
Title:			Postscript Help
Version:		O.6
Author:			Bernard DESGRAUPES <berdesg@easynet.fr>
Homepage:		<http://perso.easynet.fr/~berdesg/alpha.html>
Created: 		2001-05-23 09:16:18
Modified:	 	2001-08-06 12:20:33
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Introduction
2. Installation
   2.1. Automatic installation
   2.2. Manual installation
   2.3. After installing
3. Description
   3.1. Main menu
   3.2. "Postscript Utilities" submenu
      3.2.1. psutils suite
      3.2.2. t1utils suite
   3.3. "Ps Scripts" submenu
4. The Mark pop-up menu
5. The Functions pop-up menu
6. Command double clicking a word
7. Option clicking the title bar
8. Completions
9. Key bindings
10. Postscript Mode preferences
11. Version History
12. Known problems
13. License and Disclaimer
----------------------------------------------------------------------


			Abstract

This is a help file for the Postscript mode in Alpha.
This file should be located in the Help subfolder of Alpha's folder to
show up automatically in the Help menu when Alpha is loaded.
Version 0.5 (et sq.) requires Alpha 7.4 or greater.



1. Introduction

Postscript mode is a mode for the text editor Alpha: it is designed to
facilitate editing, processing, viewing of internal commands for  both
PostScript (.ps) and Portable Document Format (.pdf)  files.  You  can
convert Postscript files to PDF format,    manipulate    and    modify
Postscript files with the PsUtils tools, convert Type 1 fonts with the
T1Utils tools with all their options directly from Alpha. You can also
easily edit and execute command lines with ghostscript.

Once you are in Postscript mode, there is a new menu  (called  PS)  in
the menu bar enabling all the features described below.

By default PostScript mode is  designed  to  work  together  with  the
CMacTeX distribution's programs (ghostview, gs, psutils, t1utils)  but
this can be changed in the preferences.  Version  3.5  of  CMacTeX  or
greater is prefered (but not required; see below). CMacTeX's site is :
<http://www.kiffe.com/cmactex.html>


2. Installation

2.1. Automatic installation

Open the "OPEN TO INSTALL" file. Opening this file indicates to Alpha  that
a new package has to be installed : the procedure is automatic. Alpha knows
where to store the different elements of your Postscript Mode package.
 
2.2. Manual installation

¥ put the "postscriptMode.tcl" file in the "Modes" subfolder of the  "Tcl"
folder which is located at the same level as your Alpha application

¥ put the "Postscript Help" file in the "Help" folder located at the  same
level as your Alpha application. Next time you launch Alpha, you will  have
a "Postscript Help" item in the Help menu to edit this file.

¥ launch Alpha. You have to rebuild the package indices and the Tcl  ones.
"Rebuild Package Indices" is in the Config--"Packages  menu,  and  "Rebuild
Tcl Indices" is in the Tcl menu.
 
¥ quit Alpha and relaunch it : that's all there is to it. 


2.3. After installing

Have a look  at  the  mode  specific  preferences  :  create  or  open  any
Postscript source file  and  choose  "PreferencesÉ"  in  the  "Mode  Prefs"
submenu of the "Config" menu (or simply hit F12).


3. Description

Description of the Postscript Menu items :

3.1. Main menu


<Process The Buffer>
          Send a PostScript file to the ghostscript interpreter.
<Process The Selection>
          Send a selected region with  PostScript    code    to    the
          ghostscript interpreter.
<Process A File...>
          Open a Postscript  file  and  send  it  to  the  ghostscript
          interpreter.
<Send To Viewer>
          View the current window. The proc distinguishes ps  and  pdf
          files : by default PostScript files    are    viewed    with
          GhostView and pdf files with Acrobat  Reader.  This  can  be
          changed in the preferences.
<Send To Printer>
          Print the current "file" : if it is a PostScript  file,  the
          code is sent to the printer  (you  must  have  a  PostScript
          printer of course). If it is a  pdf  file,  it  is  sent  to
          Acrobat Reader and printed from there.
<Convert Ps To Pdf>
          Just as it says.
<Build Gs Command>
          This items brings up a window and two floating palettes. You
          can write a Ghostscript command  line  :  the  long  palette
          helps you to insert the options of your command line  ;  the
          short palette contains three buttons :

<File Path>
	Allows you to insert the complete path  of  a  file  in  the
          command line.
<Close>
	Closes the 'Build  Command'  window  and  the  two  floating
          palettes.
<Execute>
	Sends the contents of the 'Build    Command'    window    to
          Ghostscript. If a region is selected, only the selection  is
          sent, otherwise the whole contents of the window are sent.

<Send To Ghostscript>
          This is the same as the "Execute" button above.



3.2. "Postscript Utilities" submenu
          This submenu  contains    various    utilities    concerning
          PostScript files and PostScript fonts.

<epstopdf>
          Converts an encapsulated PostScript  file  to  a  Pdf  file.
          Works with the 'epstopdf' included with CMacTeX.
<afm2tfm>
          Converts Adobe metrics files to Tex metrics  files.  Can  be
          used alos to build elementary virtual fonts.

3.2.1. psutils suite
          The 'psutils'  suite  contains  four  programs  designed  to
          select, manipulate, rearrange  the  pages  of  a  PostScript
          file. All these four items display a window in which you can
          easily specify any option. A default command line is written
          in the edit field in which you can make modification.  Press
          OK to send the command from Alpha.

¥ psbook
¥ psnup
¥ psselect
¥ pstops

3.2.2. t1utils suite
          The  'T1utils'  suite  contains  six  programs  designed  to
          convert PostScript font files. An Open  Dialog  Window  asks
          you to locate an input file. The output file will be in  the
          same folder as the input file.

¥ lwfn2pfa
¥ pfa2lwfn
¥ pfa2pfb
¥ pfb2pfa
¥ t1asm
¥ t1disasm


3.3. "Ps Scripts" submenu
          This submenu will contain a list of PostScript  files  in  a
          chosen folder. In the PostScript mode preferences, check the
          "Build Scripts List" flag  and  choose  a  folder  with  the
          "Scripts Folder" preference.

		  
4. The Mark pop-up menu

Marking is different in PostScript source files and  in  AFM  (Adobe  Fonts
Metrics) metrics files.

¥ in PostScript source files :  mark  the  dictionaries  declarations,  the
%%BeginFont and %%Page DSC (Document Structured Comments)

¥ in Adobe metrics files '.afm' :  mark  the  main  sections  of  the  file
(StartFontMetrics,   StartCharMetrics,    StartKernData,    StartKernPairs,
StartTrackKern) and all the characters whose metrics are defined.

If the  'Auto  Mark'  checkbox  is  checked  in  the  Prefs,  the  file  is
automatically marked at opening.


5. The Functions pop-up menu

The "{}" pop-up menu (top right of your editing window) contains the  'def'
statements in your source file.

WARNING: there are so many 'def' statements in a PostScript file that  this
functionality could possibly exceed Alpha's memory and cause a crash.


6. Command double clicking a word

If you Command-Double-Click on a keyword you access  its  definition.  This
procedure looks first for a definition in the current file itself, then  in
the list of Postscript primitives.


7. Option clicking the title bar

If you Option-Click on a the title bar, you get a list of all the 'ps'  and
'pdf' files located :

¥ in the "local" folder (folder of your current window). 
¥ in the "scripts" folder (selected in the preferences)

Selecting any item in this list will open it in a window or bring its
window to front if it is already open.


8. Completions

There is a set of completion procedures in Postscript Mode. 
To  enable  them,  you  must  activate  the  "elecCompletion"  package  (in
"Config--" Preferences--" Features") and choose   your    completion    key
(default is F1).

There is a set of abbreviations. Just type  the  following  abbreviations
and hit the completion key to have them expanded to a complete structure :
def    /¥name¥ {¥proc¥} def                     
for    ¥start¥ ¥incr¥ ¥end¥ { ¥proc¥ } for      
forall ¥obj¥ { ¥proc¥ } for                     
if     ¥bool¥ { ¥proc¥ } if                     
ifelse ¥bool¥ { ¥procyes¥ } { ¥procno¥ } ifelse 
loop   {¥proc¥} loop                            
repeat ¥number¥ {¥proc¥} repeat                 
You can also type the first letters of a word and hit the completion key.
If it is recognized as a keyword,  it  will  be  completed.  If  there  are
different possible completions, they will be listed in the status bar : hit
the completion key again and you will have a list of all the  possibilities
from which you can select the one you want.


9. Key bindings

A few key bindings are defined in Postscript mode :

¥ "option-command-P" to process the current window.

¥ "control-option-G" to call the ghostscript command line window with the 
associated floating palettes.

¥ "command-return", "enter" and "command-enter" are bound to the 
execution of a Ghostscript command line.


10. Postscript Mode preferences

The "PreferencesÉ" item in the "Mode Prefs" submenu of  the  "Config"  menu
allows you to edit specific preferences for the Postscript Mode.
You can specify there :

¥ if the "Build Scripts List" checkbox is  checked,  the  contents  of  the
Scripts Folder will be listed in the "Ps Scripts" submenu.

¥ the "Scripts Folder" preference allows you to specify a folder containing
ps files whose contents will be listed in the "Ps Scripts"
submenu if the "Build Scripts List" preference is set on.

¥ the "Default Paper Size" is used by the -sPAPERSIZE option in Ghostscript
command lines and by the "Ps To Pdf" item.

¥ various programs signatures.
"Sig Pdf Reader" signature of the Pdf reader. Default : CARO 
"Sig Afm2tfm"    signature of Afm2tfm. Default : CMTa        
"Sig Epstopdf"   signature of Epstopdf. Default : CMte       
"Sig Ghostview"  signature of Ghostview. Default : CMTJ      
"Sig Gs"         signature of Gs. Default : CMTA             
"Sig Lwfn2pfa"   signature of Lwfn2pfa. Default : CMTD       
"Sig Pfa2lwfn"   signature of Pfa2lwfn. Default : CMTD       
"Sig Pfa2pfb"    signature of Pfa2pfb. Default : CMTD        
"Sig Pfb2pfa"    signature of Pfb2pfa. Default : CMTD        
"Sig Printps"    signature of Printps. Default : PSP*        
"Sig Psbook"     signature of Psbook. Default : CMTo         
"Sig Psnup"      signature of Psnup. Default : CMTo          
"Sig Psselect"   signature of Psselect. Default : CMTo       
"Sig Pstops"     signature of Pstops. Default : CMTo         
"Sig Psutils"    signature of Psutils. Default : CMTo        
"Sig T1asm"      signature of T1asm. Default : CMTD          
"Sig T1disasm"   signature of T1disasm. Default : CMTD       
"Sig T1utils"    signature of T1utils. Default : CMTD        

Note that in versions of CMacTeX earlier than  3.5,  all  the  Psutils  and
T1utils programs had different signatures. If you have  one  of  them,  you
must set its signature accordingly in the PostScript mode preferences. Here
is a table of the old signatures :

Program  old  new  
________ ____ ____ _________
lwfn2pfa CMTC CMTD 
pfa2lwfn CMTK CMTD 
pfa2pfb  CMTD CMTD unchanged 
pfb2pfa  CMTE CMTD 
psbook   CMTp CMTo 
psnup    CMTq CMTo 
psselect CMTo CMTo unchanged 
pstops   CMTr CMTo 
t1asm    CMTP CMTD 
t1disasm CMTN CMTD 


11. Version History

¥ 0.3 01/03/31 The previous versions of PostScript mode contained only
support for keyword coloring and completion.  This new version introduces
lots of new features : a PS menu, processing of Postscript code, Ps to Pdf,
Ghostscript syntax, PsUtils tools, T1Utils tools, file marking,
command-double-click, electrics etc.

¥ 0.4 01/04/04 Two improvements from Craig (thanks) : sig prefs tupe changed
from 'v' to 'sig' ; better handling of color prefs changes.  Removed two
unused signatures.

¥ 0.5 01/04/07 Minor change in MarkFile to mark pages with any pagination.

¥ 0.6 01/07/31 Added file extensions in the proc PS::fileToViewer.  Modified
the AE to convert ps to pdf.  Enlarged field in psutils dialogs.


12. Known problems

¥ The Functions pop-up menu listing the 'def' statements can exceed Alpha's 
memory and cause a crash. Don't use it with a huge file.
¥ As a rule, the Apple Events with CMacTeX do not like spaces  in  the
pathnames. Apparently there is nothing  to  do  to  work  around  this
problem : so try to avoid using spaces in the names  of  your  folders
and files.


Please e-mail any problem or bug you encounter : <berdesg@easynet.fr>

Goto the Alpha utilities page :
 <http://perso.easynet.fr/~berdesg/alpha.html>


13. License and Disclaimer

(c) Copyright : Bernard Desgraupes, 2000, 2001
        All rights reserved.

This software is free software and distributed under the terms of  the  new
BSD license :
Redistribution and  use  in  source  and  binary  forms,  with  or  without
modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

¥ Redistributions of source code must retain the  above  copyright  notice,
this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
¥ Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in  the  documentation
and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
¥ Neither the name of Bernard Desgraupes nor the names of its  contributors
may be used to endorse or  promote  products  derived  from  this  software
without specific prior written permission.

This software is provided by the copyright holders and contributors "as is"
and any express or implied warranties, including, but not limited  to,  the
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular  purpose
are disclaimed. In no event shall the regents or contributors be liable for
any direct, indirect,  incidental,  special,  exemplary,  or  consequential
damages (including, but not limited to, procurement of substitute goods  or
services; loss of use, data, or profits; or business interruption)  however
caused and  on  any  theory  of  liability,  whether  in  contract,  strict
liability, or tort (including negligence or otherwise) arising in  any  way
out of the use of this software, even if advised of the possibility of such
damage. 

