprachige Anwendervereinigung TeX, has been founded. I agree,
the name is not from a German. But the French users group has taken
the German GUTenberg, so we needed another well-known name. 17 persons
were present to found the society, and after a discussion about the
statutes the board was elected. For chairman of the society the
persons present elected me. For vice chairwoman Mrs. Gabriele Kruljac,
Max--Plank--Institut Stuttgart, for treasurer Mr. Friedhelm Sowa,
Research Center of the University Duesseldorf, and for secretary Mrs.
Luzia Dietsche, Research Center of the University Heidelberg, have
been chosen.
 
The principal aim of the society is to encourage advice and
cooperation among German language TeX users. But this is not the only
intention. The user group will examine proposals of members for new
TeX software, if there are some. It will above all cooperate with
other related national and international TeX groups. Besides, DANTE
shall represent the interests of the German language TeX users to the
TeX Users Group more than has happened up till now. Perhaps that will
be done in team-work with other European TeX groups.
 
Another activity will be the organisation of training and education.
The first training course will perhaps be held at the next German TeX
meeting. Last, but not least, a newspaper will be edited and
published.
 
Institutions as well as individuals can become members. Membership is
possible for universities, publishers, software houses, computer
companies, public authorities, private persons, students, etc. to name
but a few. The dues for the various groups are graduated.
 
The first general meeting will take place together with the German TeX
meeting on 11th-13th October 1989 in Eichstaett. The first day of the
meeting will be reserved for the members of DANTE; the other two days
will be the same as normally happens at meetings.
 
For more information about DANTE please contact:
 
   DANTE -- Deutschsprachige Anwendervereinigung TeX
      Research Center of the University Heidelberg
               Im Neuenheimer Feld 293
                   6900 Heidelberg 1
                     West Germany
                Bitnet: DANTE@DHDURZ1
 
or
 
                  Joachim Lammarsch
      Research Center of the University Heidelberg
               Im Neuenheimer Feld 293
                   6900 Heidelberg 1
                     West Germany
                Bitnet: RZ92@DHDURZ1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__10
**********************************************************************
*       Preliminary table of contents, TUGboat 10#2, July 1989       *
**********************************************************************
 
General Delivery
    Bart Childs         From the President
    Barbara Beeton      Editorial comments
    The TeX tests: Determining your level of knowledge
 
Software
    Michael Spivak, Michael Ballantyne and Yoke Lee
                        HI-TeX cutting & pasting
 
Fonts
    Georgia K.M. Tobin  Another dingbat idea
    Zalman Rubinstein   Chess printing via Metafont and TeX
    Don Hosek           Guidelines for creating portable Metafont code
 
Graphics
    Phil Andrews        Integration of TeX and graphics
                        at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center
    Patricia Wilcox     MetaPlot: Machine-independent line graphics
                          for TeX
 
Output Devices
    Don Hosek           TeX output devices -- Addenda
    Tom Reid and Don Hosek
                        Report from the DVI driver standards committee
 
Resources
    Malcolm Clark       TeXline: A newsletter of the TeX community
    Don Hosek           Announcing (belatedly) TeXMaG
    Peter Abbott        UKTeX and the Aston archive
    Michael DeCorte     The Clarkson archive server --
                           Update as of 1 May 1989
    M. Edward Nieland   The DECUS TeX collection
 
Site Reports
  Data General
    Bart Childs         Data General site report
 
Typesetting on Personal Computers
    Jon Radel           ``Free'' TeX software for IBM PCs
    Andrew Trevorrow    Public domain TeX for the Mac
 
Tutorials
    Stephan v. Bechtolsheim     \csname and \string
 
Macros
    David Salomon       DDA methods in TeX
    Brother Eric Vogel  Printing Vietnamese characters by
                           adding diacritical marks
 
LaTeX
    Dezso Nagy          A bar chart in LaTeX
    Hubert Partl        Producing on-line information files with LaTeX
    Frank Mittelbach    The doc-option
    B. Hamilton Kelly   The autodoc-option
    Frank Mittelbach    An environment for multicolumn output
 
News & Announcements
    Calendar
    Joachim Lammarsch   DANTE -- Deutschsprachige Anwendervereinigung TeX
    Nordic TeX meeting, 12 June 1989, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__11
**********************************************************************
*           Report from the DVI Driver standards Committee           *
**********************************************************************
 
By Tom Reid <X066TR@TAMVM1.BITNET>
and Don Hosek <U33297@UICVM.UIC.EDU>
 
The first few months of 1989 have shown a healthy increase in the
discussion in the DVI driver standards discussion. For those people
with network access, much has been done to provide for the
dissemination of the information which has come through our hands.
 
The group has a LISTSERV discussion group, DRIV-L, which is the
primary means of communication between its members. The list is set up
so that anyone who wants to contribute ideas may do so by sending mail
to DRIV-L@TAMVM1 (Bitnet) or DRIV-L@TAMVM1.TAMU.EDU (Internet). These
notes will be automatically be distributed to the membership of the
group.
 
Archives of past discussions as well as papers on the topic and the
current versions of standards documentation, programs, and macros are
stored on the Clarkson archive in the dvi-standard group. Individuals
with FTP access may obtain the files from sun.soe.clarkson.edu in the
directory pub/dvi-standard. Those without FTP access may still obtain
the files via e-mail using the same mechanism as is used by the LaTeX
style collection, substituting dvi-standard for latex-style where
appropriate. For example, to obtain the file driv-l.log8809 and a list
of other files, one might send a message to
archive-server@sun.soe.clarkson.edu which looks like:
  path fschwartz%hmcvax.bitnet@clvm.clarkson.edu
  get dvi-standard driv-l.log8809
  index dvi-standard
By the TUG meeting in August, we hope to have much of the proposed
standard documented and available from the archive.
 
Bitnet users may also obtain log files from Listserv@tamvm1 by sending
the command
  get driv-l log{\it yymm}
to Listserv@tamvm1 where yy is the last two digits of the year and mm
is the month, expressed as a two digit number. For example, to obtain
the log from September, 1988, one would send the command get driv-l
log8809 to Listserv. Listserv commands should be sent either as the
first line of a single-line mail message or as an interactive message
(TELL on CMS, SEND on VMS).
 
The remainder of this article outlines some preliminary results of
the committee's work. Persons interested in implementing portions
of this standard should contact check the Clarkson archive or contact
Robert McGaffey <McGaffey@ORN.MFEnet> to obtain the most recent
information on the standard.
 
1. \special commands
The committee has decided that the \special commands defined to date
will be labeled as "experimental" and later classified as
"production" after they've undergone sufficient testing to justify
the reclassification. Experimental \special commands are distinguished
by the prefix X_.
 
Further work on the precise syntactical rules for \special are under
development.
 
1.1 Interface
One of the early decisions of the committee was that \special will be
treated as a primitive command which the end user should never need
to type. Instead, \special should be accessed through a high level
macro set. This has the additional advantage that users at beta test
sites will usually not be affected by changes to the syntax or names
of \special commands. This is important since when a \special changes
status from "experimental" to "production," its name will change as
noted above.
 
The committee is developing macros for both plain TeX and LaTeX to
interface with the developing standard. At the present time, only
preliminary versions of these macros have been written, but a full
macro set for both plain TeX and LaTeX should be be available by the
publication time of this article.
 
1.2 Scope
\special commands have been broken down into six classes depending
on what portion of the DVI output they would affect.
Global: These \special commands affect the entire document. Examples
    of this class of \special include commands for selecting duplex
    printing or setting the printing orientation (portrait, landscape,
    etc.).
Page: These \special commands affect only the page on which they are
    printed. Examples of this class include requests for feeding of
    special paper from an auxiliary tray ({\it e.g.,\/} for a cover
    sheet) or a single-page change in orientation.
Box: These \special commands affect a block of output that is
    enclosed in a TeX box (and thus is, by necessity on a single
    page). For example, a command to rotate a block of text would fall
    under this class.
Delimited: These \special commands are those that affect a block of
    output which is not necessarily enclosed by a TeX box or contained
    entirely on a single page. For example, a \special command to set
    color would fall into this class.
Output generating: These \special commands are those which generate
    self-contained output of some sort. For example, the X_vec
    \special of Section 1.3 falls into this class.
Attribute setting: These \special commands modify the next output
    generating command which appears on the current page. If no output
    generating command follows an attribute setting command, the
    command is ignored and the DVI driver program should issue a
    warning. An example of this class of commands would be the
    X_linewidth \special described in Section 1.3.
The remainder of this section will consist of additional notes on
those classes of \special commands which need additional comment.
 
Global specials
Global specials, it has been decided, will be required to appear on
the first page of the document. They will either be identified with
a prefix (X_global:), delimited by a pair of \special commands
(X_begin_globals ... X_end_globals) or some similar scheme.
 
One issue that has not been decided is whether the first page
containing the global \special commands should be the first page of
text or a special page on its own. Having global options specified as
part of the actual first page of text minimizes the impact on existing
drivers. However, it does present some problems with existing macro
packages in regard to ensuring that the options are output at the
right place. This problem stems from the fact that the \special
commands used to convey the options to the drivers are normally placed
in the body of the document. Macro packages which place headline text
or entirely separate title pages prior to writing the first part of
the "body" of the document will cause text to appear in the DVI file
before the global options. Headline text may or may not have any
impact upon the global options, but separate title pages will prevent
the global options from being on the first page of the DVI file. To
get around this problem, the mechanism used for passing global
information will need to "cooperate" with the output routine within
the macro package.
 
Requiring an entirely separate page at the start of the DVI file
avoids the need for special interaction with the output routines of
various macro packages. Instead of placing \special commands in the
body of the first page, a separate macro is used which issues a
separate \shipout containing the \special commands. This approach
makes things easier for programs which sort or otherwise reorganize a
DVI file since no culling of global options from the first text page
is necessary. However, the separate page technique has an undesired
effect: it produces a blank page on existing drivers which do not
understand the options page.
 
Box specials
A box \special command, since it will always be entirely typeset on a
single page, will be enclosed in a TeX box (\hbox or \vbox). In the
DVI output, box structure is reflected by surrounding push and pop
commands. For example, the TeX commands:
  normal
  \hbox{\special{abc} special}
  text
generate the following DVI code:
  "normal"
  push
  right
  xxx "abc"
  "special"
  pop
  right
  "text"
A DVI driver can exploit this for a command such as X_rotate by
maintaining on the DVI stack, values for items such as rotation_angle.
 
Delimited specials
The committee has not found an effective way to deal with open block
\special commands yet. They will probably need to be issued in
cooperation with the output routine, to insure that every delimited
command is broken down into matching pairs of \special commands on
each page within its bounds.
 
This approach is necessary for two reasons:
o If pages are reordered for any reason (e.g., reverse ordering for
    laser printers which stack output face up) the driver should not
    need to have to scan the entire file to insure that it does not
    inadvertently break up a pair of \special commands producing a
    delimited command.
o Without special care being taken, an delimited command which spans
    pages may inadvertently affect page headers and footers which are
    typeset between the beginning and ending blocks.
 
1.3 Graphics commands
Three techniques for including graphics have been discussed. These
are:
1. Make graphics entirely with TeX primitives.
2. Use METAFONT to build a graphic as a font.
3. Allow the driver to include a device-specific graphic.
 
Graphics by TeX
Handling graphics entirely with TeX macros and primitives which use
dots or characters from a special graphics font is a technique which
has been in use for some time. The LaTeX picture environment and
PiCTeX work in this way with the former assembling characters from a
graphic font and the latter using closely spaced dots.
 
In TUGboat 10(1), (This article also appeared in TeXhax.89.007) David
F. Rogers proposed a series of TeX macros to provide plotting
primitives; these macros would generally be used by TeX input
generated by some graphics package. The macros which were proposed
created graphics by closely spacing dots along each line in the same
manner as PiCTeX.
 
The problem posed by creating graphics in this manner is that TeX must
store all of the graphic elements in memory at once for an entire page
quickly exceeding TeX's capacity.
 
To calculate the memory needs, the technique for positioning each dot
was defined. This is:
  \kern\DX \raise\Y \hbox{\DOT}%
where \DX is a dimension register giving the displacement in the "x"
direction from the previous point and \Y is a dimension register
giving the displacement in the "y" direction from the reference point
of the graph. \DOT defines the plotting symbol and \DX accounts for
the width of this symbol.
 
In memory, TeX saves \kern\DX in a kern node, the raised hbox in an
hlist node, and the plotting symbol in a char_node. These take two
words, seven words, and one word of memory, respectively, for a total
of ten words per dot. A normal-size implementation of TeX with
64k-words of memory allows about 6000 dots to be positioned before it
runs out of memory (assuming that no other macros are loaded and
neglecting other text on the page). Spacing the dots at 100 per inch,
this gives about 60 inches which is not sufficient for many graphs.
 
To enhance the capacity of this graphics technique, we decided to use
a \special to add a vector drawing capability to TeX and DVI drivers
and use the \special instead of closely-spaced dots. This changes the
TeX command sequence to:
 \kern\DX \raise\Y \hbox{%
 \special{X_vec \number\XC \space
              \number\YC}%
where \XC and \YC are dimension registers giving the components of the
vector. Component values in scaled points are likely to be six-digit
numbers with an additional minus sign for negative numbers. Thus, an
average length for the \special string is likely to be around 18
characters. In memory, a \special is saved in a two-word whatsit node
which points to the \special string. Thus the total memory needs,
counting the kern and hlist nodes, will average 29 words per vector
which allows roughly 2000 vectors. This may be sufficient for many
graphs, but falls somewhat short for complex three-dimensional surface
plots. (One sample 3D surface plot consisted of 13,000 vectors.)
 
Two \special commands have been defined for graphics of this sort (and
specialized commands for more complicated graphic elements will be
defined in the future). The commands defined are:
X\_linewidth n: Specify that the following vector is to be drawn with
    a line width of n DVI units (scaled points for TeX). Vectors are
    normally 1 point in width. If no vector follows the X_linewidth
    \special on this page, the command is ignored and the DVI driver
    program should issue a warning.
X\_vec Dx, Dy: Draw a diagonal line from the current point to the
    point which is offset by Dx and Dy from the current point. Dx and
    Dy are specified in terms of DVI units.
 
Graphics by METAFONT
A different approach to graphics inclusion is to use METAFONT to
produce the graphic as a character of a font and position it using
TeX's normal character positioning capabilities. The advantage of this
technique is that the graphic is in a format which many drivers will
already accept.
 
METAPLOT by Pat Wilcox (See the AmigaTeX notes of March 12, 1989 or
TeXMaG V3N3 for information about this package.) is one example of a
package which takes this approach.
 
However, the technique has a number of drawbacks: Graphic fonts are
resolution-dependent; a separate graphic font is needed for different
resolution devices. METAFONT records changes in pixel values across a
scan line when it builds a character. Thus, the memory needs depend
upon the complexity of the graphic in addition to the size and
resolution of the device. To circumvent this limitation, it is
necessary to break the whole graphic into smaller pieces. It is
important to ensure that the heights and widths of each piece are
integral numbers of pixels to allow them to be reassembled without the
alignment problems which occur for letters within words.
 
Including device-dependent files
With this approach, the DVI driver processes a special Graphics
Description File (GDF) which, among other things, indicates the names
and formats of separate graphic files in device-dependent format. A
driver searches this list to find a file in a format appropriate for
the device it supports. This allows a greatly simplified graphic files
to be defined for previewing purposes while a detailed, higher
resolution version is used when the DVI file is printed.
 
GDF files are processed both by TeX and by the DVI driver. TeX \inputs
the file and executes code at the start of the file. This code sets
some dimension and box registers giving the size of the graphic then
terminates with an \endinput to return control to the macro which did
the \input. The portion of the GDF file following the \endinput is
processed by the driver.
 
The driver section of the file consists of a series of keywords which
identify lines that apply to a particular graphics format, rotation,
etc. The driver scans these lines searching for a format which it
understands. Depending on the driver and the graphics format,
additional lines may have to be searched for other attributes such as
rotation. Eventually, the name of the graphics file to be included
will be found and the driver will incorporate it into the output file.
 
In TUGboat 10(1), Bart Childs, Alan Stolleis, and Don Berryman
suggested another scheme for using \special for inclusion of
device-dependent graphics files in "A portable graphics inclusion."
 
2. Additional reference material
In addition to the works mentioned in the Editor's note at the end
of our last report, the following may also be of interest:
 
Guntermann, Klaus and Joachim Schrod. "High quality DVI drivers"
    Available from the Clarkson archive as the file
    schrod-guntermann1.tex
Hosek, Don. "Proposed DVI \special command standard" Available from
    the Clarkson archive as the file hosek1.tex.
 
In addition, anyone interested in implementing any portion of the
developing standard should read the logs available from the Clarkson
archive or Listserv@tamvm1.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__12
**********************************************************************
*                 PD version of TeX for MSDOS/PCDOS                  *
**********************************************************************
By Joachim Lammarsch <DANTE@DHDURZ1>
 
At the LISTSERV@DHDURZ1 is a new filelist installed for the Public TeX
of Klaus Thull, which he has announced in TUGboat 10(1).
 
For this version of TeX on PC you need the WEB files and Turbo Pascal
4.0 or newer. The PCHACKER GUIDE of Klaus is in German, the INST GUIDE
is in English.
 
To get a directory of the filelist you have to send to
LISTSERV@DHDURZ1 the command
 
         GET TEX-PUB FILELIST
 
To get the files you have to send the command
 
         GET fn ft TEX-PUB
 
to the Listserv.
 
For members of DANTE it is possible to get the files on diskettes. For
more information about that ask
 
    DANTE, Deitschsprachige Anwendervereinigung TeX e.V.
    Im Neuenheimer Feld 293
    6900 Heidelberg 1
    West Germany
 
    DANTE@DHDURZ1
 
With kind regards
Joachim Lammarsch
(Chairman DANTE)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__13
**********************************************************************
*   METAPLOT: a package for integrating line printer plots with TeX  *
*                          using METAFONT                            *
**********************************************************************
by Pat Wilcox
The Coolspring Banjo Works
6617 Home Road
Delaware, OH  43015
 
[[Editor's note: This article is re-printed from the AmigaTeX
newsletter.]]
 
METAPLOT is a macro package that converts black and white line
graphics to METAFONT input. METAPLOT macros digest plot commands and
spit them out as a mosaic of puzzle pieces, which TeX can reassemble
using ordinary typesetting commands. Using this scheme, you can
publish TeX documents with diagrams as an integral part of the text,
with no "special" or device-dependent commands.
 
This all started when my husband the engineering consultant started
in on a major contract to document a collection of Computer Aided
Engineering programs. He got tired of changing the little typewriter
keycaps with the Greek letters, just about the time I got fascinated
with AmigaMETAFONT (I won't tell you what I was trying to do with
it...) TeX could do all but the pictures, and we planned to use Aegis
Draw 2000 to draw diagrams on the line plotter and paste them in.
 
The Aegis Draw family is good about documenting the internal data
structures of files. They manage device configurations as small ASCII
files in a "plotters" subvolume, so that custom plotter configurations
are easy to add. I stared at the Aegis plot file structure for a bit,
then cooked up a new plotter called META. META is a very strange
plotter with the property that any drawing sent to META emerges as a
sequence of calls to the METAPLOT macros.
 
Voila! Instant pictures. We're up to Figure 25 in the first document,
and METAPLOT has most of the bugs shaken out, far as I can tell.
(We're still working on performance tuning and frills.) The approach
should work for anybody who has access to both TeX and METAFONT on any
system. We had it running this morning with PersonalTeX and
PersonalMETAFONT on an IBM PS/2 model 70.
 
How do I generate input data for this marvel of modern engineering,
you ask? If you have one of the Aegis Draw programs (upgrade to Draw
2000, if you haven't already!), just select plotter META and you're on
the air.
 
If you have another CAD package, you're still OK as long as it allows
output to some flavor of HP line plotter (which most of them do) and
you can capture the line plotter commands to a file. We're working on
a VGtoMF (vector graphics to METAFONT) preprocessing program which
translates HPGL to META-plotter language, as well as scaling,
rotating, and possibly windowing your plot. VGtoMF will probably
change a lot in the next few months as we match its capabilities to
your individual needs.
 
Of course, there's always a trouble-maker around. Tom Rokicki has come
up with the Gold Disk Professional Draw program, which refuses to
admit that line plotters exist. We're working on that one, but it's
going to be a non-trivial and non-general exercise in decoding the
Gold Disk structured drawing file format. (Everybody call Gold Disk
and say you need line plotter support!)
 
METAPLOT is neat. It really works; if you need it, you need it badly;
and I want everybody to have it. Alas, with two kids in college and no
visible means of support, I can't just give it to you, but for $50.00
(postpaid) you can become a certified METAPLOT Beta Test Site, with
the META plotter driver, the plotmacs.mf package, and lots of
individual attention to tailoring the VGtoMF preprocessor to work with
your CAD package--with a free upgrade to the production versions of
all of the above as soon as the dust settles.
 
Available only from:
Pat Wilcox
The Coolspring Banjo Works
6617 Home Road
Delaware, OH 43015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__14
**********************************************************************
*             RUMDJET -- A DVI Driver for the HP DeskJet             *
**********************************************************************
By Wolfgang Kaspar <Urz86@Dmswwu1a.Bitnet>
  and H.-W. Kisker <Urz10@Dmswwu1a.Bitnet>
Westf\"alische Wilhelms Universit\"at M\"unster
Universit\"atsrechenzentrum
April 1989
 
RUMDJET (RUM = Rechenzentrum der Universit\"at M\"unster) is a DVI
driver for the HP DeskJet printer. It is part of an extensive TeX
toolkit which one of us (H.-W. Kisker) has developed during the last
year for the IBM PC.
 
The driver is a dedicated version for IBM PC compatible computers
running MS-DOS. Although it is derived from Beebe's DVI driver family,
no efforts have been made to achieve portability to other hardware or
other operating systems.
 
The state of the software is preliminary. The runtime behaviour is
rather stable indeed, but the program is still under development.
Above all the source code at the time is not up to our normal standard
and will not be distributed by default. For those who are courageous
enough to deal with more or less "writeonly" code, the sources are
available on special request. The final version of the driver
including the sources will be available together with the above
mentioned TeX toolkit in a few months.
 
Notes on Concepts and Facilties
-------------------------------
The HP DeskJet is a pleasingly silent printer which offers an
excellent 300 dpi print quality at a very attractive price. We
consider it as a low cost laser printer alternative for everybody's
everyday use. The greatest disadvantage is that by default the printer
comes without a single byte of RAM for downloading fonts. Even
upgrading it with the maximum of two RAM cartridges will supply no
more than 256 KB of font storage. For many documents this amount is
far away from being sufficient. Therefore most of the print job has to
be done in graphic mode. Unfortunately this brings two unpleasent
aspects into account. First the driver has to manage a rather great
bitmap (over 1 MB for a default DIN A4 page) and second printing in
high resolution graphic mode is a very dull affair.
 
Both problems can be solved by reducing the resolution to 150 or even
100 dpi. RUMDJET offers this possibility as an option. For high
quality output, however, the 300 dpi resolution is indispensable. This
demands a careful handling of storage. The usual approach of swapping
the bitmap to disk led to an unacceptable increase of processing time.
Better results were obtained by dividing the page from top to bottom
into several pieces which were processed and printed independently.
The multiple reading of the DVI file can be almost neglected.
 
Some other points concerning the driver software should be mentioned:
 o  RUMDJET does not need any swap space on disk. For us this point is
    rather important. All of the university PCs are connected to a
    campus network. Via the network, software including TeX can be
    loaded, but there is no disk capacity to store private data. So
    all the micro computers which are equiped just with a floppy disk
    drive can run \TeX\ and RUMDJET, but cannot store a great bitmap.
 
 o  The output can be directed to a printer immediately. This helps to
    avoid the creation of big printer output files. RUMDJET is able to
    compute the next output part while the DeskJet is processing its
    internal print buffer. So the printer is busy without any
    interruption.
 
 o  An arbitrary number of arbitrary large fonts can be used in a
    document. If the RAM-storage is not sufficient to hold a character
    image, the image is read line by line into the current bitmap
    immediately. The above mentioned toolkit contains a set of
    programs to insert pictures created by normal PC software into a
    TeX document. This is achieved by making a special font with
    possibly very large characters of every picture. RUMDJET can
    handle those fonts independent of their sizes.
 
 o  The output can be sent to a HP LaserJet of an arbitrary version as
    well.
 
 o  For a quick look at the printed document the resolution can be
    reduced to 150 or 100 dpi. This leads to a noticeable decrease of
    printing time and printfile size.
 
Implementation Efficiency
-------------------------
According to Beebe we measured the runtime for processing this
document on a ACER 1100. The ACER 1100 is a 386 based micro computer
running at 16 MHz. Here are the results:
 
              Operation            time         size
          (using PK fonts)         (sec)      (kbytes)
         ----------------------------------------------
          RUMDJET (300 dpi)        100          942
          RUMDJET (150 dpi)         67          271
          RUMDJET (100 dpi)         50          134
          DVIJEP (300 dpi)          62           60
          DVITOS (180 dpi)         176          827
         ----------------------------------------------
 
The values for DVIJEP and DVITOS have been added for comparison.
 
 
Outlook
-------
The TeX toolkit for the PC which we mentioned above will be ready for
distribution in the second part of 1989.
 
It will consist of:
 o  the DVI driver RUMDJET for the HP DeskJet (300, 150 and 100 dpi),
 
 o  the DVI driver RUMNEC for the NEC P5/P6/P7 printer family (360 and
    180 dpi),
 
 o  the DVI driver RUMVIEW for a wide range of video cards including
    those with 1024x768 pixel resolution,
 
 o  the Program  ADI2PXL which converts Autodesk's ADI pixel file
    format into TeX fonts,
 
 o  a set of conversion programs which converts the grafic output of
    nearly every PC Program to ADI file format and
 
 o  a set of utility programs to manipulate ADI files and TeX fonts
    including a font editor.
 
The RUMDJET driver itself will be extended by several additional
features for example the possibility to specify a list of pathnames
for searching pixel or TFM files.
 
Although we consider the released preliminary version of RUMDJET
to be rather stable, we are of course highly interested in bugs or
malefunctions which will show up during everyday use. Please don't
hesitate to write us if you run into an error.
 
 
Obtaining the Programm
----------------------
   o  Get it from the file server listserv@dhdurz1.bitnet.
 
   o  Send one of the following formatted disks to the authors:
 
         3 1/2"    720 KB
         3 1/2"    1.44 MB
         5 1/4"    360 KB
         5 1/4"    1.2 MB
 
 
Addresses of the authors
------------------------
Postal mail:
     Wolfgang Kaspar                      H.-W. Kisker
     University of M\"unster              University of M\"unster
     University Computing Center          University Computing Center
     Einsteinstra\ss e 60                 Einsteinstra\ss e 60
     D-4400 M\"unster                     D-4400 M\"unster
     Federal Republic of Germany          Federal Republic of Germany
E-mail:
     urz86@dmswwu1a.bitnet                urz10@dmswwu1a.bitnet
phone:
     49 251 832473                        49 251 832467
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__15
**********************************************************************
*                           Books on type:                           *
*                      _An Atlas of Typeforms_                       *
**********************************************************************
 
by Don Hosek <U33297@UICVM.UIC.EDU>
 
Title: An Atlas of Typeforms
Authors: James Sutton and Alan Bartram
Publisher: Chartwell Books, Inc. (Secaucus, New Jersey)
125pp., Folio
 
I came across this book last December in the discount tables at
Krochs & Brentano's on sale, so it may not be readily available. This
is a pity since the book is a rather interesting survey of typefaces
from the earliest Roman stone cuttings (the term "typefaces" is used
somewhat loosely in the first part of the book which also discusses
various medieval calligraphic styles as well) to modern typefaces.
Since the book was written in 1968, there is no discussion of digital
typefaces, but for a person interested in the development of the
contemporary letterforms, this is a rather interesting work.
 
One feature which makes this book particularly interesting are the
large samples of entire typefaces representative of each type
discussed. For example, in the section on Modern typefaces, a full set
of Roman and Italic types is given in 24 or 30pt for each of Bauer
Bodoni, Monotype 135 Bodoni, Ludwig & Mayer Firmin Didot, Berthold
Walbaum, Monotype 374 Walbaum, Stevens Shanks Extended 3, and
Stephenson Blake Modern 20. In addition their are samples of the
letters "RQENbaegn" given as greatly enlarged samples so the
characteristic features of the typeface might be examined more easily.
It is highly instructive to compare the common features of one group
of typefaces given in this manner to those of a different group (for
example, comparing the Moderns and Old Styles) to better understand
what distinguishes the two groups and binds the typefaces in the
group together.
 
The decorative typefaces grouped together near the end might
certainly be interesting material for an ambitious Metafounder, and
for anyone hoping to design their own alphabet on any model, this
book would certainly be helpful in understanding why certain features
of characters are the way they are.
 
If I have any complaint against this book, it would be that the
authors show too strong a preference towards sans-serif typefaces (or
"grotesques" as they refer to them). The text, set in eight point
Univers is made somewhat more difficult to read due to the choice of
face (especially in the dim light of my home work area).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__16
**********************************************************************
*                    TeX mysteries and puzzles                       *
**********************************************************************
 
TeX mysteries and puzzles has returned with two new puzzles. The first
is from Victor Eijkhout <U641000@HNYKUN11.BITNET>. He writes:
 
    The following lay-out problem is too hard for me. It may not even
    be solvable with TeX.
 
    In advertising material you encounter, every once in a while, text
    that has been "varioset" (this is the Dutch term). Meaning that it
    is left and right justified, except on lines (about one in five
    gives a pleasant visual effect) where the stretch is deemed too
    large, there it is raggedright, with glue set at its natural
    width. The difficulty with this problem is of course that glue is
    proportional, whereas this is an all-or-nothing phenomenon.
 
Does anybody have any possible solutions?
 
The second puzzle comes from Rainer Schoepf <SCHOEPF@DMZNAT51> who
would like someone to
 
    Write a macro \futurelettwo thats acts as a \futurelet, but with
    *two* assignments, i.e.
         \futurelettwo <token1> <token2> <token3> <token4>
    should behave as
         \let <token1> <token3> \let <token2> <token4> <token3> <token4>
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__17
**********************************************************************
*           A summary of TeX-related information of note             *
**********************************************************************
 
Please note that all Janet addresses are given in the UK "backwards"
format. Non-Janet users should reverse the address to reach the
address in question. For example, Uk.Ac.Aston is Aston.Ac.Uk to the
rest of the world.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Electronic magazines/newsletters/mailing lists
 
*TeXMaG
TeXMaG is an independently published electronic magazine available
free of charge to all interested parties reachable by electronic
mail. It is published sporadicly, and the editor likes to think that
it's bi-monthly and the readers humor him.
  SUBSCRIPTIONS:
   CDNnet: Send a note to <list-request@ubc.csnet> 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 Don Hosek
         <DHOSEK@HMCVAX.BITNET>.
  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 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.
   LISTSERV@TCSVM also has some back issues available which may be
   obtained with the command GET TEXMAG VvNn where v is the volume
   number and n is the issue number).
   Janet users may obtain back issues from the Aston archive.
   DECNET/SPAN users may obtain them from the Decnet repository (see
   below).
 
*GUT
GUT is a French language TeX discussion group and also a communication
channel for GUTenberg, a TeX Users Group concerned with special
problems involved in typesetting French with TeX. Each note is
distributed separately. The list is managed by Christian Metairie
<METAIRIE@FRIUTO11>.
  SUBSCRIPTIONS:
   To subscribe, send the command
         SUBS GUT your full name
   to LISTSERV@FRULM11.
  SUBMISSIONS:
   Submissions should be addressed to GUT@FRULM11. Note that a copy
   of your submission will NOT be sent to you. Most submissions are
   in French, but they need not be.
  BACK ISSUES:
   Monthly logs are available to list members from LISTSERV@FRULM11
   Each log is named GUT LOGyymm where yy is the last two digits of
   the year and mm is the month as a two digit number. The command
   to retrieve a log is
         GET GUT LOGyymm
   Be sure to send the command to LISTSERV@FRULM11 and NOT the list.
 
*TeXhax
TeXhax is a mailing list for persons with questions, suggestions, etc.
about TeX, LaTeX, MetaFont and related programs. It is a service of
the TeX Users Group and is published 1-3 times per week.
  SUBSCRIPTIONS:
   ACSnet (Australia): Send a note asking for a subscription to
         <munnari!elz>
   Internet: Send a note asking for a subscription to
         <TeXHAX-REQUEST@Cs.Washington.Edu>. Be sure to include a
         valid Internet address in the request.
   Janet: Send a note asking for a subscription to
         <texhax-request@uk.ac.nsfnet-relay>.
   JUnet (Japan): Send a note asking for a subscription to
         <takagi@icot.jp>
   All others: Send the following command as an interactive message
         (Bitnet) or as a single-line mail message to LISTSERV@UWAVM
         or LISTSERV@UWAVM.ACS.WASHINGTON.EDU
               SUBS TEXHAX Your_Full_Name.
  SUBMISSIONS:
   Submissions for TeXhax should be sent to <TeXHAX@Cs.Washington.Edu>.
  BACK ISSUES:
   Back issues may be FTP'd from SUN.SOE.CLARKSON.EDU from the
   directory pub/texhax. 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 texhax texhax.YY.NNN
   where YY is the year of the issue and NNN is the issue number.
   Including a line "index texhax" in the message will return a list
   of back issues available.
   Back issues since 88(75) may be FTP'd from JUNE.CS.WASHINGTON.EDU
   in the directory TeXhax.
   Back issues prior to 88(75) may be FTP'd from SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
   in the directory PS:<TEX.TEXHAX>
   Back issues may also be FTP'd from SCIENCE.UTAH.EDU from the file
   BBD:TEXHAX.TXT.
   LISTSERV@TAMVM1 also has some back issues available which may be
   obtained with the command GET TEXHAXnn yy where yy is the year of
   the issue and nn is the issue number). Issues 100 and above are
   named TEXHAnnn yy.
   Janet users may obtain back issues from the Aston archive.
   DECNET/SPAN users may obtain them from the Decnet repository (see
   below).
 
*TeX_D-L
TeX_D-L is a German language TeX discussion group. Each note is
distributed separately and no logs are kept. The list is managed
by Joachim Lammarsch <RZ92@DHDURZ1>.
  SUBSCRIPTIONS:
   To subscribe, send the command
         SUBS TEX_D-L your full name
   to LISTSERV@DEARN.
  SUBMISSIONS:
   Submissions should be addressed to TEX_D-L@DEARN. Note that a copy
   of your submission will NOT be sent to you. Submissions should be
   in German.
 
*TeX_D-PC
TeX_D-PC is a German language TeX discussion group directed towards
users of TeX on PCs. Each note is distributed separately and no logs
are kept. The list is managed by Joachim Lammarsch <RZ92@DHDURZ1>.
  SUBSCRIPTIONS:
   To subscribe, send the command
         SUBS TEX_D-PC your full name
   to LISTSERV@DEARN.
  SUBMISSIONS:
   Submissions should be addressed to TEX_D-PC@DEARN. Note that a copy
   of your submission will NOT be sent to you. Submissions should be
   in German.
 
*UKTeX
UKTeX is essentially a U.K. version of TeXhax. It is published on a
weekly basis.
  SUBSCRIPTIONS:
   To subscribe, send a note to <info-tex-request@uk.ac.aston>.
  SUBMISSIONS:
   Submissions should be sent to <info-tex@uk.ac.aston>.
  BACK ISSUES:
   Back issues may be FTP'd from SUN.SOE.CLARKSON.EDU from the
   directory pub/uktex. 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 uktex uktex.YY.NNN
   where YY is the year of the issue and NNN is the issue number.
   Including a line "index uktex" in the message will return a list
   of back issues available.
   Janet users may obtain back issues from the Aston archive.
   DECNET/SPAN users may obtain them from the Decnet repository (see
   below).
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hardcopy magazines/newsletters
 
*Les Cahiers GUTenberg
Cahiers GUTenberg is a quarterly production of GUTenberg, a TeX Users
Group concerned with special problems involved in typesetting French
with TeX (although the journal is not limited to that area). There
is a subscription fee of FF250 per year to receive this journal. For
more information, write to <GUT@IRISA.IRISA.FR>.
 
*TeXline
TeXline is "a newsletter of the TeX community" edited by Malcolm
Clark. To subscribe, send a note to <texline@uk.ac.imperial.cc.vaxa>
with your *postal* address. There is no charge for a subscription. The
publication is slanted towards the UK TeX user but is still a useful
source of information to others.
 
*TUGboat
TUGBoat is the newsletter of the TeX Users Group. It is an
indispensable reference for TeX users. For more information about
joining TUG and subscribing to TUGBoat send (real) mail to:
     TeX Users Group
     P. O. Box 9506
     Providence, RI 02940-9506, USA
Inquiries may be also be sent via e-mail to <Tug@Math.Ams.Com>.
Submissions for TUGboat may be sent via electronic mail to
<Tugboat@Math.Ams.Com>.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Other information
 
LaTeX-style collection. A collection of LaTeX files is available for
FTP and mail access at sun.soe.clarkson.edu. To obtain files via
FTP, login to sun.soe.clarkson.edu as anonymous, password guest and go
to the directory pub/latex-style (where the files are). Mail access is
accomplished by sending a mail message to
<archive-server@sun.soe.clarkson.edu> with the first line containing
"path" followed by a network address FROM clarkson TO you, then file
requests with one or more files per line prefixed by "send latex-style".
For example,
path fschwartz%hmcvax.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu
send latex-style Readme Index
send latex-style resume.sty
Note that this syntax is different than that used by the server at
the University of Rochester.
Submissions should be sent to <mrd@sun.soe.clarkson.edu> or
<archive-management@sun.soe.clarkson.edu>
 
LISTSERV@DHDURZ1 has file archives of interest to TeX users. Included
are the Beebe drivers and contents of the LaTeX style collection, as
well as some TeX macros. Many files are available only in German.
 
LISTSERV@TAMVM1 also has file archives that may be of interest to TeX
users on BITNET, including the files from the Score.Stanford.EDU FTP
directories and back issues of TeXHAX. For a list of files available,
send the following command to LISTSERV@TAMVM1: GET TeX FILELIST.
>>> THIS SERVICE IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE.
 
DECNET. There is a TeX file collection on DECnet accessible from
DECnet and SPAN. Available files include the Beebe DVI drivers, the
LaTeX style collection, and back issues of TeXhax, TeXMag, and UKTeX.
For more information, contact Marisa Luvisetto (DECNET:
<39947::luvisetto>, Bitnet: <LUVISETTO@IBOINFN.BITNET>) or Massimo
Calvani <fisica@astrpd.infn.it> U.S. Users should contact Ed Bell
<7388::Bell>
 
JANET. Peter Abbott keeps an archive of TeX-related files available
for FTP (JANET only) and mail access. The archive is stored in
[tex-archive] on the system uk.ac.aston.tex. Mail access is achieved
by sending mail to <texserver@tex.aston.ac.uk>. For a help file
send a message to that address of the form:
         ---
         a return address to you from Aston
         HELP
Note that all text MUST begin in column one. For Bitnet users, a
return address will take the form: <user%node@EARN-RELAY>. For
Internet users, the return address will be <user%host@NSFNET-RELAY>.
  For more information send mail to Peter Abbott <Abbottp@Uk.Ac.Aston>.
 
Special thanks to those who contributed to this issue, Rodeway Inn and
their endless fountain of stationery, everyone who reads TeXMaG this
far to the end (and possibly past the character code reference as well)
and the people who make those little bags of peanuts they serve on
airplanes.
 
Have you registered for the TUG conference yet?
 
The now famous 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": ~ * + %