NAME
simpdftex - create pdf files via latex-dvips-gs instead of pdflatex
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.