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-rw-r--r-- | Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/losample.tex | 380 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/newsletr.txt | 134 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/newssamp.tex | 267 |
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diff --git a/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/READ.ME b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/READ.ME new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..53d258b0d55 --- /dev/null +++ b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/READ.ME @@ -0,0 +1,76 @@ +% Save file as: AAAREAD.ME Source: FILESERV@SHSU.BITNET + + NEWSLETR - A newsletter format for Plain TeX + Hunter Goatley + August 21, 1991 + +NEWSLETR is a file of plain TeX macros that has been used for the last few +years to publish a newsletter about a horror author (Robert R. McCammon). +Most of the macros are original, but some came from _The TeXbook_ and other +sources; most of these have been either rewritten or modified. The following +files should be found here (and the names are short for people using MS-DOS): + + AAAREAD.1ST This file + NEWSLETR.TEX The newsletter format + NEWSLETR.TXT List of commands in newsletter format + NEWSSAMP.TEX Sample newsletter file + NEWSSAMP.UUE Uuencoded sample .DVI file + LODRIVER.TEX Sample newsletter driver (part of a real newsletter) + LOSAMPLE.TEX Sample newsletter title page, articles, etc. + +The format is for plain TeX, not LaTeX---real TeXies don't use LaTeX! 8-) +Seriously, I developed my newsletter format because LaTeX wasn't flexible +enough for the stuff I wanted to do---namely multiple columns (1--6 columns), +switching columns on the same page, and including figures. + +When you see it, some of the stuff will look kludged---but it sounds like +what some of you are using now was kludged, so it shouldn't be much worse! + +Because the format file (NEWSLETR.TEX) is pretty big, I'd suggest that you +create a new TeX format file that contains it. Under VMS using DECUS TeX, +the command would be: + + $ TEX/INIT/NOFORMAT "&plain \input newsletr \dump" + $ TEX/FORMAT=newsletr + +NEWSLETR is set up so that it can be used as an extended plain TeX (you have +access to the macros, with all of TeX's default settings). When building +a newsletter, you can execute \newspage to use pages that are a little taller +and wider (7" x 9") and to change some of TeX's penalties, etc. + +Finally, I would like to point out a couple of features that I think would be +useful for anybody who uses TeX for any reason. I've extracted these two +pieces into separate files so that you can easily include them in other +documents. + +As you all know, TeX requires that you use `` and '' instead of " to get +proper double-quotes. I have written a macro that will let the double-quote +character (") work like `` and ''. It assumes that they come in pairs, except +that a " as the first character of a paragraph is treated as ``. To enable +the double-quote recognition, simply add \begindoublequotes to your file. +(You can disable it using \enddoublequotes.) Proper spacing after '' is +maintained. (QUOTE.TEX) + +I've also included macros \ital and \slant for typesetting text in the +italic (\it) and slanted (\sl) fonts, respectively. A lot of people don't +seem to know about---or forget to use---the italic correction (\/) when +switching among fonts. The \ital and \slant macros look at the next character +following the parameter and add the italic correction unless the next character +is a period or a comma, as recommended on page 14 of _The TeXbook_. Using +these macros, you should never need to type \/ again. (ITALIC.TEX) + +I would appreciate being kept informed of bug fixes or improvements you make +to the file. To that end, I've created a mailing list that can be used to +discuss the NEWSLETR format. Feel free to post questions, problems, or +solutions to the list; as usually with freeware, I can't promise support, +but I use these macros too, and I'm willing to help whenever/wherever I can. +To subscribe to the list, send e-mail with the body SUBSCRIBE NEWSLETR to +LISTSERV@WKUVX1.BITNET. Note that this isn't a real LISTSERV, so commands +other than UNSUBSCRIBE and REVIEW won't work. + +Questions, comments, or suggestions are welcome. + +Hunter Goatley, VAX Systems Programmer E-mail: goathunter@WKUVX1.BITNET +Academic Computing, STH 226 Voice: (502) 745-5251 +Western Kentucky University +Bowling Green, KY 42101 diff --git a/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/losample.tex b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/losample.tex new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..660019319ee --- /dev/null +++ b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/losample.tex @@ -0,0 +1,380 @@ +% Save file as: LOSAMPLE.TEX Source: FILESERV@SHSU.BITNET +%% TITLE.TEX %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% +\begingroup +\font\HUGE=cmss17 %scaled\magstep2 + +\pageheader{}{}{} +\pagefooter{}{}{} + +\setbox0=\vbox{\hsize=2.25in + \vskip4.25in + {\baselineskip=21pt + \centerline{\HUGE Vol.\ 1\ \ No.\ 4} + \centerline{\HUGE June 1990} + } + } + +\vbox to9in{\unvbox0 + +\vskip 1.75in +\vfil +\vbox{\hbox to\hsize{\hfill +\leftshadowbox{ + \hsize=6in + \vsize=1.75in + \vbox to\vsize{ + \vfil + {\baselineskip=19pt + \centerline{\HUGE Inside This Issue:} + } + \vfil + \centerline{$\bullet$\ "The State of Where," by \RRM} + \centerline{$\bullet$\ An interview with Jeffrey Sackett, by Hunter Goatley} + \centerline{$\bullet$\ Interviews with Al Sarrantonio and Kazue Tanaka, + by \RRM} + \centerline{$\bullet$\ A letters column} + \centerline{$\bullet$\ Reports on NECON X and the 1990 WFC} + \centerline{$\bullet$\ A Joe R. Lansdale update} + \centerline{$\bullet$\ News of \McC's new novel \book{Boy's Life}} + \vfil + }} +\hfill} +\vfil +}} % End of \vbox + +\eject +\endgroup + +%% EDITORIAL.TEX %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% +% +% Lights Out! Vol. 2 No. 1 +% Editorial page +% +\newbox\edboxone \newbox\edboxtwo % \newbox\edbox3 \newbox\edbox4 +\newdimen\edcolwidth + +% +%\edcolwidth=\pagewidth +%\advance\edcolwidth by -\wd\edboxone +%\advance\edcolwidth by -\columnsep +%\advance\edcolwidth by -\columnsep +% +%\setbox\edboxtwo=\vbox to 9in{\hsize\edcolwidth +%%{\hsize 4in +\articletitle{"And Now, the End Is Near\edots"}{A Look at the Future by Hunter +Goatley} + +\begincolumns{2} +\ninepoint \rm + +\noindent +Well, once again, finally! As you all know, I think, +this issue has been delayed because my family and I moved again, this +time from Knoxville to Bowling Green, KY. Again, I appreciate your +patience and understanding. + +Each time I go to press, the issue seems to change from what I originally +intended. I've been telling you for awhile that this issue would feature a new +McCammon short story---well, it doesn't. It does, however, have an essay +entitled "The State of Where," written by \McC\ exclusively for \LO\ \ The +essay describes where McCammon is in his career, and where he's going. I think +you'll find it interesting. + +Now the bad news. As you probably gathered from the title above, I'm +extinguishing the lights on \LO\ \ Despite my best efforts, finding the time to +devote to the newsletter is becoming more and more difficult. +The fact that I've only been able to do three +issues in the last 13 months shows that something's not right. +There are several reasons that I won't be able to keep up \LO: + +\beginlist\parindent=18pt +\item{1.)} Production costs have steadily risen as I've moved around the + country. The last issue and this one were more expensive than + the previous three issues had been; in fact, much of the + subscription renewals went to pay for those issues. I also + severely + over-estimated the growth of \LO---the renewals since June + will not cover the cost of four more issues; more on that in + a minute. +\item{2.)} I \slant{like} my job now. In the beginning, \LO\ was a + much-needed diversion from a programming job that had become + unbearable---only I didn't realize it at the time. Now that + I'm out of the "hell-job," I find myself less willing to spend + my free time working on \LO +\item{3.)} I've been stepping up my writing for the technical journal + \book{VAX Professional}. Since 1986 I've written 16 articles + for them; this year I'm to start a series of programming + articles that will probably be published as a book. +\item{4.)} I'm going to be teaching some programming classes this fall at + Western Kentucky University. +\item{5.)} And most importantly, my almost-two-year-old daughter Margaret + wants---and should have---more + time to spend with Daddy. Lately, between work and \LO\ she + and Dana have had to spend too much time without me---and vice + versa. +\endlist + +Since renewals have been lower than anticipated and new subscriptions have been +virtually non-existent, I cannot afford to publish four more issues of +\LO---instead of offering refunds, I've decided that there will be one more +issue of \LO\ sometime later this year. This special issue will be longer than +previous issues and will be available to \slant{current subscribers only}. +Book dealers will not be selling them and I won't have any extra copies for +sale. + +Rick McCammon has been a joy to work with, and when I told him of my plans +to discontinue \LO\ he offered to help me make the last issue very special +for you. Therefore, the next and final issue of \LO\ will feature not one, +but \slant{two} excerpts from abandoned \RRM\ novels! + +Though Rick once told me that he would never show \book{The Address} to anyone, +he has volunteered to let me publish what he had written at the time he shelved +the book. That's about 50 manuscript pages. Rick is also providing me with the +beginning of \book{The Midnight Man}, a novel he started last year. In addition, +the issue will feature a brand-new interview with Rick, where we'll discuss +\book{Boy's Life} and more about Rick's plans for the future. I'll be driving +to Birmingham in March or April to sit down and talk with Rick, so if you have +any questions you want me to ask him, please send them soon. + +As you can see, I'm planning for \LO\ to go with a {\ss BANG!} And since the +next issue is for current subscribers only, there won't be very many copies. +I've got plenty of back issues of issues 2 and 3 sitting around being a fire +hazard; if you'd like extra copies of those issues, send \$1 for each copy and +I'll mail them out immediately. The \$1 will cover postage and the envelope(s). +There are no limits, except that the offer is available only to current +subscribers. I still have some of issues 1 and 4, but I'm not sure how many; +let me know if you want those issues and I'll include them as long as they last. +Please send all correspondence to the address at the bottom of this page. And +thanks for your patience---the last issue will be out this summer. + +\vskip.5\baselineskip \hrule \vskip.5\baselineskip +{\eightpoint\ss\noindent +On the cover: the artwork for McCammon's upcoming novel, \book{Boy's Life}, +and a magazine illustration accompanying a Japanese translation of "The Thang." +\eoa} +\endcolumns + + +\vfill + +\setbox0=\vbox to 1.25in{\hsize=125pt% + \vfil\elevenpoint + \centerline{\bf Lights Out!} + \vfil\hrule\vfil + \centerline{The} + \centerline{\RRM} + \centerline{Newsletter} + \vfil \hrule \vfil\ninepoint + \line{Vol.~2\ \ No.~1\hfill February 1991\hskip2pt} + \vfil + } + +\setbox1=\vbox to 1.25in{\hsize=120pt% + \vfil\vfil + \centerline{\ss Published by:} + \centerline{\bf Hunter Goatley} + \vfil \hrule \vfil + \centerline{\LO} + \centerline{\POBox} + \centerline{\CityState} + \centerline{\ZipCode} + \vfil\vfil + } + +\setbox2=\vbox to 1.25in{\hsize=120pt% + \vfil\noindent\eightpoint\ss\parindent=6pt\narrower + Thanks to Paddy McKillop, Jodi Strissel, Paul Schulz, Adam Rothberg, + \& you. + Thanks especially to Jeffrey Sackett, Kazue Tanaka, Al Sarrantonio, + Joe Lansdale, and Rick \& Sally McCammon. + Incredibly special thanks to Dana \& Margaret Goatley! + % for putting up with me! + \par + \vfil} + +\setbox3=\vbox to 1.25in{\hsize=125pt% + \vfil\noindent\eightpoint\ss\leftskip=6pt + This newsletter was typeset on a Digital VAX 6320, using the \TeX\ + typesetting system developed by Donald~E. Knuth. + \par + \vfil \hrule \vfil + \noindent\smallcopyright\ 1991 by Hunter Goatley. All rights reserved. + Permission to reprint required.\par + \vfil} + + +\setbox\edboxone=\vbox{\hbox{\box0\vrule\box1\vrule\box2\vrule\box3}} + +\setbox\edboxone=\vbox to1.5in{ + \boxitspace=6pt + \vfill + \boxit{\unvbox\edboxone} + \vfill + } + +\box\edboxone + +\eject % Force a page break + +%% KAZUE.TEX %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% +% +% TeX file: KAZUE.TEX +% +% Desc: Interview with Kazue Tanaka, by Robert R. McCammon +% +% Interview Date: 03-NOV-1990 +% Transcription Date: 24-NOV-1990 +% +\articletitle{Interview: Kazue Tanaka}{Conducted by \RRM; transcribed by Hunter Goatley} + +\begincolumns{2} +\definefigs{2} % Define figures for up to 7 pages + +%\definefig{2}{2}{top}{\Certo} + +%\definefig{3}{2}{middle}{\Quote{% +% I think it's a challenge to see the world +% through different eyes. And I think that's what writing, in a way, is +% all about.\qRM}} + +%\handlefigures +% +% "RM:" in 10pt roman is 22.xx pts wide, so let's put these things in boxes +% that size with about 5pts whitespace following them. +% +\def\RM:{\vskip6pt\noindent\hbox to27pt{\bf RM:\hfil}} +\def\KT:{\vskip6pt\noindent\hbox to27pt{\bf KT:\hfil}} + + +\ednote{Ms.~Kazue Tanaka is a Japanese writer/translator who has translated +\RRM's stories from \book{Night Visions IV} into Japanese. The following +interview was conducted at the 1990 World Fantasy Convention, where Ms.~Tanaka +finished up a month-long visit to the United States. Ms.~Tanaka is currently +at work translating \McC's 1981 vampire epic, \book{They Thirst}. +%\hfill\break\vskip-12pt +} + +\RM: I'd like to know how you go about translating, say, one of my books. +Do you read the book first? + +\KT: Yes. Usually I read the book a couple of times and then I start +translating. Maybe you know that we have a completely different grammatical +diction from English, so we can't put a word in the same order in Japanese. +Usually I read a sentence and grasp the meaning of it and reconstruct it in +Japanese. + +\RM: I would think that would be very difficult to do. + +\KT: It is! + +\RM: I'm sure it is, because there's such a great difference in the grammatical +form. You have to be very careful, I guess, in terms of reading in English and +translating to Japanese. That seems to me to be very difficult. How did you +train to do this? + +\KT: Usually we have some kind of mentor or teacher. + +\RM: Were you like an apprentice, and someone teaches you to do this? + +\KT: Yes. We put the original stories [beside] the translations and compare +the sentences. + +\RM: How long would it take you to translate \book{They Thirst}? + +\KT: It depends on how long the story is. \book{They Thirst} will take at +least three months. How long did it take you to write~it? + +\RM: Well, it took about six or seven months to write. + +\KT: Maybe I'll need that kind of time, too! + +\RM: But it's almost like, if you're interpreting, you're almost doing some +writing yourself. If you're making something more concise, or---do you do that? +Are you abridging? Do you think anything gets changed in the translation? + +\KT: We try not to change, but sometimes a little change is necessary. We +don't have some things that you have here in America. For instance, some brand +names. We don't have the culture of your country, and the Japanese readers +don't know if I translated correctly, but it is impossible for Japanese readers +to understand that culture. Maybe, in that case, things get changed sometimes. + +\RM: Do you feel that you interpret the story more so your countrymen can +understand what's going on in the book? Do you think you add more of your +culture to the story? + +\KT: Basically, we don't add anything, we don't take away anything. But in +that case, we explain [the cultural differences] after the story in an +afterword. + +\RM: How many books have you translated? + +\KT: Maybe twelve, or something. Among them, \book{Brain Child}, by John Saul, +and some mysteries. I'm going to translate some stories of Orson Scott Card's. + +\RM: I think it would be very interesting, if I could read Japanese, to read my +book and see what the changes are. Or how it's geared toward that culture. + +\KT: Conversation---when people talk---is very difficult to put +into Japanese. If the character is a woman, a man, a boy, or a girl, Japanese +has a very distinctive way of speaking. Especially between a man and woman. +English does not have as much difference. + +\RM: Well, that's fascinating. I think it would be a very tough thing to +do---to translate something into an entirely different culture and still have +the flavor of the American version, at least. I wouldn't want to do it---I +don't think I could do it very well. + +\KT: Your stories are very American---that may be why they appeal to Japanese +readers. + +\RM: Really? I was going to ask you why my stories appeal---if they do +appeal---to Japanese readers. Well, first, I didn't know that horror fiction +was so popular in Japan. Is it? Is it becoming more popular? What do you +think the situation is? + +\KT: Your [novels] have not been translated at all yet. So, apart from you, +Stephen King and Dean~R. Koontz are very popular---they are as popular as +other big writers. Other horror writers are not so well-known. Some very keen +fans like American horror. + +\RM: Why do you think that is? King and Koontz are definitely very American +writers. Do you think that's their appeal---the American style? + +\KT: Yes, I do. + +\RM: Not necessarily because of the story being told, but because maybe it's +told in an American voice? + +\KT: Yes, sometimes. I'm still trying to [learn] the American voice---it's +very hard to do. + +\RM: Well, I know that's very tough to do, and I'm looking forward to seeing +the books when they are translated. + +\KT: I'm looking forward to it too!\eoa + +\endcolumns + +%% NEXTTIME.TEX %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% +\vfill + +\begingroup +\font\HUGE=cmss17 %scaled\magstep2 +\setbox0=\vbox{\hsize=5in + \twelvepoint\ss\noindent% + The final issue of \LO\ will feature excerpts from \RRM's unpublished + novels \book{The Address} and \book{The Midnight Man}, a brand-new + interview with \McC\ about \book{Boy's Life}, more author + interviews, and the latest news! Coming Summer 1991! + \vfill% + } + +\centerline{\shadowbox{\vbox to 1in{% + \hsize=6in + \vfil + \offinterlineskip + \noindent\hfil\box0\hfil + \vfil + }}} + +\endgroup diff --git a/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/newsletr.txt b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/newsletr.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..df802b00264 --- /dev/null +++ b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/newsletr.txt @@ -0,0 +1,134 @@ +% Save file as: NEWSLETR.TXT Source: FILESERV@SHSU.BITNET + Help for NEWSLETTER_FORMAT.TEX + Hunter Goatley + August 21, 1991 + +\newspage - Sets up larger page for newsletter (taller/wider) +\DATE - Include current month and year (July 1989) +\include{file.ext} - Include a .TeX file (prints message) +\say{Message} - Writes a message to the terminal +\newpage - Begin a new page +\nullpage - Creates an empty page with header/footer in place +\nullline - Creates an empty line + +\ignoreunderfill - Avoids undervfill and underhfill messages + +\articlesep - Article separator; creates hrule = \hsize + +\ital{text} - Set in \it font (with proper italic correction) +\slant{text} - Set in \sl font (with proper italic correction) +\book{Title} - Book titles (uses \ital) + +\Quote{quote}{quotee} - Insert a quote with the quotee in small caps font +\beginquote - Begins a quote; draws hrule, indents, larger font +\endquote - Ends a quote; resets font to original size + +\articletitle{Title}{Byline} + - Builds an articletitle box (see example) +\coltitle{Title} - Builds boxed title for use in double-column format + +\headfootrule=Xpt - Define height of rule in header & footer +\columnsep=Xpt - Amount of space between columns in multi-column mode +\columnwidth=Xpt - Width of a column in multi-column mode (calc. by def.) +\columnseprule=Xpt - Width of vertical rule between columns (can be 0pt) +\begincolumns{x} - Begins multiple-column mode (1 < X < 7) +\endcolumns - Ends multiple-column mode + +\definefigs{#ofPages} - Initializes figures for multi-column mode +\handlefigures - Must be specified right after \definefigs (bug) +\definefig{Page}{Col}{Pos}{box} + - Defines a figure +\abovedisplayskip - Amount of vskip before middle and bottom figures +\belowdisplayskip - Amount of vskip below top and middle figures + +\shadowbox{some_box} - Draw a shadow box around an hbox or vbox +\leftshadowbox{somebox} - Draw a left-hand shadow box around an hbox or vbox +\centerbox{somebox} - Center a \vbox on a page +\boxshadowsize=Xpt - Width of shadow boxes +\boxit{some_box} - Draw a box around an hbox or vbox +\boxitrule=Xpt - Width of rules used to draw boxes +\boxitspace=Xpt - Space between box rules and box contents +\bestbreak - Tell TeX that this is a pretty good place to break +\ednote - Do editor's note in a box + +\listindent - Specify the amount to indent lists +\beginlist - Begin a simple list of dotted items +\endlist - End item list +\beginlistt{title} - Begin list with a title (attached with vglue) +\endlistt - End list with title (ends with \par) +\dotitem - Item list with a bullet + +\beginbibliography - Begin a bibliography - main setup +\endbibliography - End a bibliography +\beginbiblist - Begin a list of references +\beginanotherlist - Begin a dotitem list inside a \beginbiblist +\endbiblist - End a bibliography list of references +\ENUM item - Number items in a list +\ENum item - Don't number, but indent as if number is present +\NoENUM item - Don't number; start text where number would appear +\bibshort{Title} - Short story entry +\bibbook{Title} - Book entry +\bibview{The...} - Interview entry +\subbib{Subheading} - Subtitle for an entry +\bibsectitle{title} - Adds a bibliography section title (BOOKS, etc.) + +\begindoublequote - Enable double-quote as a macro +\enddoublequote - Disable double-quote as a macro +" - Alternates between `` and '' +\eoa - End of Article; draws black rectangle at right of line +\smallcopyright - Insert a small (7pt) copyright character +\farright{text} - Place text flush against the right-margin, possibly + on a new line if it won't fit. +\ellip - Insert ellipsis with proper spacing (word\ellip word) +\edots - Insert ellipsis at end of sentence (4 dots) + +The font commands below redefine \sl, \it, \bf, \rm, \ss, and \ssi for that font + +\twelvepoint - Switch to twelve-point fonts +\elevenpoint - Switch to eleven-point fonts +\tenpoint - Switch to ten-point fonts +\ninepoint - Switch to nine-point fonts +\eightpoint - Switch to eight-point fonts + +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- + These macros implement the headers and footers for the newsletter format. + The macros accept three parameters: text that is to appear flush-left on + the line, text that should be centered, and text that should be flush-right + on the line. Parameters can be omitted by specifying empty braces ({}). + + The following macros are defined for headers and footers: + + \evenpageheader{LEFT}{CENTER}{RIGHT} + \oddpageheader{LEFT}{CENTER}{RIGHT} + \evenpagefooter{LEFT}{CENTER}{RIGHT} + \oddpagefooter{LEFT}{CENTER}{RIGHT} + + If the headers/footers are the same for even & odd pages, the following + macros can be used instead of the four above: + + \pageheader{LEFT}{CENTER}{RIGHT} + \pagefooter{LEFT}{CENTER}{RIGHT} + + Additional header/footer definitions: + + \pageheaderlinetrue - A line should extend below header text + \pageheaderlinefalse - Header does NOT have a line + \pagefooterlinetrue - A line should extend above footer text + \pagefooterlinefalse - Footer does NOT have a line + \headfootrule=Xpt - Thickness of header/footer lines + \pageheaderskip=Xpt - \vskip between header and line + \pagefooterskip=Xpt - \vskip between footer and line + \headfont=\fontname - Font to use for header text + \footfont=\fontname - Font to use for footer text + + Example: + + \pageheader{}{My Newsletter}{} + \pagefooter{#1}{}{\pageno} + + Defaults: + + \pageheaderlinefalse \pagefooterlinefalse + \pageheaderskip=4pt \pageheaderskip=4pt + \pageheader{}{}{} \pagefooter{}{}{} + diff --git a/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/newssamp.tex b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/newssamp.tex new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..006946ed2d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/Master/texmf-dist/doc/plain/newsletr/newssamp.tex @@ -0,0 +1,267 @@ +% Save file as: NEWSSAMP.TEX Source: FILESERV@SHSU.BITNET +% +% File: NEWSLETTER_SAMPLE.TEX +% +% Functional description: +% +% This file is a sample TeX file to demonstrate the functionality of the +% NEWSLETTER_FORMAT macros. +% +% It depends on the file NEWSLETTER_FORMAT.TEX. +% +% Author: Hunter Goatley +% +% Date: August 15, 1991 +% +\ifx\undefined\eoa\input newsletr \fi % Include macro definitions +\say{Producing sample newsletter} +% +% Define the page headers and footers. Different for even/odd pages. +% +\pageheaderlinetrue \pagefooterlinetrue +\evenpageheader{}{Goat Droppings!}{} +\oddpageheader{}{My Newsletter}{} +\evenpagefooter{August\ 1991}{}{Page\ \folio} +\oddpagefooter{Page \folio}{}{Vol.\ 1\ \ No.\ 1} + +\begindoublequotes % Handle double quotes + +\ignoreunderfill % Ignore undervfill errors +\parskip=0pt % Don't skip between paragraphs +\parindent=18pt % Indent paragraphs 18pt +\rm % Use tenpoint roman + +% +% Define a few commands to make typing easier. +% +\def\RRM{Robert~R. McCammon} +\edef\TeX{\TeX\null} +\def\LaTeX{{\rm L\kern-.36em\raise.3ex\hbox{\quoteefont a}\kern-.15em + T\kern-.1667em\lower.7ex\hbox{E}\kern-.125emX}} +% +% Now define a short verbatim, which can be used for short strings: +% +\def\cmd#1{{\tt\string#1}} + +% +% Setup for newsletter page (a little taller and wider, with increased +% \tolerance, etc.) +% +\newspage + +%\nullpage % Null page w/ head/foot + +% +% Now start the first article. Do the article in double-column format. +% +% The title and by-line are written in a double-box. +% +\articletitle{Using \TeX\ to Do A Newsletter}{By Hunter Goatley} + +\begincolumns{2} % Begin double-columns + +% +% Reserve boxes for up to 3 pages of figures. +% +\definefigs{3} + +% +% Define a quote as a figure in the middle of column 2 on page 1 of this +% article. +% +\definefig{1}{2}{middle}{\Quote{% + Nothing beats \TeX\null. Nothing.}{Hunter Goatley}} +% +% Now do one that extends across the whole page. +% +\definefig{2}{0}{top}{\hsize=\normalhsize% +\vbox{\centerline{\shadowbox{% + \hsize=5in + \vsize=.5in + \vbox to\vsize{ + \vfill + \centerline{This is inside a \cmd{\shadowbox}.} + \vfill + } %End vbox + } %End shadowbox + }} %End vbox + \vskip12pt + \centerline{This is a figure across the whole page.} + } %End definefig + +\handlefigures % Necessary, but shouldn't be. +\noindent +This document attempts to describe how my plain \TeX\ newsletter format works. +The documentation is sparse, but I hope to let it speak for itself through +the use of examples. Will they be meaningful examples? Probably not. But, +hey, I'll give it a shot. + +I started producing {\it Lights Out!---The \RRM\ Newsletter\/} +in June 1989. For those who don't know, \RRM\ is a very popular author whose +books have primarily been categorized in the horror genr\'e. His latest, +\book{Boy's Life}, was published in hardcover by Pocket Books in August 1991. +\book{Boy's Life} is {\sl not\/} horror---it's a wonderful tale of how 1964 +looked to a 12-year-old boy. There's a mystery, but the book is primarily +about remembering life when you were young. I urge you to find the book and +give it a try. Here are quotes from a couple of reviews of McCammon's previous +novel, \book{Mine}: + +% +% A sample \dotitem'ed list. +% +\bgroup % Start a new group to keep \listindent local +\listindent{10pt}\beginlist +\dotitem "\book{Mine} grips you tightly by the throat, right at the + start, and squeezes\edots" \farright{---\book{The New York Daily + News}} +\dotitem "McCammon at his very best\ \dots\ and then some." + \farright{---\book{The Birmingham News}}% +\endlist +\egroup + +\noindent % Don't indent the paragraph after the quotes. +Well, enough about \RRM. Even if you don't like horror, I think you'll like +McCammon's work. Other titles include \book{Swan Song}, \book{Blue World}, +and \book{Mystery Walk}. + +I'll now break and we'll start a new sub-article under this main +article. I used this approach in a regular column entitled "Things Unearthed," +which consisted of various news items about new book releases and other +news items. + +% +% Begin a new sub-article. \coltitle draws a box around the title. This +% one has two centered lines, with a box around it. +% +\articlesep +%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% +\coltitle{\centerline{Why I Chose \TeX\ Over}\break + \centerline{Ventura and PageMaker}} + +When I decided I was going to start producing a newsletter, I started looking +at the options I had available to me. Because I'm a VAX systems programmer, +I preferred to use something on the VAX. I had had some exposure to \TeX\ and +knew that it would do the job, but I thought I'd look at PC-based choices. + +I played around with PageMaker some, and read about Ventura---and decided that +they were way too clumsy to do what I wanted. I liked the fact that \TeX\ used +regular text files with embedded commands---I could use the editor I was +accustomed to, \TeX\ was available for a variety of platforms, and \TeX\ was +incredibly flexible. + +So I decided on \TeX, I had to decide if I was going to use \TeX\ or \LaTeX. +But that's another sub-article. + +\articlesep % Line to separate arts +%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% +\coltitle{\centerline{Why I Chose Plain \TeX}\break % Column title box + \centerline{Instead of \LaTeX}} + +I had originally intended to use \LaTeX, because that's what the technical +writing group of my employer-at-the-time was using to produce their manuals. +I knew that I wanted multiple columns and to be able to switch back and forth +between single- and double-columns on the same page at will. After trying +many variations of the \LaTeX\ double-column style, I finally decided I +couldn't easily do it. (This was before Frank Mittelbach's \LaTeX\ macros +appeared in {\it The TUGboat\/}.) + +So, once I decided on \TeX, I decided I better learn about \TeX\ so I could +write my own macros. Two years later, I still modify the file some, but it +has been lots of fun and I learned a whole lot about \TeX. + +I've since learned that, apparently, not many people use plain \TeX. +Personally, I don't know why everybody flocks to \LaTeX---plain \TeX\ is +so much more flexible. It is true that you need a default set of macros +to get you going, but once they're there, I believe \TeX\ is actually +easier to use than \LaTeX. + +An aside here: if you haven't seen \book{\TeX\ for the Impatient}, by Paul~W. +Abrahams, I strongly recommend a copy. It's a great reference book for +plain \TeX, and his {\tt eplain.tex} (Extended Plain \TeX) provides some +very useful macros. It was published last year by Addison-Wesley. + +\articlesep +%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% +\coltitle{\centerline{Some of the Highlights}\break + \centerline{of the Newsletter Format}} + +There are variety of commands provided by my newsletter format. Because +{\it Lights Out!\/} covered a horror author, some of the commands are +specifically designed to handle books and interviews. While I was developing +the format, I tried to make sure that I kept things as generic as possible +so that it could be used to generate other newsletters. It remains to be +seen if whether or not I was successful. + +%The next page features a list of some of the commands that are available +%and how they're used. + +I've included the commands \cmd{\twelvepoint}, \cmd{\elevenpoint}, +\dots, \cmd{\eightpoint} to change font sizes. I didn't do these +the "official" \TeX\ way (font families) out of laziness. To get the +eight-point font {\tt cmss8} you simply type: \cmd{\eightpoint\string\ss}, +probably within a group. + +My multiple columns command supports up to 6 columns on a page. When you +increase the number of columns on a page, you usually need to change +the font size (for three columns, I switched to the {\tt cmss8} font---it +seemed to work out OK because the sans serif font helped differentiate +between the "Letters" column and the rest of the newsletter). + +One of the things that seems to be hardest in \TeX---especially when multiple +columns are involved---is the insertion of figures. I like things to be +very structured---the mathematical side of me, I guess---so when I added +figure support to my macros, I did it by setting up my multiple column +output routine to place figures in certain locations on a page. You can +specify that a figure is inserted across the entire page at the top and +bottom of the page, or at the top, middle, or bottom of each column. +Here comes the really kludgy part of my format. + +The macro \cmd{\definefigs} must be executed to tell \TeX\ how many pages +are following that may contain figures. What happens is that a large block +of boxes is allocated. I tried various combinations to make it more dynamic, +but had little luck. Because of time constraints, I went with the way that +worked. This shouldn't really cause a problem, because you define figures +within an article, and most articles aren't so long that you exceed the number +of boxes \TeX\ has. The command to define a figure is: +\vskip\baselineskip +\centerline{\cmd{\definefig\string{Page\string}\string{Column\string}% + \string{Position\string}\string{Box\string}}} +\vskip\baselineskip +where \cmd{Box} is a \cmd{\vbox} containing your figure. This can be an empty +\cmd{\vbox} \cmd{\vfill}'ed to the correct size for later pasting. The quote +on the previous page was inserted with a \cmd{\Quote} as the argument to +the \cmd{\definefig} command. + +That's all I'm going to say about the commands for now. Notice that when +you end the double columns, they are automatically balanced.\eoa + +\endcolumns % End of double columns + + +\articlesep % Separate the articles w/ rule + +% +% Now do another article in single column format. +% +\articletitle{This Is Another Article}{By Me, Of Course} + +\begincolumns{3} + +This is more just to show that you can also do three-columns on the same page +with single- and double-column formats without \TeX\ complaining about it. +I hope this example has been of some use to you. + +Note that balancing these columns still has a few glitches---but nothing adding +or subtracting a few words won't fix. I've been using this format to generate +five newsletters so far. + +\endcolumns + +\articlesep + +This is more just to show that you can keep both single-, double-, and +triple-column formats on the same page. \TeX\ won't complain about it +at all (usually).\eoa + + +\bye |