new release of context + 4 new manuals

[Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl>]

Hi All, 

A TeX Live Cdrom deadline (number 6 is coming) is always a good moment for
a major update. So, i uploaded a new version as well as a couple of new
manuals. The manuals cover:

- xsteps-s/p.pdf   : step charts, a funny kind of chart we needed (tex/mp
application)
- xmathml-s/p.pdf  : mathml support (only short module description)
- xfigures-s/p.pdf : figure bases using xml database and pdf library file

These manuals come in a screen and paper version and can be found under the
xml support pages. Especially the last one is of interest because it makes
managing graphics (in tex) much more convenient. It's also a nice example
of xml support in context.  

The 4th manual deals with fonts: 

- mfonts.pdf : setting up fonts ans typeface collections [typescripts] as
well as installing fonts using texfont.pl 

This manual can be found under the "more documentation' link. So, there is
also a new perl script. This is still beta and is meant for installing
fonts out of the box. Think of ordering a font, copying it to a scratchpath
and saying "texfont --install --make --vendor=foo --collection=bar" and off
you go. The script can also help you make slanted, extended and cap'd fonts
and uses a special kin dof naming so that you can mix these things. Map
files are generated as well as a demo tex file. This file also shows some
new font-related show* options.

Now, what's new in ConTeXt? I must admit that i forgot all changes /
extensions, but here are a few: 

- extended encoding support [still have to fix il1, waiting for symbols]
- figure base support
- stepchart module
- xml mapping 
- mathml support 
- new otr framework [so now i can really start cleaning up]
- \definelayout and alike 
- complete split up in modules 
- typefaces and typescripts as top font layer [mixed font sets]
- new core math support, control over spacing etc, mixed math fonts
[tex,px,tx,lucida,informal,etc supported, mathtime under construction],
minimalized font overhead, support for a|b|c|d sizes, etc
- some yet undocumented extensions to existing macros
- also yet undocumented but rather advanced, multi layer backgrounds behind
running text [obeying indentation, side floats, and alike, so trickery
indeed]; i can post an example if there is some need for this
- small optimizations and whatever i forgot

A next major release will provide 

- examination dtd support
- general context dtd support
- more interactive trickery
- more extended otr support 

So, the announced dtp like otr stuff is not yet officially there (well,
it's there but not yet complete and tested) but will be provided in the
next betas. [think of columns with unequal widths, floats spanning columns,
control over float placement, mid document layout changes, etc].   

I hope that your old stuff runs ok, 

Hans
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                                  Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE | pragma@wxs.nl
                      Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands
 tel: +31 (0)38 477 53 69 | fax: +31 (0)38 477 53 74 | www.pragma-ade.com
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