EuroTeX 2001

Tutorials

For thursday, tutorial day, we have a choice of larger and smaller tutorials on a wide range of subjects. On the first conference day we will ask participants to indicate which tutorials they wish to attend. The final schedule will be made up depending on the reported interests.

On Friday, after the member meetings of NTG and Dante, there will be a program on TeX, PDF and fonts.

TEX Top Publishing: the practice

Hans Hagen

PRAGMA ADE
8061 GH Hasselt
The Netherlands
E-mail: pragma@wxs.nl
URL: www.pragma-ade.com

Tutorial: 5 parts of 1-2 hours

  1. TeX is a typographic programming language. For it to be useful, you need a proper environment to handle more advanced typesetting. In this part we will discuss the core components of the ConTeXt macro package, its current state and future directions.
  2. Defining styles is a stepwise process. You have to implement your own (or the designer's) wishes, you have to handle specific input, occasionally you need to transform data, and most of all, you must make sure that the documents process as automatically as possible. In this part we will go through the process of defining a proper style.
  3. More and more, we are confronted with XML as input format. You can either process such files directly, or convert them into some kind of TeX markup. In this part we will discuss the direct method. We will also discuss how to handle (and configure) MATHML.
  4. Today's documents come in full color and are enhanced with graphics. A drawback of batch processing is that one has less control over the output, but nevertheless one can reach results that are not possible with the average desk top publishing program. In this part we will explore the power of graphics inclusion and METAPOST in particular. We will also discuss efficient ways to manage your graphics using a ConTeXt related XML database.
  5. One of the weak spots of TeX is the complicated setup. In this part we will discuss some ConTeXt specific tools for managing documents as well as generic tools for handling graphics and fonts. We will also discuss postprocessing of files using ConTeXt.

NTS internals

Karel Skoupy

In the programmers' corner Karel Skoupy, developer of NTS, will dive into the code for those who want a more intimate understanding. An excellent opportunity for those who plan to write extensions for the NTS system to become more familiar with its architecture, classes and methods, explained by the developer.

Omega internals

John Plaice

Omega goes Open-Source. Therefore also in the programmers' corner, John Plaice, developer of Omega, will give a tour of the code for those who want a more intimate understanding. An excellent opportunity for those who plan to participate in the further development of Omega to become more familiar with its architecture, classes and methods, filters and other features, explained by the developer.

Typesetting XML documents

Berend de Boer and Simon Pepping

You have a nicely structured XML document. The parser has validated it. Getting it typeset is the next step. Your options are:

  • DSSSL and jadetex
  • XSL and passivetex
  • xmltex directly
  • ConTeXt directly
  • SGMLS.pm to generate TeX file
  • SAX parser and document handler to generate TeX file

In this tutorial we will look at several of these options. We plan to cover XSL, xmltex, and ConTeXt.

Installing TeX on a Windows and Unix system

Fabrice Popineau and Andreas Scherer

Fabrice and Andreas will deal with the possibilities and problems of installing and configuring a modern TeX installation.

From Bad or Ugly to Good

Taco Hoekwater

Taco offers us a choice:

  • Upgrading documents from Ugly to Good (layout and design).
  • From Bad to Good (structured markup).

Web interface and Makefiles

Berend de Boer

Berend offers two short topics:

  • context 2 html web interface.
  • Using Makefiles in a batch typesetting environment.

Workshop: Distribution problems in the area of fonts and their names

For those of us who not only want to improve their own skills but also want to brainstorm on improving TeX. Fonts and their names are problematic parts in a TeX distribution. This workshop aims to discuss those problems and to work out ideas for improvement.

This is more a BOF-like session. Depending on the situation and the interest, it may also be scheduled on one of the conference days.

Friday program

TeX, pdfTeX and fonts: problems and solutions

Tom Kacvinsky

Tom will share his vast knowledge and experience with us in the use of TeX, PDF and fonts.

TeX and PDF

Hans Hagen

Hans will follow up with his vast experience with TeX and PDF.