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From: Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl>
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Subject: Re: accents
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 22:00:17 +0100
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Berend de Boer wrote:

> > A question about accented characters. Which is the preferred method
> > to enter accented characters in a Context file?
> 
> Use a 8 bit TeX and fonts. Works sometimes fine :-)
> 
> I'm not sure when 8bit chars break down, can remember things like the 8bit
> \"e that didn't translate well in pdf or maybe it didn't survive in pdf
> bookmarks or something like that.

There are several related processes involved. 

(1) mapping from input onto internal character codes: 

    traditional tex   : \"e 
    german habits     : "e 
    berends suggestion: \charXYZ, either direct of active

(2) Then comes the translation in glyphs, 

    either a real one character glyph
    or a glyphs plus accent (composed character)
    a composed character with adapted spacing 

(3) the output stage, for instance 

    when using raw postscript/pdf, 
    javascript, 
    metapost, 
    pdf bookmarks etc 

So depending in the use, input is to be converted into output. This
happens is the enco-* files (used to be font-*) and part of it in
font-*, while language specific things happen in the lang-* files. 

A lot of programming effort went into 

  (1) robust passing of arguments
  (2) robust testing 
  (3) efficient font swhicthing (mixed encodings possible!)
  (4) easy definitions

When users have specific wishes, lets coordinate the effort. There is
for instance a il2 encoding (i made that one for han the thanh who needs
it for czech) but I supose there is also something il1. 

Hans

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                                          Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
              Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands
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