Re: LaTeX & ppchtex

[Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl>]

jspanke@hyytiala.helsinki.fi wrote:

> I am using MikTeX 1.20 beta and I want to use ppchtex under LaTeX.
> When I am searching for ppchtex, I find different versions on
> different servers. For example the zipfile at the ConTeXt Website
> seems to be a older version. In most packages there is no ppchtex.tex
> file included, but during compilation LaTeX is asking for it.

Most of the ppchtex's are just the same. Recently there has been a
reshuffeling of files in the distributions. The main site is 

  www.pragma-ade.nl

There are pointers there to Erik's mirror and the NTG mirror. Depending
on the network connections you use, the mirrors can be faster.  Using
the mirrors also saves us quota. 

The reference distributions from www.pragma-ade.nl are also mirrored on
CTAN. 

> What means historical for the m-chemie.sty and m-chemical.sty, should
> I use the newer m-ch-de.sty? And why don´t you say so in the manual?

The historical ones are for users who still load ppchtex under those
names. They are just copies. 

> My LaTeX document is very simple, but it don´t work.
> 
> \documentclass{article}
>     \usepackage{m-pictex}
>     \usepackage{m-ch-de}
> 
> \begin{document}
> \stellechemieein[achsen=an,rahmen=an]
> \startchemie
>     \chemie[SIX,B,R,RZ][1,2,3,4,5,6]
> \stopchemie
> \end{document}
> 
> The compiler produce the following Log-file. If I use the english
> style it produces also a error message.
> Regards
>                 Jörg Spanke
>
> (D:\programme\localTeXmf\tex\latex\pictex\m-pictex.sty
> (D:\programme\localTeXmf\tex\latex\pictex\m-pictex.tex
> (D:\programme\localTeXmf\tex\latex\PPCHTEX\supp-mis.tex loading :
> Context Support Macros / Missing \protectiondepth=\count87

First of all I stongly suggests to remove all context things from the
latex path. TO prevent conflicts, use the normal context path
(tex/context/base). 

Next, make sure no duplicate (old) copies reside on the system. The
default context distribution unpacks in the appropriate directories of
the texmf tree. There is also a ppchtex distribution, for the
minimalists, although I suggest to simply install context (not that
large at all). 

Some older latex distributions also can have supp-mis and some more
present, due to the fact that latex uses context modules for converting
metapost to pdf. Please make sure you don't put those on your system:
install the normal context base dir! Only that way the people
maintaining distributions can be sure things do not conflict. 

BTW, looking at your log shows that (1) something is messed up and (2)
the context system module is not loaded. The latter one is needed for
ppchtex. The \doif macros are implemented in that module. 

When installed properly, ppchtex runs smoothly. Of course pictex must be
present. 

On context, ppchtex uses metapost to draw the lines and shapes. This
gives better results, smaller files, pdf support, etc. (Think of
metapost acting as a plug in into pictex). In context one can simply
load ppchtex by saying: 

  \usemodule[chemic]

The interface is automatically set to the current one. 

I suppose I could make ppchtex/mp support work in latex too (actually
some people are using the underlying modules for tpic to pdf conversion)
but I currently lack the time to do this.  

Some day I will provide some additional mp related features to ppchtex. 

Hans 

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                                          Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
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