%%% File: README %%% A part of mfpic 0.9 2006/05/26 %%% MFpic defines a command group \mfpic...\endmfpic (optionally in LaTeX an environment, mfpic) and drawing commands to be used inside this group. When TeX (or LaTeX) is run on a file containing those commands, a Metafont (or MetaPost) source file is created. When that file is correctly processed by Metafont (or MetaPost), and LaTeX or TeX is run again, the result is a figure in the TeX document at the location of each environment. See install.txt for initial setup and brief installation instructions. See mfpguide.pdf for a short tutorial. See below for a summary of features added since the previous official release (0.8a beta). See the manual mfpman.pdf for more detailed instructions and descriptions of features. This is mfpic version 0.9. LEGALITIES ---------- All files of the core mfpic distribution (listed below) may be distributed and/or modified under the conditions of the LaTeX Project Public License, either version 1.3b of this license or (at your option) any later version. The latest version of this license is in http://www.latex-project.org/lppl.txt and version 1.3b or later is part of all distributions of LaTeX version 2006/12/01 or later. While every effort has been made to make mfpic useful, it comes with no warranty, expressed or implied. MANIFEST -------- Here is a list, plus explanation of purpose, of all files in the mfpic distribution. Read it *before* trying to process any of the example files. These, and the files generated by TeXing mfpic.ins, constitute the mfpic distribution to which the LPPL applies. The four files marked with * below are the only ones essential for using all the facilities of mfpic. All the *.tex files in the src directory (except the plainTeX file mfpcard.tex) require the LaTeX style file mfpdoc.sty. The mfpic manual is mfpman.pdf. TeX/LaTeX code: -------------- *mfpic.dtx Contains mfpic.sty and mfpic.tex *mfpic.ins The unpacking script, run tex or latex on it. It reads in mfpic.dtx and grafbase.dtx and produces the only required files: mfpic.sty, mfpic.tex, grafbase.mf, grafbase.mp, and dvipsnam.mp *mfppatch.tex patches and bugfixes. Not required unless there are some MetaPost/Metafont code: ---------------------- *grafbase.dtx Contains grafbase.mf, grafbase.mp and dvipsnam.mp Documentation: ------------- changes.txt Summary of changes install.txt Basic information on installation README This file. mfpguide.pdf Precompiled tutorial (usletter) mfpman.pdf Precompiled manual (usletter) mfpcard.pdf Precompiled reference card (usletter landscape). src/mfpcard.tex reference card source, should fit on two sides of either USletter or A4, rotated. Plain TeX. src/mfpdoc.sty LaTeX style used by the next two src/mfpguide.tex LaTeX source for mfpguide.pdf, requires mfpdoc.sty and mfpic src/mfpman.tex LaTeX source for mfpman.pdf, requires mfpdoc.sty src/coil.mps Figure included in mfpman.tex examples/pictures.tex Run tex, produce pics.mf file examples/lapictures.tex Run latex, produce pics.mf file (same) examples/data.dat Sample data file needed for above two examples/forfun.tex Example of \mfsrc: Run tex, produce forfun.mp This distribution, the latest updates, and some past versions, should also be available at my web site: . IMPORTANT NOTE -------------- A minor (I hope) backward incompatibility has been introduced: By historical accident, the MetaPost macros of mfpic (grafbase.mp) have overwritten the primitive MetaPost commands "dashed" and "clipped". With this version, these commands are no longer overwritten. The files written by mfpic have not contained "dashed" for over 6 years, and have never (I believe) contained "clipped". However, if you learned enough about grafbase macros to use these commands, or if you try to run mpost on old files created by mfpic, you may need to change occurences of "clipped" to "Clipped" and change occurences of "dashed" to "Dashed". If you run mpost on files created for Metafont, there may be occurances of "clip" that need to be changed to "Clipped". Also, if you have been delving into mfpic internals, almost all internal commands have been renamed. NEW FEATURES since Version 0.8a ------------------------------- -- \arrowhead{} adds to head of a path. -- \arrowtail{} adds to tail of a path. -- \arrowmid {} adds to middle of a path. -- \zigzag, \sinewave, \coil: three new ways to render a path. -- \tlabel now allows a list of points even without mplabels. -- \border: a closed rectangle tracing the lines of the border axes. -- \startbacktext, \stopbacktext: Between these, labels are added in the background; all other elements of the figure are on top of them. -- \axisline{}: the line (without arrowhead) that \axis{} would draw. -- \griddotsize: a length command, the default size for dots in \grid. -- \vectorfield, a field of arrows determined by a formula in x and y. -- \plrvectorfield: vector formula is in polar variable r and t. -- \globalassignmfvalue: a global version of \assignmfvalue (\global\assignmfvalue didn't work with mplabels). -- \globalsetmfvariable, a global version of \setmfvariable. -- \norender: a prefix macro that cancels automatic rendering. -- \everymfpic, \everyendmfpic: commands to add to the start/end of every mfpic environment. -- \closedcurve = \cyclic (a possibly more easily remembered name). -- \closedconvexcurve = \convexcyclic -- \closedpolyline = \polygon -- \randomizepath: random changes to the nodes and controls of a path. -- \randomlines: connects randomly changed nodes with straight lines. -- \arc has a *-form that produces the complement of the arc that would have been formed otherwise. -- \arccomplement, used in front of any arc, produces the complementary arc. Arc need not be one produced by \arc. -- Loops (\mfploop, \mfpwhile and \mfpfor) are allowed outside mfpic environments as long as no drawing commands are used in them. -- \mfpbarchart, \mfppiechart: versions of \barchart, \piechart for use outside \mfpic..\endmfpic. (Actual drawing must still be inside.) -- Somewhat better cooperation with babel. Also better handling of filenames with special characters. -- \useraggedcaptions (option raggedcaptions) sets multiline captions (from \tcaption) raggedright. With centeredcaptions both sides are ragged. \noraggedcaptions restores the default justified captions. -- centeredcaptions option corrected in LaTeX. -- Dan Luecking Department of Mathematical Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701-1201 U.S.A.