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From: Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl>
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Subject: Re: Long compile time
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 12:40:23 +0200
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David Arnold wrote:

> For me, the most frustrating thing about ConTeXt seems to be the long time
> it takes to compile. I've read the texexex.pdf file and there are some nice
> hints in there to reduce the compile time. I still have two questions.

That's the sacrifice for a parameter driven package. 

> 1. Can I reduce to a minimum the compile time by entering a comment in the
> first line of my file, something akin to
> 
> %output=pdf
> 
> that I use frequently? If this can be done, what is an optimal comment line
> for limiting the compile time?

Sometimes texexec --fast runs a bit faster. To prevent multiple runs,
say 

  texexex --once .....

> 2. Suppose I have a master document with
> 
> \input chap1
> \input chap2
> \input chap3
> 
> etc. Suppose I am working in chap3.tex and I only want to compile chap3. Of
> course, I can comment out
> 
> %\input chap1
> %\input chap2
> 
> but then I lose the correct numbering of pages, chapters, etc. Is there a
> better procedure?

A rather old feature of context is project support (pre texexec time,
when we were making collections of educational materials):

(project file: course.tex)

\startproject course 

  \environment commonsetups 

  \product     book 
  \product     exercises 
  \product     answers 
  \product     examn

\stopproject 

(environment file: commonsetups.tex)

\startenvironment commonsetups

  all kind of (layout) setups 

\stopenvironment 

(product file: book.tex) 

\startproduct book

  \project     course

  \environment booksetups 

  \component   chap-1
  \component   chap-2

\stopproduct 

(component file: chap-1.tex)

\startcomponent chap-1

  \project course 
  \product book 

  ... chapter 1 ... 

\stopcomponent 

etc etc 

Now you can say: 

texexec book 
texexec chap-1
texexec chap-2

etc

It is possible to set up context in such a way that the book refs etc
migrate to the individual chapters, but this only makes sense in special
cases. 

Maybe this relieves the pain of speed. 

Hans

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                                          Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
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