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From: David Arnold <darnold@northcoast.com>
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Subject: General inquiries
Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2001 21:41:21 -0800
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Hans et al,

1. Can you explain the difference between the switches --nomp and
--nomprun? What's the difference?

2. Let's say you are working on a doc. The doc has embedded MP graphics.
You get a good compile, the images are generated, and you go back to typing
the source. You work a bit, entering narrative, but no new MP graphics. How
should the next compile be run?

 texexec --pdf --nomp filename

or

 texexec --pdf --nomprun filename

Or perhaps some other option?

Also, once you get a good compile, how does Context know about the graphics
when you do a texexec --nomp or texexec --nomprun? Is the answer you will
provide to this question valid whether or not \recycleMPslotstrue is set?
Is it true that once the embedded graphics are crafted at runtime, future
compiles need not regenerate these graphics because they are available for
future compiles?

3. The way I usually work, I will type several paragraphs of code, then
compile to see how I am doing. I am reticent to type pages and pages
without checking, for fear that I will create such a morass of errors that
I will never figure my way out of the mess. So, my editing cycle is usually
type a bit a code, compile and check, fix errors, type a little code,
compile and check, fix errors, .... What's the best way to compile in this
situation?

4. What can be frustrating is to watch Context compiling a document for a
significant amount of time, only to finally inform me after a minute or so
that I have mispelled some command, forgotten a $ sign, or some such error
that is typical of the normal tex editing cycle. Is there some way to
bypass all the preliminary stuff and just do a quick check for this sort of
error? Any advice here?

5. I will usually compile metapost graphics with mpost, then view in
Gsview. It is so much faster this way. Once I have my Metapost graphic(s)
just right, then I will embed it (them) into my Context document. Is there
a similar method that will compete with this development speed that you
might suggest?

6. Which of the following will give faster processing?

 \startbuffer[name]
   MPcode
 \stopbuffer

 \placefigure
 [here][fig1]
 {caption}
 {\processMPbuffer[name]}

or

 \startreusableMPgraphic{name}
   MPcode
 \stopreusableMPgraphic

 \placefigure
 [here][fig1]
 {caption}
 {\reuseMPgraphic{name}}

Or do you suggest a better way for faster, more efficient processing? Which
method leaves the fewest auxiliary files hanging around after the compile?

Thanks.