developing large numbers of MP files for inclusion in source

[David Arnold <dwarnold45@cox.net>]

Hans, Taco, et al,

Our intermediate algebra text will require a large number of figures.  
I have two thoughts.

1. It's really inefficient to compile the entire context source file  
just to see what will happen to one figure. So, it seems that we  
should probably have a library of graphs for later inclusion in the  
main document. One would want to be able to compile all at once or  
individually if one were just working on one file.

2. The code for many individual figures is quite long and tends to  
obscure the flow of thought when included in the source. Again, if  
they were coming from an external document, that would be better.

I am not looking to include the files one at a time after  
development. I know how to do that. Rather, I am looking for a way to  
gather all the source for figures in a file, compile all of the file,  
or just one figure from the file, then somehow call that source code  
into the main .tex doc during compile time.

I am open to any suggestions on how to most efficiently develop and  
include figures (in Metapost, of course) in our main document.

Thanks.