colored box background

colored box background

[Hans van der Meer]

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Say I have a box, e.g. \setbox\thebox=\vbox{....} with dimensions \wd 
\thebox etc.
What then is the most efficient and economic (in terms of complexity  
and speed) way to generate a colored background for it?
I know I can use \framed, but this I wish to avoid because it seems  
overly complex for this simple task and may have side effects in  
terms of alignment issues.
Is the best perhaps using a metapost graphic? and if so, what is best  
MPgraphic, useMPgraphic, reuseMPgraphic, etc.?

Hans van der Meer




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Re: colored box background

[Taco Hoekwater]

Hans van der Meer wrote:
> Say I have a box, e.g. \setbox\thebox=\vbox{....} with dimensions 
> \wd\thebox etc.
> What then is the most efficient and economic (in terms of complexity and 
> speed) way to generate a colored background for it? 

If you really want your code to be as efficient and minimalist as
possible, you are better of with the plain format than with ConTeXt
in any case. Personally I prefer to optimize on complexity and
readability of my sources instead of on machine clock cycles.

That said, metapost graphics are, in general, heavier than \framed.
If you really need thousands and thousands of those boxes, a macro
like:

   \def\bgcolorthebox#1%
     {\dontleavehmode
      \rlap{\color[#]
         {\vrule height \ht\thebox
                 depth \dp\thebox
                 width \wd\thebox}}%
      \box\thebox }

can help. But if it is only a few, simply use \framed.


Taco

Re: colored box background

[Hans Hagen]

Hans van der Meer wrote:
> Say I have a box, e.g. \setbox\thebox=\vbox{....} with dimensions 
> \wd\thebox etc.
> What then is the most efficient and economic (in terms of complexity 
> and speed) way to generate a colored background for it?�
> I know I can use \framed, but this I wish to avoid because it seems 
> overly complex for this simple task and may have side effects in terms 
> of alignment issues.
> Is the best perhaps using a metapost graphic? and if so, what is best 
> MPgraphic, useMPgraphic, reuseMPgraphic, etc.?
\backgroundline[red]{...}

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Re: colored box background

[Taco Hoekwater]

Hans Hagen wrote:
> 
> \backgroundline[red]{...}

As you can see, there are plenty commands even I had not heard
about yet :-)

Taco

Re: colored box background

[luigi scarso]

On 7/14/06, Taco Hoekwater <taco@elvenkind.com> wrote:
>
>
> Hans Hagen wrote:
> >
> > \backgroundline[red]{...}
>
> As you can see, there are plenty commands even I had not heard
> about yet :-)

...call for modules.pdf ?

Re: colored box background

[Hans van der Meer]

Thanks, I will try the suggestions.

As for Taco's remark:

> If you really want your code to be as efficient and minimalist as
> possible, you are better of with the plain format than with ConTeXt
> in any case. Personally I prefer to optimize on complexity and
> readability of my sources instead of on machine clock cycles.

Yes, I from the old programming school (back to the sixties) and I  
like simple efficient and thus a bit minimalistic, code. Not because  
of the clock cycles (anymore) but because I believe the simplest code  
most often is the one with the least problems.
Regarding plain format: no I like what is possible in Context and am  
abhorred by the idea to have to find out all that by myself; but so  
now and then I am self-willed enough to do things "my way".

On Jul 14, 2006, at 12:13, Taco Hoekwater wrote:

>
>
> Hans Hagen wrote:
>>
>> \backgroundline[red]{...}
>
> As you can see, there are plenty commands even I had not heard
> about yet :-)
>
> Taco
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> ntg-context mailing list
> ntg-context@ntg.nl
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met vriendelijke groet
Hans van der Meer