Re: microtype for texinfo

[pertusus]

On Tue, Sep 27, 2022 at 04:22:45PM -0600, Karl Berry wrote:
>     If the output is better with microtype on, we should try to have it on.
> 
> If Texinfo has microtype on by default, I agree the LaTeX backend should
> also have microtype on by default. That's fine.
> 
>     microtypee off if is causes issues in LaTeX output, 
> 
> Are you talking about the typewriter thing, or in general?

Not the typewriter thing, another error.

When I do not have cm-super installed, for the texinfo manual, I get, with
pdflatex on the LaTeX file generated from texinfo by texi2any:

! pdfTeX error (font expansion): auto expansion is only possible with scalable 
fonts.
<argument> ...shipout:D \box_use:N \l_shipout_box 
                                                  \__shipout_drop_firstpage_...
l.143 \end{titlepage}

I get that with another 'complex' rather artificial test manual, but I
couldn't manage to reproduce with a simpler case.  This issue is visible
on internet, and the answer is:

 Use
 usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
 usepackage{lmodern}

 Or install the cm-super fonts.

It is also explained in the microtype documentation:
 ! pdfTeX error (font expansion): auto expansion is only possible with scalable 
fonts.
Automatic font expansion has been improved in pdfTEX 1.40, in that it now not
only works with Type 1 fonts but also with TrueType, OpenType and even non-
embedded fonts. The above error message indicates either that you are trying to
apply expansion to a bitmap (pk) font, which is still not possible, or that the 
font
isn’t found at all, e.g., because of missing map entries.


So, it is a known issue, the question is what do we do for the LaTeX
generated by texi2any, and in the Texinfo documentation.


> Regarding typewriter: I reiterate the need to turn it off for display
> environments. I haven't had a chance to look for the example to prove it
> yet, but it is most certainly needed (do you really doubt me?). In
> LaTeX, this amounts to calling \microtypesetup{activate=false} at the
> beginning of verbatim/other tt-default environments.

This typewriter issue easily done in LaTeX output and already
implemented with LaTeX output generated by texi2any like
\AtBeginEnvironment{verbatim}{\microtypesetup{activate=false}}

> There is "nothing wrong" with font selection in LaTeX that I can
> imagine. What are you talking about?
> 
> Of course things can easily be misconfigured at any level, causing every
> kind of problem. That doesn't mean there is something "wrong" per se.
> There is sure no bug to fix on the LaTeX side, anyway. --best, karl.

I am not talking about a bug on LaTeX side, but on the LaTeX generated
from Texinfo, that is, the code in texi2any to generate LaTeX.

You answered that already in detail, actually, in another mail.

-- 
Pat