SYNOPSIS

simpdftex formatname [options] tex-or-dvi-file

DESCRIPTION

simpdftex is a way to do pdf{e}{la}tex without having pdf{e}{la}tex. It needs a working TeX environment and ghostscript. Since pdf{e}{la}tex cannot handle insertion of .eps graphics, simpdftex gives an alternative. The output for both systems is comparable.

simpdftex compiles the file with {LA}TeX, processes the DVI file with dvips into PostScript and uses gs to produce pdf (with ps2pdf). There is finegrained control over the resulting filename and the options with which dvips produces the PostScript intermediary file.

Dvips will call Metafont to produce bitmaps or include PostScript .pfb files depending on the flags. See below.

Default settings is normal name, maximal use of pfb's, just like pdf{la}tex, in other words, "pdftex file.tex" and "altpdftex file.tex" both produce an output file file.pdf. For pdftex, output options are controlled by pdftex.cfg, for altpdftext by config.ps (unless --pdf is given).

OPTIONS

formatname

Specifies the format to be used

tex-or-dvi-file

If a .dvi file is given, skip the TeX process. Otherwise, TeX the input file, dvips the resulting dvi file and ps2pdf the resulting ps file

--help

Display this message and exit

--no-echo-version

Do not echo location and version of this script. Does not exit so can be used tochange info to the output of a real run

--debug

Add some debug output

--extendedname

Depending on the mode, adds intermediary extensions to the output filename. If the mode is --pdf, .pdfmode is added. If the mode is --maxpk, ,maxpk is added and if the mode is --maxpfb, .maxpfb is added. Example:

tex-or-dvi-file-basename.maxpfb.pdf

--maxpk

Use Metafont bitmaps (pk files) when possible. Only real PostScript fonts (like Times Roman) are included as PostScript fonts. All other fonts are included as bitmaps for the default printer resolution. This options produces optimal results for the chosen printer. For file contents (not name) equivalent to: --dvipsopts "-Ppk"

--maxpfb

Use PostScript pfb files whenever possible. This produces optimal results for the screen. For file contents (not name) equivalent to: --dvipsopts "-Poutline" If any font is included as TeX pk bitmap, it is rendered at the default resolution.

--pdf

Select .pdfmode extension for the output file name if --extendedname has been set. Use printer definition config.pdf. For file contents (not name) equivalent to --dvipsopts "-Ppdf" Note that the default config.pdf assumes resolution 8000 for bitmaps and bitmap generation fails at this resolution because there exists no known mode for that resolution.

--default

Select no extension for the output file name, even if --extendedfilename has been set. Use standard printer definition config.ps. For file contents (not name) equivalent to: --dvipsopts "" --noextendedname

--dvipsopts

Give arbitrary arguments to dvips, e.g. --dvipsopts "-M" Sets extension for --extendedfilename to .custom. --dvipsopts overrides other flags that set dvipsopts.

--extratexopts

Give extra arbitrary arguments to tex, e.g. --extratexopts "--interaction=nonstopmode" Sets extra options for the tex command that is used.

--extradvipsopts

Give extra arbitrary arguments to dvips, e.g. --extradvipsopts "-M" Sets extra options for dvips and does not set extension or override other options. Options will be added to the end of the options for dvips

--keep-psfile

After running dvips, copy the ps file over to the directory where the tex file is, possibly overwriting a ps file that is there. Use with caution, a ps file could be input as well.

--tex-path

Give path of TeX binaries, use directory of this script otherwise

--distiller prog

Use a distiller different from ps2pdf which is the default. Argument must be an executable or executable script that gets called iwth two arguments: input file (PS) and output file (PDF). E.g.: --distiller=/usr/local/alternate/bin/ps2pdf --distiller=pstill Using this flag sets the distiller filter mode to off

--distiller-filter prog

Use a distiller executable or executable script which is called with the PS input as standard input and which writes the PDF output to standard output. E.g.: --distiller-filter=u-psbuild

--distiller-path

Give path needed by the distiller binary. This path is added to the begin of you PATH environment before the distiller is run. The reason is that for instance ps2pdf uses the path to find gs and sets the path to something with /sw/bin at the beginning. Thus, installing gs from fink would make /usr/local/bin/ps2pdf find another gs than intended. By giving an empty path, the path is not changed before the distiller program is run. The default is empty.

--outdir dir

Write files here *if* our current directory is unwritable. This mimicks the TEXMFOUTPUT environment variable of TeX, but differently. The current dir becomes the value of --outdir and the directory where the old current dir is added to TEXINPUTS. This is more robust for reading and locating files. You can also set TEXMFOUTPUT instead, but with a disadvantage: you will be running TeXin the current dir. And you will not be able to read files in the outdir unless you also adapt TEXINPUTS.

The defaults for the distiller are

Path addition: "/usr/local/bin" Filter mode: "no" Program: "ps2pdf13"

Later flags override settings of earlier flags.

AUTHORS

simpdftex was written by Gerben Wierda and Joachim Kock. This manpage was written by Norbert Preining for Debian/GNU Linux and may be used, modified and/or distributed freely by anyone.