Re: Page Numbering Hell

["Bryant Eastham" <beastham@pewla.us.pewg.panasonic.com>]

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Thomas, all:
 
It appears that not all of the messages have been delivered in a timely manner - I just received quite a few. I suppose that is why you reference the reply I got (or didn't until just now). FYI, it appears to me that there are major issues with the ntg.nl domain name server - it sometimes seems to go non-responsive. I can fix my local machine for web access, but I cannot change my mailer.
 
As I have already written, sorry for the caustic approach. I obviously have offended you, and apologize.
 
Most of your points are well taken. Yes, I had looked at all the examples that I could find, I had checked the many references, and could not find documentation on most of the routines that current postings seem to indicate should be used. With the further pointers I have received I will try again, and post my results.
 
As for my "real" comment, snide question begs snide response. I accept that. However, keep in mind that "real" to me doesn't mean "cool", or "full of features", or "better", but rather means that it will work, day in and day out, in a commercial environment. It means that it is tough, not brittle. It means that I can train people to use it, and then have them use it reliably. My comment is borne from the little that I can read about current status, my lack of ability to find a roadmap or schedule, and the fact that over the course of three solid days of probing, I have found several issues. It is not meant to diminish the groups efforts, their goals, or the current status - for all I know (and have been able to find) the group is small, has too much to do, and acknowledges that there is a long way to go! I don't know (didn't know when I asked), and couldn't find any statements one way or the other in my searching. In particular, it has nothing to do with the amount of effort or time devoted to the project. I will be the first to acknowledge that I am a leech, benefiting (at this point) from the groups efforts while not having provided anything in return.
 
Judging by other responses, the jury is out on "real" (at least of mkiv). I will continue to evaluate. And, my 35 documents, hundreds of pages was not meant to be multiplied! I have under 1,000 pages total.
 
Sorry for my typo (TeTeX).
 
Thanks to others for their responses. I will try them out tomorrow, and will be sure to collect all my hundreds of attempts for the amusement of the group - maybe in hopes of atoning for my "rant". :-)
 
-Bryant
 

________________________________

From: ntg-context-bounces@ntg.nl on behalf of Thomas A. Schmitz
Sent: Wed 10/21/2009 2:57 PM
To: mailing list for ConTeXt users
Subject: Re: [NTG-context] Page Numbering Hell



Since you weren't satisfied with the reply you got, here's another 
attempt to please you:
On Oct 21, 2009, at 8:36 AM, Bryant Eastham wrote:

> All-
>
> A few days ago when I first stumbled on ConTeXt I was very, very 
> excited. I have some 500 pages of technical documentation that could 
> benefit from this, particularly since I need Japanese font support. 
> But it has to be real.
>
> I'm sorry if this sounds caustic, but after 12 hours of failed 
> attempts to even get a minimal document formatted I have some 
> serious questions for the list:

What do you mean "get even a minimal document formatted"? You're 
complaining that you don't find "current examples that actually work," 
yet instead of a real minimal example, you post only rants. Give us a 
real example of what you have tried, and someone may be able to help 
you.
>
> 1.       Is Mark IV real? I am only somewhat joking here - after 
> spending hours searching for reasonable documentation on even the 
> most trivial options, I am left wondering whether this is something 
> I want to use...

No Mkiv isn't real. For two years, we've all been part of this 
elaborate hoax. We pretend we're using a software that doesn't exist.

> 2.       ConTeXt looks great. But what is current? Seriously, I like 
> the look and the support (particularly Unicode). But going over 
> documentation I cannot make heads or tails of what to do. Mark II? 
> Mark IV? TeTeX? LuaTeX? If I really want to use this, what should I 
> use?

TeTeX is the odd item in your list. It's a defunct TeX system that 
hasn't been updated in three years or so. You may have meant XeTeX. On 
a serious note: For 95 % of ConTeXt, it doesn't matter what engine you 
use. The high-level code in your document should give identical output 
with pdftext (= mkii), XeTeX, or the new luatex engine (= mkiv). If 
you need Japanese, you will probably want to use XeTeX or luatex. For 
the differences between mkiv and mkii, see http://wiki.contextgarden.net/MkIV_Differences

> 3.       Having answered #2, where in the world is a reference 
> manual!!! I mean one that actually *documents the options*.

What documentation did you read? cont-eni.pdf? The wiki? Have you 
looked at all the manuals available on http://www.pragma-ade.com/show-man-1.htm
  ? cont-eni.pdf is still the current documentation; if you want to 
have a brief look at options, I would recommend http://texshow.contextgarden.net/

> 4.       Having answered #3, are there any current examples that 
> actually work? The snippets from the mailing are great, but they are 
> just snippets. That doesn't help me.

What is missing on http://wiki.contextgarden.net/Sample_documents ? 
There are several sample documents.

>
> Now, to resolve my immediate issue, and just because I will not be 
> able to sleep well until I figure this out (yes, I am fixated on 
> this).
>
> I want this document structure:
>
> Contents
> 1.       Chapter                                   1-1
> 1.1 Section                             1-2
> 2.   Chapter 2                                  2-1
>     2.1 Section                                 2-2
>
> Table of contents on page "i".
> Even/odd, each chapter starts on right page.
> Page number (as in 2-2) in top margin.
> Mark IV, Lua document.
>
> I have tried hundreds of different combinations. If it cannot do 
> this, the I will (with sadness) move on. I'm sure that it would take 
> someone who understands this about 5 minutes to write (if that).
>
Then show us a minimal example of one of these hundreds of 
combinations, and somebody will look at it and may have an idea. But I 
doubt that anybody will want to write this for you.

Thomas
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___________________________________________________________________________________
If your question is of interest to others as well, please add an entry to the Wiki!

maillist : ntg-context@ntg.nl / http://www.ntg.nl/mailman/listinfo/ntg-context
webpage  : http://www.pragma-ade.nl / http://tex.aanhet.net
archive  : http://foundry.supelec.fr/projects/contextrev/
wiki     : http://contextgarden.net
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