Received: by nummer-3.proteosys id <01C19443.49EAE7CC@nummer-3.proteosys>; Thu, 3 Jan 2002 11:42:06 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 x-vm-v5-data: ([nil nil nil nil nil nil nil t nil][nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil]) Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----_=_NextPart_001_01C19443.49EAE7CC" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.5 Content-class: urn:content-classes:message Subject: xchr/xord and TeX extensions Date: Tue, 22 Oct 1991 01:00:00 +0100 Message-ID: X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: From: "Nelson H. F. Beebe" Sender: "LaTeX-L Mailing list" To: "Rainer M. Schoepf" Reply-To: "LaTeX-L Mailing list" Status: R X-Status: X-Keywords: X-UID: 408 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C19443.49EAE7CC Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I've wanted xchr/xord arrays to be accessible to macro packages for a long time. Eberhard Mattes changed them in the source code, but I don't know if they are user-accessible in his emTeX on the IBM PC. Given that IBM users live in environments that support multiple code pages, and with the rapidly increasing need to exchange files between users in different countries where ISO-8859 code pages are in use, it seems to me that users of TeX 3.0 NEED the ability to say \input code-page-850.tex \input myfile-in-code-page-850.tex \input code-page-862.tex \input myfile-in-code-page-862.tex ... so that system-wide files code-page-*.tex could redefine the xchr[]/xord[] remappings dynamically, possible multiple times in the same job. Maybe this could/should be done with control sequences analogous to \setlanguage; the above example would become \input myfile-in-code-page-850.tex \input myfile-in-code-page-862.tex ... where each file began with a \setcodepage{850} and \setcodepage{862} respectively. I'd in fact prefer this, because it makes each file self-identifying to TeX for its character set. This of course assumes that the letters A-Za-z, digits 0-9, and backslash are common to all code pages, as they are in the ISO and IBM PC code pages; they are not if we talk about ASCII and EBCDIC. I've talked about this question with Mike Ferguson and a few others, but we did not come to a unanimous agreement that it should be done. Some people argue that making xchr[]/xord[] user-accessible is an extension to TeX that voids Don Knuth's warranty. I believe this is NOT the case; it is a proper part of the system-dependent code section of all change files. I see no harm, and considerable value, in ALL implementations of TeX having a common change file extension to make xchr[]/xord[] user-accessible. =3D=3D> Nevertheless, this is an issue that implementors need to debate, =3D=3D> and perhaps further discussions should be moved off LATEX-L and =3D=3D> onto tex-implementors@math.ams.com. By the way, I talked on the phone to Don Knuth yesterday afternoon. He is busy writing more books, in addition to the Art of Computer Programming series, and having great fun with CWeb. The book Concrete Mathematics will be the first book in TeX published by Soviet publishing company MIR, using Concrete Cyrillic fonts specially designed for the task. I've just started reading Concrete Mathematics, and am quite enjoying it. I asked him for a clarification of his wishes about the names TeX and METAFONT, and extended versions of those programs. He stated explicitly that just THOSE names are prevented from being applied to extended versions; it is PERFECTLY OKAY to name successors etex and nmf, or whatever, just not the 3-letter name TeX and the 8-letter name METAFONT (or the 2-letter mf). Adding accents to TeX and METAFONT is pushing the point; I view it as unacceptable, because those accents will often be dropped in the English-speaking world, and the pronunciations would in any event be too close to the originals. Don did say that he would be most happy if the people, or committee, producing such a product were willing to stand behind it for many years, in the way he has done with TeX and METAFONT. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Nelson H.F. Beebe Center for Scientific Computing Department of Mathematics 220 South Physics Building University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA Tel: (801) 581-5254 FAX: (801) 581-4148 Internet: beebe@math.utah.edu =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D ------_=_NextPart_001_01C19443.49EAE7CC Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable xchr/xord and TeX extensions

I've wanted xchr/xord arrays to be accessible to macro = packages for a
long time.  Eberhard Mattes changed them in the = source code, but I
don't know if they are user-accessible in his emTeX = on the IBM PC.

Given that IBM users live in environments that support = multiple code
pages, and with the rapidly increasing need to = exchange files between
users in different countries where ISO-8859 code = pages are in use, it
seems to me that users of TeX 3.0 NEED the ability to = say

        \input = code-page-850.tex
        \input = myfile-in-code-page-850.tex
        \input = code-page-862.tex
        \input = myfile-in-code-page-862.tex
        ...

so that system-wide files code-page-*.tex could = redefine the
xchr[]/xord[] remappings dynamically, possible = multiple times in the
same job.  Maybe this could/should be done with = control sequences
analogous to \setlanguage; the above example would = become

        \input = myfile-in-code-page-850.tex
        \input = myfile-in-code-page-862.tex
        ...

where each file began with a

        \setcodepage{850}
and
        \setcodepage{862}

respectively.  I'd in fact prefer this, because = it makes each file
self-identifying to TeX for its character set.  = This of course assumes
that the letters A-Za-z, digits 0-9, and backslash = are common to all
code pages, as they are in the ISO and IBM PC code = pages; they are not
if we talk about ASCII and EBCDIC.

I've talked about this question with Mike Ferguson and = a few others,
but we did not come to a unanimous agreement that it = should be done.

Some people argue that making xchr[]/xord[] = user-accessible is an
extension to TeX that voids Don Knuth's = warranty.  I believe this is
NOT the case; it is a proper part of the = system-dependent code section
of all change files.  I see no harm, and = considerable value, in ALL
implementations of TeX having a common change file = extension to make
xchr[]/xord[] user-accessible.

=3D=3D> Nevertheless, this is an issue that = implementors need to debate,
=3D=3D> and perhaps further discussions should be = moved off LATEX-L and
=3D=3D> onto tex-implementors@math.ams.com.

By the way, I talked on the phone to Don Knuth = yesterday afternoon.
He is busy writing more books, in addition to the Art = of Computer
Programming series, and having great fun with = CWeb.  The book Concrete
Mathematics will be the first book in TeX published = by Soviet
publishing company MIR, using Concrete Cyrillic fonts = specially
designed for the task.  I've just started = reading Concrete
Mathematics, and am quite enjoying it.

I asked him for a clarification of his wishes about = the names TeX and
METAFONT, and extended versions of those = programs.  He stated
explicitly that just THOSE names are prevented from = being applied to
extended versions; it is PERFECTLY OKAY to name = successors etex and
nmf, or whatever, just not the 3-letter name TeX and = the 8-letter name
METAFONT (or the 2-letter mf).

Adding accents to TeX and METAFONT is pushing the = point; I view it as
unacceptable, because those accents will often be = dropped in the
English-speaking world, and the pronunciations would = in any event be
too close to the originals.

Don did say that he would be most happy if the people, = or committee,
producing such a product were willing to stand behind = it for many
years, in the way he has done with TeX and = METAFONT.


=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
Nelson H.F. Beebe
Center for Scientific Computing
Department of Mathematics
220 South Physics Building
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
USA
 Tel: (801) 581-5254
 FAX: (801) 581-4148
 Internet: beebe@math.utah.edu
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=


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