New user's first successes and problems

[Robert Lopez <robert.lopez@abq.sc.philips.com>]

% interface=en output=pdftex translate=cp1250pl
% compile with : texexec 105.tex

\setupbodyfont[10pt]

\starttext 

\startstandardmakeup 
\midaligned{Learning to make a ConTeXt document}
\midaligned{by} 
\midaligned{Robert Lopez} 
\stopstandardmakeup

\completecontent 

\chapter{Introduction} 

Perhaps the best way to describe my successes and my problems is
to use ConTeXt. The name of this file started as 101 and it is now
up to 105 as I have been using it to learn.

I have installed ConTeXt twice. The most recent version was installed
September 27, 2002. 

It is installed on a Sun workstation which has teTeX 1.0.7 installed.

After installing a second time I find I have more working now.

I find I still have some problems\index{problems}.

In \in{chapter}[lastchapter], named \about[lastchapter], I will plan
for some next steps in my progress.

\chapter{What works}
\section[firstsection]{texexec}

I am able to process this file and some others with the texexec
command. I can also use it with a --output=pdf option. The file name
can be passed to it with or without the .tex suffix.

\subsection{texexec --verbose}

The command "texexec --verbose" dumps a lot of state information:
\starttyping
 TeXExec 3.1 - ConTeXt / PRAGMA ADE 1997-2002

     locating ini file : found by kpsewhich
               reading : /usr/local/teTeX/share/texmf/context/config/texexec.ini
               setting : 'TeXShell' to 'tetex' for 'all'
               setting : 'UsedInterfaces' to 'en,nl,de,uk' for 'all'
               setting : 'UserInterface' to 'en' for 'all'
               setting : 'TeXExecutable' to 'tex' for 'all'
               setting : 'MpExecutable' to 'mpost' for 'all'
               setting : 'MpToTeXExecutable' to 'mpto' for 'all'
               setting : 'DviToMpExecutable' to 'dvitomp' for 'all'
               setting : 'UsedInterfaces' to 'en,nl,de,uk' for 'tetex'
               setting : 'UserInterface' to 'en' for 'tetex'
               setting : 'TeXExecutable' to 'pdfetex' for 'tetex'

          used setting : TeXShell = tetex
          used setting : SetupPath = 
          used setting : UserInterface = en
          used setting : UsedInterfaces = en,nl,de,uk
          used setting : TeXFontsPath = .
          used setting : MpExecutable = mpost
          used setting : MpToTeXExecutable = mpto
          used setting : DviToMpExecutable = dvitomp
          used setting : TeXProgramPath = 
          used setting : TeXFormatPath = 
          used setting : ConTeXtPath = 
          used setting : TeXScriptsPath = 
          used setting : TeXExecutable = pdfetex
          used setting : TeXVirginFlag = -ini
          used setting : TeXBatchFlag = -int=batchmode
          used setting : MpBatchFlag = -int=batchmode
          used setting : TeXPassString = 
          used setting : TeXFormatFlag = 
          used setting : MpFormatFlag = 
          used setting : MpVirginFlag = -ini
          used setting : MpPassString = 
          used setting : MpFormat = metafun
          used setting : MpFormatPath = 
          used setting : FmtLanguage = 
          used setting : FmtBodyFont = 
          used setting : FmtResponse = 
          used setting : TcXPath = 
          used setting : SetFile = 
\stoptyping

\chapter{What does not work}\index{problems}
\section{Tools that do not work} 

\subsection{context}\index{context}

There is supposed to be a command which is "context" which I should be
able to use on this file as "context 105". But I have no such
executable.

I found a cont-en file and tried this:
\starttyping
% cont-en 105.tex
This is pdfeTeX, Version 3.14159-13d-2.1 (Web2C 7.3.1)
entering extended mode
(105.tex[/usr/local/teTeX/share/texmf/pdftex/config/pdftex.cfg]

ConTeXt  ver: 2002.8.23  fmt: 2002.8.27  int: english  mes: english

language       : language en is active
<protectionstate 0>
system         : cont-new loaded
(/usr/local/teTeX/share/texmf/tex/context/base/cont-new.tex
systems        : beware: some patches loaded from cont-new.tex!
! TeX capacity exceeded, sorry [number of strings=100].
l.820 \def\
           obeyfollowingtoken{{}}  % end \cs scanning
No pages of output.
Transcript written on 105.log.

\stoptyping

%% This does not work. I put the next line also at the top of file
%% where it actually printed out "state=start" on a first page.
%% \setupcolor{state=start}
%% \startcolor[green] 
%% The "\color[red]{context}\stopcolor" command seems to be one of the more useful. I need to
%% get that fixed.
%% \stopcolor

The "context" command seems to be one of the more useful. I need to
get that fixed.

\subsection{pdfetex}\index{pdfetex}

I am supposed to be able to process this and other files with a
command which is pdfetex.

The syntax of that command is "pdfetex \&cont-en filename".

But when I run that I get back a error message which says
a file named cont-en \index{cont-en} can not be found.

Another syntax of that command is "pdfetex \&cont-en --progname=context
filename".

\starttyping
pdfetex &cont-en \
   --progname=context filename
\stoptyping

[Incidentally the \type{&} did not work above. But it works here.?]

But when I run that I get back a error message which says
a file named cont-sys.tex \index{cont-sys.tex} can not be found.

\subsection{fonts}\index{fonts}

I seem to be missing fonts. At least I tried to compile 
Berend de Boer's ``LaTeX in proper ConTeXt'' and I got lines line
which said
\starttyping
! Font \*12ptrmtf*=utmr8t at 12.0pt not loadable: \
Metric (TFM) file not found.
\stoptyping
and finally ended with
\starttyping
Here is how much of TeX's memory you used:
 916 strings out of 24758
 13656 string characters out of 284114
 383767 words of memory out of 1100001
 29422 multiletter control sequences out of 10000+25000
 9049 words of font info for 28 fonts, out of 400000 for 1000
 22 hyphenation exceptions out of 1000
 44i,1n,51p,254b,53s stack positions out of 1500i,500n,1500p,50000b,5000s
!  ==> Fatal error occurred, the output PDF file not finished!
\stoptyping

\chapter{context.el}\index{emacs}

I put in place the emacs mode file, context.el.

These are some problems and disappointments:

% \startitemize[R,packed,broad] 
\startitemize
\item The biggest disappointment is that it is not compatable with auc-tex.
\item Also a disappointment is that it does not help in finding the location
of any error.
\item There are menu commands the comments mention I can not find.
\item I find no way to compile and view without clobbering my ability
  to use LaTeX with AucTeX.
\item I commented out the load of it in my .emacs for the time being
  as I still work daily with LaTeX and AucTeX.
\stopitemize

\chapter[lastchapter]{What is Next} 

To see how much I can learn about ConTeXt, especially the feature
which made me most interested, but perhaps least documented, the
ability to make flow charts.

\completeindex 
\stoptext

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