How do I handle this metapost file?

How do I handle this metapost file?

[Sherlock Holmes]

I found an example file for metapost named figs.mp that contains 
(everything between the dashed lines):

=========================================
input boxes

%% Use LaTeX, not TeX, in btex ... etex,
%% and use PostScript fonts.
%verbatimtex
%\documentclass{article}
%\usepackage{times}
%\usepackage{mathptm}
%\begin{document}
%etex
%% Literal text uses Times-Roman
%defaultfont := "ptmr";
%% Generate EPS
%prologues := 1;

beginfig(1);
pair shadowshift; shadowshift=(1,-1)*bp;

def drawshadowed(text t) =
   forsuffixes $=t:
     fill bpath$ shifted shadowshift;
     unfill bpath$;
     drawboxed($);
   endfor
enddef;

boxit.a(btex \s8A\s+2 \(lh a etex);
circleit.b(btex $e sup {i omega t}$ etex rotated 20);
b.w - a.e = (10,0)*bp;
drawshadowed(a,b);
draw a.e..b.w;

draw bbox currentpicture dashed evenly;
endfig;

%verbatimtex
%\end{document}
%etex

end
=========================================

mpost figs.mp does not work:

[localhost:~/tmp/figs] sherlock% mpost figs.mp
This is MetaPost, Version 0.641 (Web2C 7.3.1)
(figs.mp 
(/usr/local/teTeX/share/texmf/metapost/base/boxes.mp)/usr/local/teTeX/bin/
powerpc-apple-darwin1.3.3/makempx: Command failed: tex mpxerr.tex; see 
mpxerr.log

 >> figs.mp
 >> figs.mpx
! Unable to make mpx file.
l.27 boxit.a(btex
                   \s8A\s+2 \(lh a etex);
Transcript written on figs.log.

mpxerr.log contains:

This is TeX, Version 3.14159 (Web2C 7.3.1) (format=tex 2001.5.28)  28 
MAY 2001 22:38
**mpx3183.tex
(mpx3183.tex
! Undefined control sequence.
<argument> \hbox {\hbox {\s
                             8A\s +2 \(lh a}\vrule width1sp}
\next #1->\setbox \z@ \hbox {#1
                                }\finsm@sh
l.2 \s8A\s+2 \(lh a}\vrule width1sp}}
                                      }
The control sequence at the end of the top line
of your error message was never \def'ed. If you have
misspelled it (e.g., `\hobx'), type `I' and the correct
spelling (e.g., `I\hbox'). Otherwise just continue,
and I'll forget about whatever was undefined.

! Undefined control sequence.
<argument> \hbox {\hbox {\s 8A\s
                                  +2 \(lh a}\vrule width1sp}
\next #1->\setbox \z@ \hbox {#1
                                }\finsm@sh
l.2 \s8A\s+2 \(lh a}\vrule width1sp}}
                                      }
The control sequence at the end of the top line
of your error message was never \def'ed. If you have
misspelled it (e.g., `\hobx'), type `I' and the correct
spelling (e.g., `I\hbox'). Otherwise just continue,
and I'll forget about whatever was undefined.

! Undefined control sequence.
<argument> \hbox {\hbox {\s 8A\s +2 \(
                                       lh a}\vrule width1sp}
\next #1->\setbox \z@ \hbox {#1
                                }\finsm@sh
l.2 \s8A\s+2 \(lh a}\vrule width1sp}}
                                      }
The control sequence at the end of the top line
of your error message was never \def'ed. If you have
misspelled it (e.g., `\hobx'), type `I' and the correct
spelling (e.g., `I\hbox'). Otherwise just continue,
and I'll forget about whatever was undefined.

[1] [1] )
Output written on mpx3183.dvi (2 pages, 336 bytes).

Should this file work? And if so, how do I process this if I want to 
create pdf from it? Preferably by running pdf(la)tex at some point, not 
using dvips and ps2pdf.

Thanks,

SH

Re: How do I handle this metapost file?

[Taco Hoekwater]

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
> 
> btex \s8A\s+2 \(lh a etex
> btex $e sup {i omega t}$ etex 

Looks to me like *roff input instead of TeX.