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Diffstat (limited to 'Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/faq-projects.tex')
-rw-r--r-- | Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/faq-projects.tex | 116 |
1 files changed, 57 insertions, 59 deletions
diff --git a/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/faq-projects.tex b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/faq-projects.tex index c3aff8dad9e..7d789e1389a 100644 --- a/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/faq-projects.tex +++ b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/generic/FAQ-en/faq-projects.tex @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@ -% $Id: faq-projects.tex,v 1.12 2010/06/02 23:10:24 rf10 Exp rf10 $ +% $Id: faq-projects.tex,v 1.15 2011/02/08 22:17:17 rf10 Exp rf10 $ \section{Current \TeX{}-related projects} @@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ support for new Web standards. \item[GELLMU]\CTANref{gellmu} \item[MathTeX]\CTANref{MathTeX} \item[MimeTeX]\CTANref{MimeTeX} -\item[TeX4HT]\CTANref{tex4ht} +\item[tex4ht]\CTANref{tex4ht} (but see \url{http://tug.org/tex4ht/}) \end{ctanrefs} \Question[Q-textrace]{Making outline fonts from \MF{}} @@ -207,7 +207,6 @@ in MetaType1 format. \Question[Q-WYGexpts]{The \TeX{} document preparation environment} - ``\Qref*{Why \TeX{} is not \WYSIWYG{}}{Q-notWYSIWYG}'' outlines the reasons (or excuses) for the huge disparity of user interface between ``typical'' \TeX{} environments and commercial word @@ -262,11 +261,7 @@ tracking with automatic fast recompilations (through the use of dumped formats) is \href{http://pauillac.inria.fr/whizzytex/}{\Package{WhizzyTeX}} which is best used with a previewer by the -same author. A simpler package in a similar spirit is called -\href{http://www.activetex.org/}{\Package{InstantPreview}} and makes -use of a continuously running copy of \TeX{} -(under the moniker of \texttt{TeX daemon}) instead of dumping formats to -achieve its speed. +same author. Another \ProgName{emacs} package called \href{http://preview-latex.sourceforge.net}{\Package{preview-latex}} @@ -461,7 +456,9 @@ Few would deny that \BibTeX{} is ripe for renewal: as originally conceived, it was a program for creating bibliographies for technical documents, in English. People have contributed mechanisms for a degree of multilingual use (whose techniques are arcane, and quite -likely inextensible); and specialist \BibTeX{} style files are +likely inextensible), while an extension (\ProgName{bibtex8}) allows +use with 8-bit character codes, thus providing some multilingual +capabilities. In addition, specialist \BibTeX{} style files are available for use in non-technical papers. \BibTeX{} uses a style language whose mechanisms are unfamiliar to @@ -474,71 +471,72 @@ Oren Patashnik (the author of \BibTeX{}) summarises the issues as he sees them, in a % !line break \href{http://tug.org/TUGboat/Articles/tb24-1/patashnik.pdf}{\acro{TUG} conference paper from 2003} that seems to suggest that we might expect a -\BibTeX{}~1.0\dots{}which hasn't (yet) appeared. +\BibTeX{}~1.0 \dots{} which hasn't (yet) appeared. In the absence of \BibTeX{}~1.0, what do we need from the bibliography system of the future?~--- simple: a superset of what \BibTeX{} does -(or can be made to do), implemented in a simpler style language, with -coherent multilingual capabilities. +(or can be made to do), preferably implementing a simpler style +language, and with coherent multilingual capabilities. + +There are two parts to a bibliography system; processing the database +of citations, and typesetting the results. The existing \bibtex{} +system provides a means of processing the database, and there are +macros built into \latex{}, as well as many \latex{} packages, that +process the results. + +Of the direct \BibTeX{} replacements, only two have been submitted to +\acro{CTAN}: Cross\TeX{} and \ProgName{biber}. -Of the direct \BibTeX{} replacements, the only one whose authors have -sufficient confidence to submit to \acro{CTAN} is Cross\TeX{}. Cross\TeX{}'s language feels familiar to the existing user of \BibTeX{}, but it's redesigned in an object-oriented style, and looks -(to a non-user) as if it may well be adequately flexible. +(to a non-user) as if it may well be adequately flexible. It is said +to operate as a \bibtex{} replacement. Cross\TeX{}'s team respond to queries, and seem well aware of the -need for multilingual support. Cross\TeX{} is probably a development -to watch. - -Two interesting alternative approaches, that the author has -investigated, are \Package{amsrefs} and \Package{biblatex}. -\Package{Amsrefs} does away with \BibTeX{} altogether, while -\Package{biblatex} (at least for now) makes rather limited use of -\BibTeX{}. Both are heavily dependent on \LaTeX{}'s support. - -\Package{Amsrefs} uses a transformed \extension{bib} file, which is -expressed as \LaTeX{} macros. (The package provides a \BibTeX{} style -that performs the transformation, so that a \LaTeX{} source containing -a \cmdinvoke{nocite}{*} command enables \BibTeX{} to produce a usable -\Package{amsrefs} bibliography database.) +need for multilingual support, though it isn't currently offered. + +\ProgName{Biber} is intimately associated with the \latex{} package +\Package{biblatex}; it is logically a \bibtex{} replacement, but is also +capable of using bibliography databases in its own +\ProgName{biblatexml} (\acro{XML}-based) format. \Package{Biblatex} +can also use \bibtex{}, but \ProgName{biber} opens up a far wider +range of possibilities, including full Unicode support. + +\Package{Biblatex} is a processor for the output of an application +such as \ProgName{biber} or \bibtex{}; the style of citations and of +the bibliography itself (in your document) is determined by the way +your \Package{biblatex} style has been set up, not on some +\bibtex{}-\latex{} package combination. \Package{Biblatex}'s +structure thus eliminates the collections of \BibTeX{} styles, at a +stroke; it comes with a basic set of styles, and details are +determined by options, set at package loading time. The author, +Philipp Lehman, evaluated the whole field of bibliography software +before starting, and as a result the package provides answers to +many of the questions asked in the bibliography sections of these +\acro{FAQ}s. + +\Package{Biblatex} was released as experimental software, but it's +clear that many users are already using it happily; Lehman is +responsive to problem reports, at the moment, but a \emph{de facto} +set of expert users is already establishing itself. A set of +contributed styles has appeared, which cover some of the trickier +bibliography styles. The road map of the project shows that we are +now working on the final \emph{beta} releases before the ``stable'' +\Package{biblatex}~1.0. + +Finally, \Package{Amsrefs} uses a transformed \extension{bib} file, +which is expressed as \LaTeX{} macros. (The package provides a +\BibTeX{} style that performs the transformation, so that a \LaTeX{} +source containing a \cmdinvoke{nocite}{*} command enables \BibTeX{} to +produce a usable \Package{amsrefs} bibliography database.) \Package{Amsrefs} is maintained by the AMS as part of its author support programme, - -\Package{Biblatex} uses \BibTeX{} simply to sort the citations using -\Package{biblatex}'s own style; the style of citations and of the -bibliography itself is determined by the way your \Package{biblatex} -style has been set up. This structure eliminates the collections of -\BibTeX{} styles, at a stroke; the package comes with a basic set of -styles, and details are determined by options, set at package loading -time. The author, Philipp Lehman, evaluated the whole field of -bibliography software before starting, and as a result the package -comes with answers to many of the questions asked in the bibliography -sections of these \acro{FAQ}s. - -\Package{Biblatex} is released as experimental software, but it's -clear that many users are already using it happily; Lehman is -responsive to problem reports, at the moment, but a set of expert -users is already establishing itself. A set of contributed styles has -appeared, which cover some of the trickier bibliography styles. The -road map of the project shows one more \emph{beta} release before the -``stable'' \Package{biblatex}~1.0. - -A related project is -\href{http://biblatex-biber.sourceforge.net/}{\ProgName{biber}} -(it's called \ProgName{biblatex-biber} on SourceForge simply to -distinguish it from an older, defunct, \BibTeX{} replacement -project). \ProgName{Biber} is a \ProgName{Perl}-based system to -produce a \BibTeX{} replacement that is specifically tuned to the -requirements of \Package{biblatex}. While it supports the -`traditional' \BibTeX{} interface, \ProgName{biber} provides an -interface language designed for \Package{biblatex}, including use of -Unicode to ease the generation of multilingual citations. \begin{ctanrefs} \item[amsrefs.sty]\CTANref{amsrefs} \item[biber]\CTANref{biber} \item[biblatex.sty]\CTANref{biblatex} +\item[bibtex8]\CTANref{bibtex8} \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}biblatex contributions]\CTANref{biblatex-contrib} \item[\nothtml{\rmfamily}CrossTeX]\CTANref{crosstex} \end{ctanrefs} |