% pdcoput5.dtx -- documentation & source for outpout routine -*-tex-*- %%%@TeX-document-file { %%% title = "PDCOPUT5 -- An output routine for zines", %%% filename = "$texmf/doc/plain/pdcmac/pdcoput5.dtx", %%% version = "$Revision: 5.3 $", %%% package = "pdcmac 1.0", %%% date = "$Date: 1995/04/06 11:51:03 $", %%% author = "P. Damian Cugley", %%% email = "damian.cugley@comlab.ox.ac.uk", %%% address = "Oxford University Computing Laboratory," %%% Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QD, UK", %%% abstract = "This document describes and is the source code for %%% the TeX definitions file pdcoput5.tex. %%% Running plain TeX on this file produces both the %%% definitions file and the printed documentation.", %%% copyright = "Copyright (c) 1991-1995 P. Damian Cugley", %%% copying = "This program is free software; you can redistribute %%% it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU %%% General Public License as published by the Free %%% Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, %%% or (at your option) any later version.", %%% notice = "This program is distributed in the hope that it will %%% be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the %%% implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A %%% PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public %%% License for more details.", %%% notice = "You should have received a copy of the GNU General %%% Public License along with this program; if not, write %%% to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, %%% Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.", %%% codetable = "USASCII", %%% dependencies = "pdccode.tex" %%%} %{{{ pdcoput5.tex %{{{ preamble \relax \input pdccode \input epsf \document \rcs$Id: pdcoput5.dtx,v 5.3 1995/04/06 11:51:03 pdc Exp $\endrcs \codefile{pdcoput5.tex} \countdef\counta=255 \newcount\countb \counta=`a \countb="7461 \loop \ifnum\counta<"7B \mathcode\counta\countb \advance\counta1 \advance\countb1 \repeat \counta=`A \countb="7441 \loop \ifnum\counta<"5B \mathcode\counta\countb \advance\counta1 \advance\countb1 \repeat %}}} preamble %{{{ introduction \title{PDCOPUT5---an output routine for zines} \section{Introduction} This document describes |pdcoput5.tex|, a \TeX\ definition file that defines an output routine for \TeX\ documents. The complete text of the macros is reproduced, with brief descriptions of how to exploit them. In fact, running plain \TeX\ on the file |pdcoput5.dtx| generates a copy of the macros in a file called |pdcoput5.tex| in the current directory, as well as the printed documentation.\footnote*{The \LaTeX~2e distribution uses files with the suffix |dtx| for similar purposes.} This should help ensure that the printed documentation matches the file it describes. The name ends with `-|5|' to distinguish this file from its predecessor (version 4.1.7), so that documents based on the old macros can still be printed. %{{{ output routines \subsec{Output routines} In a \TeX\ document, there is a special sequence of \TeX\ commands called the {\it output routine} which controls the assembly of pages for output to the |dvi| file. Plain \TeX\ comes with an output routine that handles simple documents (with footnotes and topinserts); \LaTeX\ has a more complex output routine that has many extra features (margin paragraphs, \LaTeX's floats). %}}} output routines %{{{ backgorund \subsec{Background to this output routine} I have been using \TeX\ to typeset fanzines\footnote\dag{The word {\it fanzine} comes from science fiction fans' jargon: {\it fan} for amateur (in the sense of unpaid, not necessarily amateurish) + {\it magazine}. (They call professional magazines {\it prozines}.) Thus a fanzine (or zine for short) is a small magazine, often produced by photocopying or cheap printing by its editor. The word {\it zine} rhymes with {\it scene} not {\it sign}, and isn't spelled with an apostrophe (unless you are the sort of person who spells {\it phone}, {\it cello} and {\it bus} with an apostrophe).} for some years. Unfortunately, for magazine layouts, the `floating' insertions provided by plain \TeX\ and \LaTeX\ do exactly the wrong thing---in a magazine, the designer wants to lay out the components of the page (illustrations, text, headings) exactly where he or she wants them, whereas the standard \TeX\ formats are designed to let the formatter place components according to its own complex rules. Originally I~tried browbeating \LaTeX\ into doing the zine layouts I~wanted. I realized eventually that by the time I~had redefined enough of \LaTeX's kernel to get the effects I~wanted I~would more or less have written everything from scratch. The sort of typesetting I~wanted is so unlike what \LaTeX\ is designed for that \LaTeX\ was getting in the way. Thus I~developed a set of \TeX\ definition files,\footnote\ddag{We can ignore the intermediate stage, which involved writing a `user-friendly' format in the style of \LaTeX\ and Texinfo, with structures very different from plain \TeX's syntax. In the end I realized that a format that requires disguising or renaming plain \TeX\ constructs makes using and modifying the macros harder, not easier, because the user has to understand the new conventions in addition to plain \TeX\ syntax.} with an output routine that allowed a page to be peppered with inserts with the text flowing in between them (with a more restricted class of inserts than, say, a DTP program, but still flexible enough to be useful). The output routine also does multi-column text---in this respect it is very similar to the |multicol| package in \LaTeX~2e. The routine presented here has been rewritten from scratch a few times, each time shedding some cruft as I~have a better understanding of \TeX. %}}} backgorund %{{{ layout model \subsec{The layout model} \topinsert \line{\vbox{\advance\hsize-1pc \hsize=0.333\hsize \noindent{\bf Figure 1}\quad Page layout. This shows a page without the optional extra boxes. In this example, text columns each span two grid cells. The left-hand column has an illo (space for an illustration) with caption. }% \epsfxsize=\hsize \advance\epsfxsize-1pc \epsfxsize=0.667\epsfxsize \epsffile{oput01.eps}\hfil } \medskip\hrule\medskip \endinsert \topinsert \line{\epsfxsize=\hsize \advance\epsfxsize-1pc \epsfxsize=0.667\epsfxsize \epsffile{oput02.eps}\hfil \vbox{\advance\hsize-1pc \hsize=0.333\hsize \noindent{\bf Figure 2}\quad Page layout parameters. This page has with all the optional boxes (shown with dashed lines). One text column has a space left for artwork. Text columns are the same width as grid cells. }} \medskip\hrule\medskip \endinsert The main part of the page (everything except the headline and footline) is called the {\it body}. The body is divided into a grid of cells. The cells are conceptually the framework on which page components like text columns and illustrations are hung. For example, text columns may span two cells. Figure~1 shows a simple layout. Fitting on the grid usually means the width of the object is $N\times gridwd + (N-1)\times colsep$ and its left edge is $K\times(gridwd + colsep)$ from the left edge of the page body. The aim of using a grid layout is to combine flexibility with enough structure that the result is not a chaotic mess. The example grid is 5~cells wide, so that text columns can probably be 2 or 3 cells wide without being too narrow or too wide. Illustrations may be anything from 1 to 5 cells wide, or may bleed off the page. %}}} layout model %}}} introduction %{{{ identification \section{File identification} Macro files nowadays tend to start with a whole slew of header comments designed to be useful to people comign across the file in some archive and unaware of what it is for. \code \|\% \filename~\fileversion~\filedate~-- output routine for zines | |%%%@TeX-definition-file { |%%% filename = "$texmf/tex/plain/pdcmac/pdcoput5.tex", \|\%\%\% version~~~~~~~~= "\fileversion", \|\%\%\% date~~~~~~~~~~~= "\filedate", |%%% package = "pdcmac 1.0", |%%% author = "P. Damian Cugley", |%%% email = "damian.cugley@comlab.ox.ac.uk", |%%% address = "Oxford University Computing Laboratory, |%%% Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QD, UK", |%%% codetable = "USASCII", |%%% keywords = "TeX, plain TeX, macros", |%%% supported = "Maybe", |%%% abstract = "TeX output routine for magazine-style layout. |%%% This file was generated by running \|\%\%\%~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~plain TeX on \jobname.dtx", |%%% copyright = "Copyright (c) 1991-1995 P. Damian Cugley", |%%% copying = "DO NOT DISTRIBUTE THIS FILE. \|\%\%\%~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Distribute \jobname.dtx only as part of the |%%% package it came in.", |%%% dependencies = "", |%%% } | \|\\message\{\fileversion~\} | \endcode %}}} identification %{{{ internals \section{Miscellaneous internal definitions} \subsec{Scratch registers} These are one-token names for some handy non-global temporary registers (in plain \TeX\ these are given names with |@| in them; these definitions give them names I can use). \code |\countdef\counta=255 |\dimendef\dimena=0 \dimendef\dimenb=2 |\toksdef\toksa=0 \toksdef\toksb=2 \endcode I~don't use |\dimen1| and |\toks1| because they are supposed to be used only globally (as discussed in {\it\TeX book} Appendix~B). \subsec{Queues} These macros manipulate queues of instructions for the ouytput routine, represented as list macros of a form similar to those described in {\it\TeX book} Appendix~D Section~2 (the parameters in different order). \notepar All of these work by making assignments and so will not work in \TeX's mouth. \endnotepar We can describe these briefly using letters like $x$ to stand for elements (enclosed in braces) and $xs$ to stand for a list macro of $x$s. Each macr has a duplicate starting with `|g|-' which does the same operation globally. % |\prepend| $xs$ $x$ --- $xs:=\langle x\rangle + xs$ %\code % |\long\def\prepend#1#2{% % | \toksa={\\{#2}}\toksb=\expandafter{#1}% % | \edef#1{\the\toksa\the\toksb}% % |} %\smallbreak % |\long\def\gprepend#1#2{% % | \toksa={\\{#2}}\toksb=\expandafter{#1}% % | \xdef#1{\the\toksa\the\toksb}% % |} %\endcode |\qappend| $xs$ $x$ --- $xs:= xs + \langle x\rangle $ \code |\long\def\qappend#1#2{% | \toksa={\\{#2}}\toksb=\expandafter{#1}% | \xdef#1{\the\toksb\the\toksa}% |} \endcode % |\catenate| $xs$ $ys$ $zs$ --- $xs:=ys + zs$ %\code % |\def\catenate#1#2#3{% % | \toksa=\expandafter{#2}\toksb=\expandafter{#3}% % | \edef#1{\the\toksa\the\toksb}% % |} %\smallbreak % |\def\gcatenate#1#2#3{% % | \toksa=\expandafter{#2}\toksb=\expandafter{#3}% % | \xdef#1{\the\toksa\the\toksb}% % |} %\endcode |\qremove| $x$ $xs$ --- $x, xs := hd(xs), tl(xs)$ (where $xs = \langle hd(xs)\rangle + tl(xs)$) \code |\def\qremove#1#2{% | \expandafter\glopoff#2\glopoff#1#2% |} |\long\def\glopoff\\#1#2\glopoff#3#4{% | \gdef#3{#1}\gdef#4{#2}% |} \endcode %}}} internals %{{{ parameters \section{Parameters} We collect here definitions for parameters that customizate the layout. In documents, many of these are set in using higher-level macros. The abbreviations |mg| (margin), |wd| (width) and |ht| (height) are used a lot in dimen names. \subsec{Heights and depths} The physical size of the paper is $paperwd\times paperwd$. The area which will be filled with text columns is $bodywd\times bodyht$. This area is divided in to a grid of cells each $gridwd\times gridht$, with cells separated by $colsep$ horizontally but butting vertically (there are $n$ cells, so $n\times gridwd + (n-1)\times colsep = bodywd$). Finally, $colwd$ is the width of text columns ($colwd = k\times gridwd + (k-1)\times colsep$) and $colht$ is the height of text columns on the current page (it is equal to $bodyht$ iff therte is no topbox or botbox). \code |\newdimen\paperwd \newdimen\paperht |\newdimen\bodywd \newdimen\bodyht |\newdimen\gridwd \newdimen\gridht |\newdimen\colwd \newdimen\colht \endcode \subsec{Margins and separators} These margins measure from the edge of the paper as defined by |\paperwd| and |\paperht|. The inner margin (|\innermg|) is on the left on odd pages and on the right for even pages. The bottom margin will be increased slightly later on to make $$vsize=N\times baselineskip + topskip\quad.$$ \code |\newdimen\topmg \topmg=20mm |\newdimen\outermg \outermg=20mm |\newdimen\innermg \innermg=20mm |\newdimen\botmg \botmg=27mm \endcode Parameters for the distance between the baselines of the headline and the first line of text the corresponding distance for footlines. \code |\newskip\headlineskip \headlineskip=10mm |\newskip\footlineskip \footlineskip=10mm \endcode The parameters |\caprule| and |\capsep| specify the separation between captions and the adjacent text column. The vertical displacement is $capsep$, with a horizontal rule of thickness $caprule$ is drawn in the middle (set this to $0\pt$ to have no rule). \code |\newdimen\caprule \caprule=0.4pt |\newskip\capsep \capsep=5mm \endcode The corresponding parameters for column separators---this time it is a vertical rule. \code |\newdimen\colrule \colrule=0.4pt |\newdimen\colsep \colsep=5mm \endcode The number of text columns on a page. \code |\newcount\ncols \ncols=1 \endcode \subsec{Boxes} To switch the number of columns in mid page, the first text is run through the output routine and the resultant partial page is stored in |\partialpage| to be placed at the top of the next output. \code |\newbox\partialpage \endcode The special boxes |\topbox| and |\botbox|, if non-void, are placed at the top and bottom of the page, going inside the headline and footline but outside the body text area (which is reduced correspondingly). These are often useful in multi-column text to put titles that span the page. \code |\newbox\topbox \newbox\botbox \endcode These boxes, if not void, go at the left and right of the body text. The amount of space for columns of text is reduced by the width of the boxes. \code |\newbox\leftbox \newbox\rightbox \endcode The output routine is passed the current page contents in box~255. \code |\chardef\pagebox=255 \endcode \subsec{Hooks} These two list macros are used to override the output routine with customized layouts. One item is removed from |\pagelist| to generate each page body (the page body is everything except the headline, footline, topbox, botbox amd partial page). If the list is empty, then the default action is `|\makebody\pagebox|'. The commands should make a box with width |\bodywd|m and heght |\colht|. \code |\let\pagelist\empty \endcode An item is removed from |\collist| each time a column is to be created by |\makebody|. Each item should be \TeX\ commands that generate a box with width |\colwd| and height |\colht|. \code |\let\collist\empty \endcode Finally, token registers that may be used to customize pages and captions. For example, |\everypage| is used in |pdccmdoc.tex| to create an empty |\leftbox| on each page. \code |\newtoks\everypage |\newtoks\everycaption \endcode %}}} parameters %{{{ make a column (vbox) \section{How to make one column} This is the default way to generate a column of text---this will normally be invoked $k$ times if there are $k$ columns. A column is a vbox of height $colht$ and width $colwd$. It contains, in order from top to bottom, an illustration (vertical mode material, normally white space for artwork to be pasted into), caption separator, text (from the page), caption separator, and bottom illustration. The illustrations are usually omitted. When there is no illustration, the caption separators are omitted too. The macro takes the following parameters: $$\halign{\indent\tt\##\hfil&\quad#\hfil&\quad#\hfil\cr 1& vertical mode material& illustration at top of column\cr 2& \<8-bit number>& box to make middle out of\cr 3& vertical mode material& illustration for bottom of column\cr }$$ To make baselines line up, $capsep=baselineskip$ and the height of a top illustration must be $N\times baselineskip + topskip$ and of a bottom illustration must be $N\times baselineskip$ (|\prevdepth| is set to $0\pt$ at the start of the bottom illustration, so if it starts with a box, baselineskip glue will be inserted to make the baseline of the box align correctly.) \code |\newdimen\toptotal \newdimen\bottotal \smallbreak |\def\xxxmakecolumn#1#2#3#4#5{\xmakecolumn | {\ifdim#1=0pt\else \kern#1 \fi | \def\tmp{#2}\ifx\tmp\empty\else #2 \fi} | {#3} | {\def\tmp{#2}\ifx\tmp\empty\else #2 \fi | \ifdim#1=0pt\else \kern#1 \fi}% |} \smallbreak |\def\xmakecolumn#1#2#3{% | \vbox to \colht{ \endcode Calculate in |\dimena| how much of the text box will be needed once we have allowed for any illustrations, footnotes or topinserts: \code | \dimena\colht | \setbox0=\vbox{#1}\advance\dimena-\ht0 | \ifdim\ht0>0pt | \advance\dimena-\capsep | \advance\dimena\topskip \advance\dimena-\baselineskip | \fi | \setbox4=\vbox{\prevdepth=0pt #3}% | \advance\dimena-\ht4 | \ifdim\ht4>0pt \advance\dimena-\capsep \fi | \ifvoid\footins\else | \advance\dimena-\ht\footins | \advance\dimena-\skip\footins | \fi | \ifvoid\topins\else | \advance\dimena-\ht\topins | \advance\dimena-\skip\topins | \fi \endcode Split that much text off the top of the box: \code | \splittopskip\topskip \splitmaxdepth\maxdepth | \setbox2=\vsplit#2to\dimena \endcode Now to sandwich it all together. \code | \dimena=\ht0 \dimenb=\dp0 \unvbox0 | \ifdim\dimena>0pt | \prevdepth=\dimenb | \capseparator | \dimena\baselineskip \advance\dimena-\topskip | \kern\dimena | \nointerlineskip | \fi | \ifvoid\topins\else \unvbox\topins \vskip\skip\topins \fi | \dimena\dp2 | \ifvoid2 \vfil \else \unvbox2 \fi | \ifvoid\footins \else | \vskip\skip\footins \footnoterule | \dimena=\dp\footins \unvbox\footins | \fi | \ifdim\ht4>0pt | \prevdepth=\dimena | \capseparator \kern-\prevdepth \prevdepth0pt | \fi | \unvbox4 | }% |} \endcode The caption separator is in an hbox so that baselineskip glue will be added appropriately. \code |\def\capseparator{% | \hbox to \colwd{% | \dimena=0.5ex \advance\dimena-0.5\caprule | \dimenb=\dimena \advance\dimenb\caprule | \vrule height \dimenb depth-\dimena width\colwd | }% |} \endcode Here's a macro for making an illustration (blank space) with caption, suitable for top of page. |#1| is the cation, |#2| is vertical mode material commands to make the illustration (often this will be something like `|\kern|$n$|\baselineskip|' to leave $n$ lines of blank space). The whitespace between illustration and caption is adjusted to make the whole shebang line up. \code |\def\topillustration#1#2{% | \setbox0=\vbox{#2}% | \dimena\ht0 \dimenb\dp0 \unvbox0 | \counta\dimena \divide\counta\baselineskip | \advance\dimena-\counta\baselineskip \advance\dimena-\topskip | \kern-\dimena \prevdepth\dimenb | \hsize=\colwd \vskip-\parskip \noindent#1\par |} \endcode Similar for bottom of column. \code |\def\botillustration#1#2{% | \setbox0\vbox{\hsize=\colwd \vskip-\parskip \prevdepth=0pt #1} | \setbox2=\vbox{\prevdepth=\dp0 #2}% | \dimena=\ht0 \advance\dimena\dp0 \advance\dimena\ht2 | \unvbox0 | \counta\dimena \divide\counta\baselineskip | \advance\dimena-\counta\baselineskip | \advance\dimena-\baselineskip | \kern-\dimena | \unvbox2 |} \endcode %}}} make a column %{{{ make body part of page (hbox) \section{Making the page body hbox} The page body is everything except the footline, headline, topbox and botbox. It should be a box of height |\bodywd| (which is normally fixed) and height |\colht| (which is |\bodyht| minus the top and bot boxes). The default macro for making the body is |\makebody| which takes as its parameter the box number (usually |\pagebox|). (This may be replaced by adding items to the list macro |\pagelist|.) \code |\def\makebody#1{% | \hbox to \bodywd{% | \ifvoid\leftbox\else | \box\leftbox | \colseparator | \fi | \makecolumnfromcollist{#1}% | \counta\ncols | \loop \ifnum\counta>1 | \colseparator | \makecolumnfromcollist{#1}% | \advance\counta -1 | \repeat | \ifvoid\rightbox\else | \colseparator | \box\rightbox | \fi | }% |} \smallbreak |\def\colseparator{% | \hfil \vrule width\colrule depth0pt \hfil |} \endcode The macro |\makecolumnfromcollist| is used to generate columns (which must be boxes of height |\colht| and width |\colwd|). It uses the next item on |\collist| if there is one, otherwise it just uses |\xmakecolumn|. \code |\def\makecolumnfromcollist#1{% | \ifx\collist\empty | \xmakecolumn{}{#1}{}% | \else | \qremove\temp\collist | \temp | \fi |} | \endcode %}}} make insides of page (hbox) %{{{ make a page (vbox) \section{Making a page vbox} The macro generates a new page---a vbox to be `shipped out'. The first page includes a |papersize| special; this is because if the macros used to change the paper size also generated the |\special| then there might be conflicting |\special|s which would confuse the printer driver. This way the paper size may be changed a few times before the first page. The |\colht| register is set to the height of text columns on this page (which is $bodyht$ minus the height of any partial page, top or bottom boxes). \code |\def\makepage{% | \vbox{ | \papersizespecial | \colht\bodyht \advance\colht-\ht\partialpage | \advance\colht-\ht\topbox \advance\colht-\ht\botbox | \advance\colht-\dp\partialpage | \advance\colht-\dp\topbox | \the\everypage | \makeheadline \nointerlineskip | \box\partialpage \nointerlineskip | \box\topbox \nointerlineskip | \ifx\pagelist\empty | \makebody\pagebox | \else | \qremove\temp\pagelist | \temp | \fi | \unvbox\botbox | \makefootline | }% |} \endcode The |\makeheadline| macro generates the headline in the form of vertical mode material with zero height. It is expanded after |\everypage| has been expanded, at the very top of the page's vbox. \code |\def\makeheadline{ | \vbox to 0pt { | \skip0=\topskip \advance\skip0-2\ht\strutbox | \advance\skip0-\headlineskip | \vskip\skip0 | \hbox to \bodywd{\the\headline} | \vss | } |} \endcode The footline is, naturally, generated with |\makefootline|. This time there is no requirement for it to be zero height. It is the last thing in the box being shipped out. \code |\def\makefootline{{ | \baselineskip=\footlineskip | \hbox to \bodywd{\the\footline} |}} \endcode The |papersize| special is specified in the manual for DVIPS. It specifies the physical size of the medium---and so must be multiplied by the current magnification. \code |\def\papersizespecial{{% | \dimena=0.001\paperwd \multiply\dimena\mag | \dimenb=0.001\paperht \multiply\dimenb\mag | \special{papersize=\the\dimena,\the\dimenb}% | \global\let\papersizespecial=\relax |}} | \endcode %}}} make a page (vbox) %{{{ output \section{The output routine} The output routine sets |\hoffset| appropiately (subtracting $1{\scriptstyle''}$ to allow for \TeX's peculiar origin point one inch from the top left of the page. \code |\def\pdcoutput{% | \ifodd\pageno \hoffset=\innermg \else \hoffset=\outermg \fi | \advance\hoffset-1 true in | \voffset=\topmg | \advance\voffset-1truein | \shipout\makepage \advancepageno | \ifnum\outputpenalty>-20000 \else \dosupereject \fi | \unvbox\pagebox |} \smallbreak |\output={\pdcoutput} \endcode %}}} output %{{{ automated column setting \section{Specifying a grid} These macros for setting the paper size ought to be invoked after the base font and baseline skip have been set but before the numebr of columns is chosen. \subsec{Specifiying the paper size} This is a macro that might be used in documents. It takes two parameters, \s for the width and height of the paper. \code |\def\setpaper#1#2{% | \paperwd=#1\relax | \paperht=#2\relax | \OPUTcalcbodywdht | \OPUTcalctopskip |} \endcode Calculate the page body width |\bodywd| from the paper size and the size of the margins: \code |\def\OPUTcalcbodywdht{ | \bodywd=\paperwd \advance\bodywd-\outermg \advance\bodywd-\innermg | \bodyht=\paperht \advance\bodyht-\topmg \advance\bodyht-\botmg | \OPUTcalctopskip |} \endcode To avoid having to write `Aiv' or `afour' for specifying international standard A4 paper, I~use an |\ifcase|.\footnote*{Note for Americans: A4 corresponds to American Letter size, and A3 to Ledger size.} This macro handles A0 to A5. \code |\def\setpaperA#1{ | \ifcase#1 | \setpaper{841mm}{1189mm}\or | \setpaper{594mm}{841mm}\or | \setpaper{420mm}{594mm}\or | \setpaper{297mm}{420mm}\or | \setpaper{210mm}{297mm}\or | \setpaper{148mm}{210mm} | \else | \errmessage{Dunno how big DIN A#1 paper is, sorry.} | \fi |} \endcode \subsec{Adjusting the body height and top skip} Plain \TeX\ sets |\topskip| to $10\pt$, which means there is a gap between the top of the letters of the top line of text and the top of the pages's vbox (i.e., $vsize$ is measured from the baseline of the last line to a line $topskip$ above the baseline of the first line). For magazine-style setting, it is more usual to have $topskip$ set to the cap-height of the font (assuming there are no strange tall characters in use). To have an exactly $N$ lines to a page, $$ bodyht = (N-1)\times baselineskip + topskip \quad. $$ This macro increases the bottom margin in order to set $bodyht$ to such a value. \code |\def\OPUTcalctopskip{ | \setbox0=\hbox{AXbl()!gyJQ,} | \topskip=\ht0 \maxdepth=\dp0 | \advance\bodyht-\topskip \divide\bodyht\baselineskip | \multiply\bodyht\baselineskip \advance\bodyht\topskip |} \endcode Give this value for $bodyht$, we can set $hsize$ and $vsize$ according to the number of columns to a page. For $N$ lines to a column, we need $N\times ncols$ lines to make a whole page, so $$ \eqalign{vsize &= (ncols \times N - 1) \times baselineskip + topskip\cr &= (bodyht + \delta) \times ncols - \delta\cr } $$ where $\delta=baselineskip-topskip$. \code |\def\OPUTcalchsizevsize{ | \hsize=\colwd | \vsize=\bodyht | \advance\vsize-\topskip \advance\vsize\baselineskip | \multiply\vsize\ncols | \advance\vsize-\baselineskip \advance\vsize\topskip |} \endcode \subsec{Setting the number of columns} Now some macros used in documents for setting the number of coumns. In the general case we have a grid of $n$ cells with text columnns spanning $k$ cells. This macro takes two number parameters, $n$ and $k$. It sets |\ncols| to as many columns fit on the page. $$ \eqalign{colwd &= k \times gridwd + (k - 1) \times colsep\cr ncols &= \lfloor n \mathbin/ k \rfloor\cr} $$ Often $n$ is not a multiple of $k$, which leaves some grid cells `spare' for illustrations or extra margins and so on. \code |\def\setnkgrid#1#2{% | \gridwd=\bodywd | \advance\gridwd-#1\colsep \advance\gridwd\colsep \divide\gridwd#1 | \colwd#2\gridwd \advance\colwd#2\colsep \advance\colwd-\colsep | \ncols#1 \divide\ncols#2 | \gridht=\baselineskip | \capsep=\gridht | \OPUTcalchsizevsize |} \endcode For simpler layouts, we just set the number of columns and set the grid and column widths to be the same. \code |\def\setncolumns#1{% | \colwd=\bodywd | \advance\colwd-#1\colsep \advance\colwd\colsep \divide\colwd #1 | \gridwd=\colwd | \ncols=#1 | \OPUTcalchsizevsize |} \endcode \subsec{Setting default values} We give all the parameters default values by assuming A4 paper and a single-column layout in \TeX's default fonts. \code |\setpaperA4 |\setncolumns1 \endcode %}}} automated column setting %{{{ balancing columns \section{Routines for balanced columns} \subsec{Balanced columns from a rigid vbox} This is the routine discussed in {\it\TeX book}, Appendix~D, Section~7 (pp.\thinspace396--397). It takes a rigid, regular vbox (rigid meaning there is no stretchable glue between lines, and regular meaning that baselines are all the same distance apart). Its parameters are $$\centerline{\vbox{\halign{\tt\char`\##\hfil&&\quad#\hfil\cr 1&\<8-bit number>& box to chop\cr 2&\& how many columns to make (${}>0$)\cr 3&\& the value of \cs{topskip} for the box\cr 4&tokens& what to put between columns\cr }}}$$ the last parameter will usually be |\hfil| or |\colseparator|. Usually this command will be used like $$\hbox{|\hbox to \bodywd{\rigidbalance...}|}$$ \code |\newcount\RGDncols \smallbreak |\def\rigidbalance#1#2#3#4{% | \setbox0=\box#1\relax \RGDncols=#2\relax \toksa={#4}% | \begingroup\splittopskip#3\relax \vbadness=10000 | \valign{##\vfil\cr \RGDdosplits}% | \endgroup |} \endcode The helper function that produces the insides of the valign is recursive. \code |\def\RGDdosplits{ | \dimena\ht0 \divide\dimena\RGDncols | \advance\dimena\splittopskip | \setbox1=\vsplit0 to\dimena | \unvbox1 | \global\advance\RGDncols-1 | \cr | \ifnum\RGDncols>0 | \noalign{\the\toksa} | \RGDdosplits | \fi |} \endcode \subsec{Balance partial page} Occasionally it is useful to switch between different grids or numbers of columns within one page. This macro does this, creating a shorter-than-usual page body (including topbox and botbox) and then putting the result in |\partialpage| Its parameters are |#1| the \TeX\ code used to generate the text columns and |#2| what to put between the partial page and the rest of the page. \code |\def\makepartialpage#1#2{ | \maybepagebreak | \begingroup | \output{% | \message{[partial} | \setbox0=\vbox{\unvbox\pagebox}% | \global\setbox\partialpage\vbox{ | \box\partialpage \nointerlineskip | \the\everypage | \box\topbox \nointerlineskip | \hbox to \bodywd{% | \ifvoid\leftbox\else | \box\leftbox \colseparator | \fi | #1% | \ifvoid\rightbox\else | \colseparator \box\rightbox | \fi | }% \nointerlineskip | \box\botbox | #2 | \dimena\baselineskip \advance\dimena-\topskip | \kern\dimena | }% | \message{page]} | } | \eject | \endgroup |} \smallbreak |\def\rigidbalancepartialpage{ | \makepartialpage{\rigidbalance0\ncols\topskip\colseparator} |} \endcode Occasionally \TeX\ might have just over a pageful of text when this command is used (since the page break calculations do not take into account the space subtracted by illustrations\footnote*{This is probably a bug.}). In this case we have to force out a complete page. \code |\def\maybepagebreak{% | \vskip0pt plus\baselineskip \penalty-100 | \loop | \dimena\vsize \advance\dimena-\ncols\ht\partialpage | \advance\dimena-\ncols\ht\topbox | \advance\dimena-\ncols\ht\botbox | \ifdim\pagetotal>\dimena | \eject\null | \repeat |} \endcode %}}} balancing columns \endcodefile \enddocument \bye %}}} pdcoput5.tex %Local variables: %fold-folded-p: t %fill-prefix: " " %End: