dvipost (1) Linux Manual Page

NAME

dvipost, pptex, pplatex – post processing of dvi files

SYNOPSIS

dvipost [-debug] [-version] [-help] in out

pplatex [-debug] [-version] [-help] [LaTeX-Arguments]

pptex [-debug] [-version] [-help] [TeX-Arguments]

DESCRIPTION

The command dvipost is a post procesor for dvi files, created by latex or tex. It is used for special modes, which normally needs the support of dvi drivers (such as dvips). With dvipost, this features could be implemented independent of the prefered driver. Currently, the post processor supports layout raster, change bars and overstrike mode.

This version of dvipost does not seek the dvi file, so it could be used as a filter. If – is given as file name, the command uses standard input or standard output respective. The command does not substitute a missing .dvi extension to the filename.

Because the command works with a temporary file and creates the ouput file only after successfull processing the input file, it is possible to use the same name for input and output.

If the command is renamed or linked to pplatex/pptex, it runs latex/tex and post processes the createt output. If the name of the dvi file could not be determined by the arguments to latex/tex (e.g. on an interactive run), the command processes all dvi files in the current directory with a modification time later than the run of latex/tex.

Basics

If the filter is used in context of LaTeX, the style file dvipost.sty should be included in the LaTeX source.

The filter interpretes dvi extensions in the form of

dvipost: name [arg]

where arg depends on the command name and may be separated from name by = or space. All other extensions are not interpreted by dvipost and remain in the dvi file.

Such a dvipost command could be placed with the TeX primitive

\special{dvipost: cmd}

or the LaTeX macro (provided by dvipost.sty)

\dvipost{cmd}

in the dvi file.

Depending on the type of dvipost commands, the following kinds of arguments may be used:

length

is a floating point number followed by a unit specification. The following units are supportet by divipost: pt, in, cm and mm. If no argument is given or the unit specification is missing, the corresponding length is set to 0.

string

is an arbitrary string argument.

flag

is an integer argument, where a value different from 0 (usually 1) means true and a missing value or 0 means false.

depth

is an integer argument, where a value different from 0 (usually 1) increments a depth counter and a missing value or 0 decrements it.

Change bars

All text printed with change mode level higher than 0 is marked with a change bar.

The following LaTeX macros modifies the change mode level: