Re: Big Bag o' Questions

[Mark Summerfield]

Colin,


On Wed, 11 Aug 1999 14:01:08 -0400 (EDT) Colin Klipsch <address@hidden> 
wrote:
> (1) For one of my documents, I've wanted to have a "keystroke"

I'd find this useful too.

> (3) I want to propose that a collection of good quality freeware &
>     shareware PostScript fonts be added to Lout, perhaps as a
>     supplemental download package.

I'd love to see these - as a separate package, especially if a better fixed 
width font e.g. Lucida could be included. What I'm not clear on though is 
can you tell lout to include the fonts in the postscript so that it doesn't 
matter if the company printing your stuff hasn't got the fonts you've used?

> (5) It seems that defining new symbols inside the document text is
>     impossible, that they all need to be defined in the "mydefs" file,
>     even those used only over a small scope.  Is this true?  Is there
>     a way to define a symbol inside a chapter or section?  If so, will
>     it be "local" or "global"?

I find this strange. I sometimes copy 'book' or whatever and add stuff in 
there. I'd like to create def's anywhere really.

> (7) Here's another feature request, if this isn't already possible...
>     It would be nice to have a text "wrap-around" feature for small
>     figures and tables, perhaps as a new value for the @Location
>     parameter.  The figure (or table) would then be set alongside the
>     current paragraph -- hugging either the left or right margin
>     according to the user's choice -- with the text wrapping around
>     it.  I'm referring to something like the DropCap feature, only
>     much more flexible.

Couldn't this be achieved, with a table?

text_______________
|text   |picture  |
|       |         |
-------------------
text

Not a 'proper' solution; or similarly using ||, e.g.

text that goes across
//
{
text to the left
}
||
{picture}
//
text that follows

again not a proper solution and requires trial and error to get to look 
right.

> (8) I realize that Lout has some PDF support, but what I'd also like
>     is extra support in Lout's PostScript output for later PDF
>     distillation.  I refer to the documents below; they discuss the
>     _pdfmark_ operator that Distiller obeys to generate hypertext
>     links, bookmarks, and so on:

Personally I'd love to see HTML and XML as supported back-ends...

Mark
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