comp.lang.idl-pvwave archive - RDF feed
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description: Messages from Usenet group comp.lang.idl-pvwave, compiled by Paulo Penteado
items: Re: typesetting math in IDL plots

Re: typesetting math in IDL plots
type: item
description: greg ushomirskiy wrote: > when outputting to PostScript. The ``pie in the sky'' goal is to use > TeX to typeset the equation, since it's quite smart about symbol > spacing, proper spacings, kerning, and things like that. I have been quite happy with the TeXtoIDL package myself, but I know of a package offered on the CTAN servers which might do what you want. It is called 'psfrag' and this is from "The LaTeX Catalogue Online, Complete CTAN Edition": ( http://ctan.unsw.edu.au/tex-archive/help/Catalogue/catalogue .html ) psfrag A set of macros and a PostScript header which allows LaTeX constructions (equations, picture environments, etc.) to be precisely superimposed over Encapsulated PostScript figures. The user can use his/her favorite drawing tool to create an EPS figure, placing simple text ``tags'' where each replacement is to be placed. PSfrag will automatically remove those tags from the figure and replace them with the LaTeX construction that the user specifies, properly aligned, scaled, and/or rotated. Latest recorded version is 3.03. (31 Jan 1997) Hope this helps, Kevin -- Kevin Ivory Tel: +49 5556 979 434 Max-Planck-Institut fuer Aeronomie Fax: +49 5556 979 240 Max-Planck-Str. 2 mailto:Kevin.Ivory@linmpi.mpg.de D-37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, GERMANY http://www.gwdg.de/~kivory2/
creator: Kevin Ivory
date: 1997-10-04T07:00:00-00:00

Re: typesetting math in IDL plots
type: item
description: You may want to check out the psfrag package (should be on CTAN sites) It allows you to replace text strings in a postscript file with arbitrary LaTeX commands. Will Henney, Instituto de Astronomia, UNAM greg ushomirskiy wrote: > > I've been using IDL for quite a while now, and have never been able to > figure out how to make equations (or greek symbols, for that matter) > to look nice in IDL plots when they're output to postscript for > publication. Hershey fonts look quite crummy, and the PostScript > Symbol font is not much better. Moreover, if I want to show a formula > with a ratio in it, it's a huge hassle. > > In my opinion, the best looking equations are those output by TeX. Is > there a way to use TeX to create plot labels for axes, plot lines, > tick marks, etc? I am well aware of the TeXtoIDL package (my > officemate wrote it ;), but it uses PS Symbol fonts. At the least, > what I want is to be able to us the TeX math fonts (Computer Modern) > when outputting to PostScript. The ``pie in the sky'' goal is to use > TeX to typeset the equation, since it's quite smart about symbol > spacing, proper spacings, kerning, and things like that. > > Such a beast probably doesn;t exist, does it? At the least, are AFM > (Adobe font metrics) for TeX fonts available anywhere? > > Greg > > --
creator: William J. Henney
date: 1997-10-07T07:00:00-00:00