Atari FTP/ATARI_FTP_0693.zip/ATARI_FTP_0693/Tex/Shells/rtexsh13.zoo/readme.rtx

Text File | 1991-11-27 | 10KB | 191 lines

Program        : RTeXShell (RTEXSH13.PRG)
Version        : 1.3
Release Date   : 26th November, 1991.
Status         : Public Domain.
Conditions     : Free.
                 No restrictions on public distribution as long as
                 the distribution package contains RTEXSH13.PRG,
                 RTEXSH13.CFG, README.RTX, ENVIRON files.
                 No responsibility, direct or indirect, is assumed.


Readme File For RTeXShell Version 1.3 :

RTeXShell is a graphical shell running under GEM on the ATARI ST computer.
It's primary goal is to simlify the running of TeX typesetting program on
ST. It is assumed here that the user has sufficient knowledge to run and
use TeX on the ST. TeX for ATARI ST is available from atari.archive.umich.
edu and various other anonymous FTP sites and other sources. RTeXShell is
primarily targeted to those users with limited computing resources & trying
to run a minimal TeX system. Advanced & power users of TeX may look into
CS-TeX recently uploaded to atari.archive.umich.edu.

RTeXShell is modelled on Greg Lindahl's TeXShell (and TeXShel2) available
at atari.archive.umich.edu and provides similar functionality. However,
where TeXShell is really incomplete (Greg's own admission), RTeXShell is
more or less complete and hopefully free from bugs. RTeXShell does not
impose any restrcition for the setting up of paths for various TeX system
components (e.g., VIRTEX.TTP, format files, TFM files, PK or PXL files,
Editor, Spell Checker, DVI drivers etc.). However, it is the user's duty
to set up the proper environment variables for the successful implement-
ation of TeX system. The public domain program ENVIRON.PRG available at
atari.archive and also at pdsoft.lancs.ac.uk separately and also as part of
the SHOWDVI package can be used to achieve this.

Version 1.3 removes some bugs from the only other version (1.0) that was
publicly distributed. Most notable is the bug that forces the use of
RTeXShell only from the root directory. Apart from these some enhance-
ments are also made. These include the inclusion of two user defined
entries in the Task menu and some helpfule indication when the file
selector is activated. Also in case the default configuration file
RTexSh13.CFG is not found, an alternate configuration file can also be
loaded. RTexSh13 (i.e. Version 1.3 of RTeXShell) can use the configura-
tion file created by the earlier version as well.

RTeXSh13 provides the following TASK services :

   1. TeX             : Running plain TeX
   2. LaTeX           : Running LaTeX
   3. Edit            : Invoking your favourite editor
   4. Spell Check     : If your editor does not have integrated spell checker
   5. DVI Preview     : To preview the TeX output files on the screen
   6. DVI Print       : To obtain hardcopy of TeX output file
   7. User Defided 1  : Allows chaining to another program
   8. User Defined 2  : Allows chaining to another program

On startup, RTeXSh13 reads the file RTEXSH13.CFG which must be in the same
directory as the program itself. RTeXShell reads information regarding the
location and command line options for the TeX system component programs.
The file RTEXSH13.CFG may have a maximum of eight lines with 80 characters
in each line maximum. Each line gives the full path description (also command
line option) of a program. The sequence given above for RTeXShell TASK services
must be strictly followed, i.e,

   Line 1   -> for TeX
   Line 2   -> for LaTeX
   Line 3   -> for Editor
   Line 4   -> for Spell Checker
   Line 5   -> for DVI previewer
   Line 6   -> for DVI printer
   Line 7   -> for 1st User defined program
   Line 8   -> for 2nd User defined program

If you don't have the program for any of the above TASK services (or don't
want that service) leave the correspoding line blank or put a ';' at the
beginning of that line. Anything that appears after a ';' will be taken
as a comment and will be discarded. Leading and trailing spaces in the
lines are allowed.

Those with floppy only system have noticed that a full TeX system can not
be packed into one disk and requires two disks. RTeXShell supports two
disks for such a situation. If any of the programs are on a second disk
put a '%' just before the full path description of that program. When
that TASK option is invoked, RTeXShell will ask you to insert the second
(DVI drivers) disk.

Version 1.3 of RTeXShell introduces another new special character. This
is applicable only for the 2 user defined command lines. If the character
'~' is present in either line 7 or 8 (or both) then the string following
'~' will be taken as the file type of the command in question. Valid file
type notations are '*.LOG', '*.ERR', '*.C', '*.B?' etc. Furthermore, only
the first appearance of '~' will be preocessed and if there are more than
one '~' characters than the rest will not be considred. I am leaving this
as the user's responsiblity to ensure that correct file types are written
in the configuration file. If the command is question does not require any
data file name to be passed then do not use this '~' character in that line.

A sample RTEXSH13.CFG file is given below :

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>- START ->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
A:\TEX\VIRTEX.TTP &plain      ; For Plain TeX
;A:\TEX\VIRTEX.TTP &lplain    ; For LaTeX, now made inactive
     A:\TEMPUS.PRG        ; Tempus Editor
                              ; For Spell Checker, is inactive
%A:\SHOWDVI.PRG -p -z 120     ; DVI Previewer, on separate disk
 %A:\DVIPRINT.TTP              ; DVI Pinter, on separate disk as well
%A:\FLIB.TTP                   ; Run Fonts Librarian from 2nd disk
A:\TEMPUS.PRG      ~*.LOG       ; Run TEMPUS with default file type '*.LOG'
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>- END ->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

In the above configuration file, LaTeX and Spell checker is not made active
and also DVI previewer and DVI printer programs are on a separate disk
(media). The Font Librarian program FLIB.TTP rwesiding in the 2nd disk is
chosen the first user defined program with no data files to be passed to it.
TEMPUS.PRG with default data file type *.LOG is chosen as the 2nd user
defined program. My own suggestion for the organisation of the TeX
programs for two disk system is as follows :

Disk 1 : Called TeX System disk : VIRTEX.TTP, PLAIN.FMT, TFM Files, Macros,
                                  EDITOR etc.
Disk 2: Called DVI drivers disk : SHOWDVI.PRG, DVIPRINT.TTP, PK Files etc.

Another sample RTEXSH13.CFG file for hard disk users.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>- START ->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
C:\TEX\VIRTEX.TTP &plain       ; For Plain TeX
;C:\TEX\VIRTEX.TTP &lplain     ; For LaTeX, now made inactive
     D:\TEMPUS.PRG        ; Tempus Editor
                               ; For Spell Checker, is inactive
C:\TEX\SHOWDVI.PRG -p -z 120   ; DVI Previewer
    C:\TEX\DVIPRINT.TTP              ; DVI Pinter driver
C:\CLI\GU.PRG                   ; Chain to Gulam CLI
D:\TEMPUS.PRG      ~*.LOG       ; Run TEMPUS with default file type '*.LOG'
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>- END ->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


A sample environment varaiable list for my own system is also given in this
package (see file ENVIRON).

Finally, about file name conventions. RTeXShell uses a smart file name
convention and as such eases it's operation. *.TEX and *.DVI are the default
file types. Suppose, you first choose the 'Edit' option and when asked about
the file name you typed ABC.TEX. Now, if you chose 'TeX' option you will not be
asked again for the file name and the file ABC.TEX will be passed to the TeX
program. On the other hand, if you choose 'DVI Preview (or Print)' option, the
file ABC.DVI will ne passed to the DVI driver program. The same logic applies
if you first choose the 'DVI Preview (or Print)' option. You can, however,
choose any file name extension other than *.TEX for the TeX source file.
However, in such cases the file type *.DVI will be assumed for the corresponding
DVI file. The same rule applies when a non *.DVI file type is chosen first. The
purpose of this given smartness (or one can perhaps arguably call dumbness) is
to free the user from entering file names for each stage of a complete TeX
session. If you want to start working with a new file choose 'New Session'
from the 'Sundries' menu whereupon the current file name will be reverted to
NULL. Default file types used in RTeXShell are as follows :

                Task1           TeX             *.TEX
                Task2           LaTex           *.TEX
                Task3           Edit            *.TEX
                Task4           Spell           *.TEX
                Task5           DVI Preview     *.DVI
                Task6           DVI Printer     *.DVI
                Task7           User Defined 1  User Defined
                Task8           User Defined 2  User Defined



I'm using this program fairly regularly and am satisfied. The only bad thing
about this program (RTeXShell) is that it is much larger in size than Greg's
TeXShell. One of the reason for this is that I am using Prospero Pascal, not
the best compiler for tight code generation. I don't have any other compiler
handy. If there is sufficient interest and also I've some spare time & money
I'll try to rewrite it using Modula-2 or C and use an efficient compiler.

That's all.

Suggestions, criticism, bug reports, gifts etc. are all welcome.

Good luck and thanks to Prof. D. Knuth for giving us TeX.

- Rahin.

Mohammad A. Rahin           |   [e-mail]     -> from outside UK
315, Forest Road            |   [e-mail]     -> from within UK
Loughborough                |
LECIS LE11 3HT              |
U.K.                        |

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