* Automating a letter module style
@ 2002-11-21 0:00 Nigel King
2002-11-21 14:40 ` John Culleton
` (2 more replies)
0 siblings, 3 replies; 14+ messages in thread
From: Nigel King @ 2002-11-21 0:00 UTC (permalink / raw)
I have been using a letter format and gradually improving the macro format
and style each time I use it. It makes a lot of use of backgrounds to set
elements on the page. I would like to improve some other elements.
The target structure of a letter source would be as follows.
\usemodule[lett-01]
\setupletter
[address=...\\...\\..,
signature=Nigel King,
thedate=\currentdate,
......]
\starttext
\opening
Further to your ...... %main letter content
\closing[Yours ...,]
\encl[...]
\cc[...]
\ps[...]
\stoptext
A lot of this works quite well using the following typical "macros" in
u-lett-01.tex typical parts of which are shown below
----------
\unprotect
\def\setupletter{%
\dosingleargument\dosetupletter}
\def\dosetupletter[#1]{%
\getparameters[letter@][#1]}
Some other \defs....
\def\opening{
\definelayer
[letter@layer@toaddress]
\setlayer
[letter@layer@toaddress]
[x=\backspace,y=50mm]
{\framed
[height=37.6mm,
width=89mm,
frame=on,
align={right,lohi},
strut=no,
offset=overlay]
{\getvalue{letter@toaddress}}}
\setupbackgrounds
[page]
[background={letter@layer@toaddress}]
}% end of opening
\protect
-----------
The main problems that I have follow;
1. \usemodule[lett-01] has to be \input u-lett-01 because the definitions
are not recognized properly otherwise. "no macros found", I have not found
any documentation on macros. I had a look at m-chart.tex but it was too long
and complicated to get the simple idea from. Is there another
2. I cannot find a way of defining elements which are effectively in the
running text like \openingline=Dear ..., in the setupletter because
\getvalue{letter@opening} seems not to pick up the value. A similar problem
occurs with closing which has a number of formatting constraints which
deosn't want to be seen in the letter source. The only way I have been able
to achieve the objective has been to use the following type of construct.
In the source letter
\signature[Nigel King]
In the module
\def\signature[#1]{\def\fromsig{#1}}
\def\closing[#1]{\par\framed[width=\textwidth,frame=off]{\rbox{
\blank[2*big] #1 \blank[6*big] \fromsig\par}}}
Any help would be much appreciated.
--
Nigel
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: Automating a letter module style
2002-11-21 0:00 Automating a letter module style Nigel King
@ 2002-11-21 14:40 ` John Culleton
2002-11-21 15:23 ` Bruce D'Arcus
2002-11-22 23:14 ` Automating a letter module style Hans Hagen
2 siblings, 0 replies; 14+ messages in thread
From: John Culleton @ 2002-11-21 14:40 UTC (permalink / raw)
On Thursday 21 November 2002 12:00 am, Nigel King wrote:
> I have been using a letter format and gradually improving the macro
> format and style each time I use it. It makes a lot of use of
> backgrounds to set elements on the page. I would like to improve some
> other elements.
(snip)
You may find some useful ideas in Knuth's letterformat (see the
TeXbook) and also in the TeXsis macros. I use a variant on
letterformat for single letters and an amalgam of TeXsis and
letterformat for form letters.
FWIW
John Culleton
Able Indexers and Typesetters
Rowse Reviews
Culleton Editorial Services
http://wexfordpress.com
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: Automating a letter module style
2002-11-21 0:00 Automating a letter module style Nigel King
2002-11-21 14:40 ` John Culleton
@ 2002-11-21 15:23 ` Bruce D'Arcus
2002-11-22 22:31 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-22 23:14 ` Automating a letter module style Hans Hagen
2 siblings, 1 reply; 14+ messages in thread
From: Bruce D'Arcus @ 2002-11-21 15:23 UTC (permalink / raw)
This brings up an issue that periodically comes up, but I don't
remember how this went the last time:
I would really love to have a section of the ConTeXt website where I
could access a few sample documents and modules created by more
knowledgeable users. I often find trying to figure out how to do
something from the manuals a frustrating experience, and the samples
that are available are too limited...
With respect to modules, I'm thinking basic things like letters,
articles, books, and presentations.
Bruce
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: Automating a letter module style
2002-11-21 15:23 ` Bruce D'Arcus
@ 2002-11-22 22:31 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-22 23:40 ` Bruce D'Arcus
0 siblings, 1 reply; 14+ messages in thread
From: Hans Hagen @ 2002-11-22 22:31 UTC (permalink / raw)
At 10:23 AM 11/21/2002 -0500, Bruce D'Arcus wrote:
>This brings up an issue that periodically comes up, but I don't remember
>how this went the last time:
>
>I would really love to have a section of the ConTeXt website where I could
>access a few sample documents and modules created by more knowledgeable
>users. I often find trying to figure out how to do something from the
>manuals a frustrating experience, and the samples that are available are
>too limited...
no problem, but someone should collect them, package them in a zip, and
provide a nice readme on how to process them
>With respect to modules, I'm thinking basic things like letters, articles,
>books, and presentations.
some day ... (will be part of another context gimmick to come)
Hans
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
information: http://www.pragma-ade.com/roadmap.pdf
documentation: http://www.pragma-ade.com/showcase.pdf
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: Automating a letter module style
2002-11-21 0:00 Automating a letter module style Nigel King
2002-11-21 14:40 ` John Culleton
2002-11-21 15:23 ` Bruce D'Arcus
@ 2002-11-22 23:14 ` Hans Hagen
2 siblings, 0 replies; 14+ messages in thread
From: Hans Hagen @ 2002-11-22 23:14 UTC (permalink / raw)
At 12:00 AM 11/21/2002 +0000, Nigel King wrote:
concerning modules, why not make it an environment?
>2. I cannot find a way of defining elements which are effectively in the
>running text like \openingline=Dear ..., in the setupletter because
>\getvalue{letter@opening} seems not to pick up the value. A similar problem
>occurs with closing which has a number of formatting constraints which
>deosn't want to be seen in the letter source. The only way I have been able
>to achieve the objective has been to use the following type of construct.
>In the source letter
>\signature[Nigel King]
>In the module
>\def\signature[#1]{\def\fromsig{#1}}
>\def\closing[#1]{\par\framed[width=\textwidth,frame=off]{\rbox{
> \blank[2*big] #1 \blank[6*big] \fromsig\par}}}
>
>Any help would be much appreciated.
The best way to deal with variables is the following:
\setvariables
[letter:opening]
[name=...,
date=...]
\setvariables
[letter:closing]
[name=...,
whatver=...]
....
\getvariable{letter:opening}{name}
This way there is no need for the get parameter stuff and you can group
your variables; this mechanism also bypasses the multi lingual inferface,
since this is what is troubling you: getparameter remaps tags to the low
level names. You get better error messages for free.
Hans
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
information: http://www.pragma-ade.com/roadmap.pdf
documentation: http://www.pragma-ade.com/showcase.pdf
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: Automating a letter module style
2002-11-22 22:31 ` Hans Hagen
@ 2002-11-22 23:40 ` Bruce D'Arcus
2002-11-25 16:58 ` Hans Hagen
0 siblings, 1 reply; 14+ messages in thread
From: Bruce D'Arcus @ 2002-11-22 23:40 UTC (permalink / raw)
On Friday, November 22, 2002, at 05:31 PM, Hans Hagen wrote:
>> With respect to modules, I'm thinking basic things like letters,
>> articles, books, and presentations.
>
> some day ... (will be part of another context gimmick to come)
Don't tease Hans; what "gimmick"? :-)
Bruce
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: Automating a letter module style
2002-11-22 23:40 ` Bruce D'Arcus
@ 2002-11-25 16:58 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-25 17:10 ` Bruce D'Arcus
2002-11-29 11:36 ` metafun and \input graph Hartmut Henkel
0 siblings, 2 replies; 14+ messages in thread
From: Hans Hagen @ 2002-11-25 16:58 UTC (permalink / raw)
At 06:40 PM 11/22/2002 -0500, Bruce D'Arcus wrote:
>On Friday, November 22, 2002, at 05:31 PM, Hans Hagen wrote:
>
>>>With respect to modules, I'm thinking basic things like letters,
>>>articles, books, and presentations.
>>
>>some day ... (will be part of another context gimmick to come)
>
>Don't tease Hans; what "gimmick"? :-)
a user interface to processing tex docs, based on pdf, controlled by a
tex-applet; think of entering your letter text and data in a form, pushing
a button and getting a letter back (this is just one application, we also
use it to make enveloppes and alike); click and point layout options, etc;
works quite well; to tease you again, this is just part of a bigger game -)
Hans
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
information: http://www.pragma-ade.com/roadmap.pdf
documentation: http://www.pragma-ade.com/showcase.pdf
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: Automating a letter module style
2002-11-25 16:58 ` Hans Hagen
@ 2002-11-25 17:10 ` Bruce D'Arcus
2002-11-25 17:23 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-29 11:36 ` metafun and \input graph Hartmut Henkel
1 sibling, 1 reply; 14+ messages in thread
From: Bruce D'Arcus @ 2002-11-25 17:10 UTC (permalink / raw)
On Monday, November 25, 2002, at 11:58 AM, Hans Hagen wrote:
> a user interface to processing tex docs, based on pdf, controlled by a
> tex-applet; think of entering your letter text and data in a form,
> pushing a button and getting a letter back (this is just one
> application, we also use it to make enveloppes and alike); click and
> point layout options, etc; works quite well; to tease you again, this
> is just part of a bigger game -)
Hmm...interesting indeed! Just to prod a bit more, though, what kind
of UI, and entered into what kind "form"? I won't ask about the
"bigger game" :-)
This may or may not be relevant, but any chance as you work on this
stuff XML might enter the picture as an alternate coding approach?
Bruce
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: Automating a letter module style
2002-11-25 17:10 ` Bruce D'Arcus
@ 2002-11-25 17:23 ` Hans Hagen
0 siblings, 0 replies; 14+ messages in thread
From: Hans Hagen @ 2002-11-25 17:23 UTC (permalink / raw)
At 12:10 PM 11/25/2002 -0500, Bruce D'Arcus wrote:
>On Monday, November 25, 2002, at 11:58 AM, Hans Hagen wrote:
>
>>a user interface to processing tex docs, based on pdf, controlled by a
>>tex-applet; think of entering your letter text and data in a form,
>>pushing a button and getting a letter back (this is just one application,
>>we also use it to make enveloppes and alike); click and point layout
>>options, etc; works quite well; to tease you again, this is just part of
>>a bigger game -)
>
>Hmm...interesting indeed! Just to prod a bit more, though, what kind of
>UI, and entered into what kind "form"? I won't ask about the "bigger game" :-)
i let tex generate a document with fields that a user can fill in; that way
you get a platform independent interface; the submits this data to a
servlet, which, based on the embedded request, takes some action; after a
while a pdf doc is send back; the document is (yet) coded in tex (rather
high level interface macros), the request specific scripts are coded in xml
as is the whole environment in which this takes place; communication takes
place in xml as well.
[i may add an xml user interface to the tex part as well, when i'm in the mood]
>This may or may not be relevant, but any chance as you work on this stuff
>XML might enter the picture as an alternate coding approach?
xml already has entered the picture since we use it for processing tex and
xml docs
Hans
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
information: http://www.pragma-ade.com/roadmap.pdf
documentation: http://www.pragma-ade.com/showcase.pdf
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* metafun and \input graph
2002-11-25 16:58 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-25 17:10 ` Bruce D'Arcus
@ 2002-11-29 11:36 ` Hartmut Henkel
2002-11-29 12:53 ` Nigel King
2002-11-29 12:58 ` Hans Hagen
1 sibling, 2 replies; 14+ messages in thread
From: Hartmut Henkel @ 2002-11-29 11:36 UTC (permalink / raw)
When I try to run some plain MetaPost foo.mp file, which includes an
\input graph command, through mptopdf, e. g. by the call `mptopdf
foo.mp' fails. Check with texexec --mptex foo.mp shows
! Redundant equation.
<to be read again>
;
l.148 Ten_to0=1;
Ten_to1=10; Ten_to2=100; Ten_to3=1000; Ten_to4=10000;
These are redundant, since the lines appear first in mp-form.mp and then
are again loaded from graph.mp.
Is there a way to use mptopdf for conversion of plain/non-metafun
MetaPost files, e. g. a switch for mptopdf?
Greetings Hartmut
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: metafun and \input graph
2002-11-29 11:36 ` metafun and \input graph Hartmut Henkel
@ 2002-11-29 12:53 ` Nigel King
2002-11-29 12:58 ` Hans Hagen
1 sibling, 0 replies; 14+ messages in thread
From: Nigel King @ 2002-11-29 12:53 UTC (permalink / raw)
The beginning of my files typically have something like this before the
first beginfig();
input metafun ;
input boxes;
verbatimtex
\setupcolors[state=start]
\setupencoding[default=texnansi]
\setupbodyfont[pos,11pt,ss]
\def\f#1{\framed[frame=off,align=middle]{#1}}
\starttext
\bf\ss
etex
input graph
init_numbers
(textext(btex $-$ etex),
textext(btex $1$ etex),
textext(btex ${\times}10$ etex),
textext(btex ${}^-$ etex),
textext(btex ${}^2$ etex));
Fe_base := textext(btex $10$ etex) ;
> When I try to run some plain MetaPost foo.mp file, which includes an
> \input graph command, through mptopdf, e. g. by the call `mptopdf
> foo.mp' fails. Check with texexec --mptex foo.mp shows
>
> ! Redundant equation.
> <to be read again>
> ;
> l.148 Ten_to0=1;
> Ten_to1=10; Ten_to2=100; Ten_to3=1000; Ten_to4=10000;
>
> These are redundant, since the lines appear first in mp-form.mp and then
> are again loaded from graph.mp.
>
> Is there a way to use mptopdf for conversion of plain/non-metafun
> MetaPost files, e. g. a switch for mptopdf?
I hope this helps it took me a long time to get the this point!
I (with help from many others) wrote the following code for iTeXMax
compilation. For other systems ${iTMInput} is the basename of the metapost
source file.
setenv TEX texexec
mpost ${iTMInput}
texexec --pdf --fig=c ${iTMInput}.[0-9] ${iTMInput}.[0-9][0-9]
${iTMInput}.[0-9][0-9][0-9]
mv texexec.pdf ${iTMInput}.pdf
This produces the files to be referenced in a ConTeXt document and a pdf
with all the pictures to review them.
Nigel
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: metafun and \input graph
2002-11-29 11:36 ` metafun and \input graph Hartmut Henkel
2002-11-29 12:53 ` Nigel King
@ 2002-11-29 12:58 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-29 16:55 ` Hartmut Henkel
1 sibling, 1 reply; 14+ messages in thread
From: Hans Hagen @ 2002-11-29 12:58 UTC (permalink / raw)
At 12:36 PM 11/29/2002 +0100, you wrote:
>When I try to run some plain MetaPost foo.mp file, which includes an
>\input graph command, through mptopdf, e. g. by the call `mptopdf
>foo.mp' fails. Check with texexec --mptex foo.mp shows
>
>! Redundant equation.
><to be read again>
> ;
>l.148 Ten_to0=1;
> Ten_to1=10; Ten_to2=100; Ten_to3=1000; Ten_to4=10000;
>
>These are redundant, since the lines appear first in mp-form.mp and then
>are again loaded from graph.mp.
i'll send you a file for testing,
mptopdf --raw yourfile.mp
>Is there a way to use mptopdf for conversion of plain/non-metafun
>MetaPost files, e. g. a switch for mptopdf?
mp to pdf will convert any mp output file into pdf
Hans
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
information: http://www.pragma-ade.com/roadmap.pdf
documentation: http://www.pragma-ade.com/showcase.pdf
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: metafun and \input graph
2002-11-29 12:58 ` Hans Hagen
@ 2002-11-29 16:55 ` Hartmut Henkel
2002-11-29 17:12 ` Hans Hagen
0 siblings, 1 reply; 14+ messages in thread
From: Hartmut Henkel @ 2002-11-29 16:55 UTC (permalink / raw)
Hi Hans,
the mptopdf.pl --raw from your mail works perfect. Pure magic! (tested
with teTeX-021116)
Thanks a lot!
Ah, one has to give the .mp extension explicitely. Otherwise it says
MPtoPDF 1.2 : no filename matches foo.*
Greetings Hartmut
On Fri, 29 Nov 2002, Hans Hagen wrote:
> At 12:36 PM 11/29/2002 +0100, you wrote:
> >When I try to run some plain MetaPost foo.mp file, which includes an
> >\input graph command, through mptopdf, e. g. by the call `mptopdf
> >foo.mp' fails. Check with texexec --mptex foo.mp shows
> >
> >! Redundant equation.
> ><to be read again>
> > ;
> >l.148 Ten_to0=1;
> > Ten_to1=10; Ten_to2=100; Ten_to3=1000; Ten_to4=10000;
> >
> >These are redundant, since the lines appear first in mp-form.mp and then
> >are again loaded from graph.mp.
>
> i'll send you a file for testing,
>
> mptopdf --raw yourfile.mp
>
>
> >Is there a way to use mptopdf for conversion of plain/non-metafun
> >MetaPost files, e. g. a switch for mptopdf?
>
> mp to pdf will convert any mp output file into pdf
>
> Hans
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
* Re: metafun and \input graph
2002-11-29 16:55 ` Hartmut Henkel
@ 2002-11-29 17:12 ` Hans Hagen
0 siblings, 0 replies; 14+ messages in thread
From: Hans Hagen @ 2002-11-29 17:12 UTC (permalink / raw)
At 05:55 PM 11/29/2002 +0100, you wrote:
>Hi Hans,
>
>the mptopdf.pl --raw from your mail works perfect. Pure magic! (tested
>with teTeX-021116)
>
>Thanks a lot!
>
>Ah, one has to give the .mp extension explicitely. Otherwise it says
>MPtoPDF 1.2 : no filename matches foo.*
right, the main purpose of mptopdf is the conversion, the mp processing is
an extra
Hans
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
information: http://www.pragma-ade.com/roadmap.pdf
documentation: http://www.pragma-ade.com/showcase.pdf
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 14+ messages in thread
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Thread overview: 14+ messages (download: mbox.gz / follow: Atom feed)
-- links below jump to the message on this page --
2002-11-21 0:00 Automating a letter module style Nigel King
2002-11-21 14:40 ` John Culleton
2002-11-21 15:23 ` Bruce D'Arcus
2002-11-22 22:31 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-22 23:40 ` Bruce D'Arcus
2002-11-25 16:58 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-25 17:10 ` Bruce D'Arcus
2002-11-25 17:23 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-29 11:36 ` metafun and \input graph Hartmut Henkel
2002-11-29 12:53 ` Nigel King
2002-11-29 12:58 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-29 16:55 ` Hartmut Henkel
2002-11-29 17:12 ` Hans Hagen
2002-11-22 23:14 ` Automating a letter module style Hans Hagen
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