[NTG-context] ConTeXt + asymptote

[Hans Hagen]

Sanjoy Mahajan wrote:
>> context parses the ps code and converts it to pdf and in the process
>> uses tex to do the fonts
>>     
>
>   %%Page: 1 1
>    0 0.5 dtransform truncate idtransform setlinewidth pop
>   1 setlinecap
>   1 setlinejoin
>   gsave
>    0 0 translate
>   newpath 273.998159 412.742829 moveto
>    338.001841 412.742829 lineto
>   
...
>    stroke
>   showpage
>   
looks parsable
>   asy -t tex labelbox.asy [make eps, use plain tex for labels]
>   
> which is failing, I think, in this line from the intermediate
> labelbox_.tex file:
>
>   \setbox\ASYpsbox=\hbox{\epsfbox{labelbox_0.eps}}%
>
> But I haven't figured out who generates labelbox_0.eps and why it isn't
> being generated when using tex but is when using latex.  Obviously I
> haven't found all the places where latex is hardwired into asymptote.
>
> And even what I did is incomplete.  The latex interface code spits out
> e.g. \fontsize{12}{14.4}, which I just ignore if plain tex is being
> used.
>
> Compared to the monster .eps files that asymptote produces, I now love
> metapost's simple postscript files and one-line, easily parsed font
> commands.
>   
if metapost had path bound specials and a few more features ...
> From: "Mojca Miklavec" <mojca.miklavec.lists at gmail.com>
>   
>> But I've given up once I saw how harcoded LaTeX was in there.
>>     
>
> I've pretty much given up too.
>   
from what you describe it sounds like generic usage was not one part of 
the design
>   
>> Metapost support in ConTeXt is much deeper and I wonder how much work
>> should be invested into making as good support for Asymptote in
>> ConTeXt as it is now for metapost.
>>     
>
> Whoever is game can start with the diff below, but I'm also not sure
> it's worth it.  My ideal figure program:
>
> 1. Agnostic about the tex engine (tex/latex/context), easy to integrate
>    with any of them.  MP is good here.
> 2. 3D built in.
> 3. Modern color models (cmyk, transparency)
>   
and even then, most of that has to take place in the backend in order to 
get proper integration (efficiency and such),  so if for instance mp had 
a model for arbitrary collections, like:

(r,g,b) == (c,m,y,k) => (a,b,c,d,...)

actually, colors in mp are just triplets
> 4. Decent syntax.  MP is a bit ghastly, and writing macros is horrible
>    esp. with vardefs.  I prefer a non-macro language, and asymptote is
>    good that way
>   
well, mp misses a few things but should not be compared to tex 
(different model for globals, grouping, functions)
> But it's a lot of work to get it right.
>
> -Sanjoy
>
> `A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves.'
>    - Bertrand de Jouvenal
>
>
> diff -r 57c230047c98 base/babel.asy
> --- a/base/babel.asy	Tue Feb 07 23:34:29 2006 -0500
> +++ b/base/babel.asy	Tue Apr 25 00:28:42 2006 -0400
> @@ -1,4 +1,6 @@ void babel(string s)
>  void babel(string s) 
>  {
> +  if (texengine == "tex")
> +    abort("No babel package in plain TeX.");
>    texpreamble("\usepackage["+s+"]{babel}");
>  }
>   
such code should not be inline, but in a config file or variable, seeing 
this i'd say: for the moment forget about patching since it's hard to 
keep up with such changes

btw, it should be:

  if texengine == latex then texpreamble ...

else you need an abort for each macro package
> diff -r 57c230047c98 base/fontsize.asy
> --- a/base/fontsize.asy	Tue Feb 07 23:34:29 2006 -0500
> +++ b/base/fontsize.asy	Tue Apr 25 00:28:42 2006 -0400
> @@ -1,1 +1,3 @@ texpreamble("\usepackage{type1cm}");
> +
etc

Hans

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