--- name: "fdf2tan" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "texlive-context" version: "2005.dfsg.3-1" release: "Debian 4.0 (Etch)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/texexec" --- # fdf2tan(1) ConTeXt and PDF auxiliary program and batch processor Part of [texexec(1)](/texexec/1.md). ## NAME texexec - ConTeXt and PDF auxiliary program and batch processor ## SYNOPSIS **texexec** \[ *OPTION* ... \] *FILE* \[ ... \] ## DESCRIPTION **texexec** is a Perl script that provides several functions: - o Process a TeX file. This includes performing as many runs as necessary of [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md), [**texutil**(1)](/texutil/1.md), and **metapost**(1). Options allow you to select the output format, the pages to process, paper size, and so forth. - o Create new ConTeXt formats (with **--format**). - o Post-process existing PDF files, including merging multiple files, and extracting and rearranging pages within a file (similar to the functions provided by [**psnup**(1)](/psnup/1.md) and **pdfmerge**(1)). - o Extract or strip documentation from com{ConTeXt} source files (using [**texutil**(1)](/texutil/1.md)). - o Run METAPOST ([**mpost**(1)](/mpost/1.md)) to generate figures from METAPOST source. - o Produce \`\`proof sheets´´ of figures used in a **ConTeXt** source file. - ## OPTIONS All switches are specified in full, but can be abbreviated to the shortest unique string. Thus, **--ver** works the same as **--verbose**. ## General Options - **--alone** Avoid calling other programs when possible. For example, **--alone** will prevent **texexec** from using [**fmtutil**(1)](/fmtutil/1.md) to generate formats (which can be handy when tracing installation problems). - **--environment=***ENVIRONMENT* Specify a ConTeXt *ENVIRONMENT* to use when processing the file. This option can be useful when converting from non-ConTeXt file formats where no environment or layout settings are present in the file. - **--help** \[ *SWITCH* \] Produce a summary of switches and arguments. Many switches have additional information that can be seen by typing \`\``texexec` `--help optvar(SWITCH)`´´. - **--interface=***LANGUAGE* Specify the language **ConTeXt** should use to communicate with you. Options are - - **en** US English - **nl** Dutch - **de** German - **uk** British English - **cz** Czech - **it** Italian - **--once** Process a file once and only once. (By default, **texexec** processes the file as many times as necessary to sort out all references, typeset **METAPOST** code, and so forth.) - **--output=***DRIVER* Specify the output *DRIVER* for use with `\special` primitives. Defaults to the setting in the local *cont-sys.tex* file, but can be set to one of - - **pdftex** Native [**pdftex**(1)](/pdftex/1.md) code - **dvips** For [**dvips**(1)](/dvips/1.md) (the default) - **dvipsone** For **dvipsone** - **dviwindo** For **dviwindo**, the oldest **ConTeXt** drivers - **dviview** For **dviview** (experimental) - - There may be other supported drivers -- check the most recent **ConTeXt** documentation. - **--pages=***PAGENUMBERLIST* Specify the pages or page range to appear in the output file. *PAGENUMBERLIST* may be the keyword **odd** or **even**; one or more pages separated by commas (`x,y`); or a page range in the form `:z`. - **--passon=***STRING* Pass additional command-line switches and arguments to the [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md) process run by **texexec**. - For example, the **MikTeX** TeX system (for DOS/Windows) can embed information in the DVI file that will allow you to find the line in a source code file corresponding to the line in the typeset output. It uses a switch called \`\`--src´´ to activate this functionality, and can be used from **texexec** as - ``` texexec --passon="--src" somefile ``` - The double quotes (`"`) are required to prevent **texexec** from using the switch itself. - **--program** The name of the TeX program to use ([**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md), by default). - **--result=***FILENAME* Allows you to change the basename of the output file. See **--mode** for an example. - **--runs=***NUMBER* Specify the number of runs to perform on a file. Overrides **texexec**´s calculations. - **--silent** Suppress diagnostic and progress messages. - **--suffix=***SUFFIX* Specify the suffix of the output file. - **--tex=***PROGRAMNAME* Allows you specify the program to use instead of [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md). Useful for trying different versions of [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md) installed on the same machine. - **--texutil** Force a run of [**texutil**(1)](/texutil/1.md). - **--verbose** Output diagnostic information, including the contents of *texexec.ini*. - ## Processing ConTeXt Source Files Including specifying paper sizes, formats, and so forth. - **--arrange** Don´t perform page rearrangements (e.g., for producing a booklet) until the last run. - **--batch** Process the file in batch mode -- continue to typeset the document after finding errors. More imformation about batch mode can be found in Donald E. Knuth´s *TeXbook*. - **--bodyfont** The name of a font to preload for use in setting the body of the text. - **--centerpage** Center the document image on the page. - **--color** Turn on color mode. Color mode can also be set by commands embedded in the document. These commands override the **--color** option. - **--convert=***FORMAT* Convert the input file to ConTeXt format from *FORMAT* before processing. In most cases, this conversion will result in a TeX file. Currently supported input *FORMAT*s are **xml** and **sgml**. - **--dvi** Shortcut for **--output=dvi**. - **--fast** Typeset the document(s) as fast as possible without causing problems. - **--final** Perform a final run without skipping anything. This option is typically used with **--fast**. - **--language=***LANGUAGE* Set the language for hyphenation. Can be specified in your source file. Options are the same as those for **--interface**. - **--mode=***MODELIST* Allows you to change the mode (page size and resolution) of the output file. - ``` texexec --pdf --mode=A4 --result=pdftex-a pdftex-t texexec --pdf --mode=letter --result=pdftex-l pdftex-t texexec --pdf --mode=screen --result=pdftex-s pdftex-t ``` - Here the mode switch tells **ConTeXt** to obey the mode directives in the layout specifications. The **--result** flag allows you to rename the output file. - **--noarrange** Ignore arrangement commands in the source file. - **--paper=***KEY* For typesetting multiple pages on a single piece of paper. *KEY* can be **a4a3** (for printing A4 pages on A3 paper) or **a5a4** (for printing A5 pages on A4 paper). The actual layout of the pages is specified with the **--print** switch. - **--pdf** Shorthand for **--output=pdftex**. - **--print=***KEY* Specify the layout of the final output. *KEY* can be **up**, resulting in 2 pages per sheet, double sided, or **down**, resulting in 2 rotated pages per sheet, double sided. Use the --paper switch to specify the original page and sheet size. - ## Creating ConTeXt Format Files - **--format=***FORMATFILE* Specify a *FORMATFILE* to use when typesetting. **texexec** will prepend the string `cont- ` to the name you give, so you can type `plain` instead of `cont-plain`, as in - ``` texexec --format=plain --program=pdftex somefile ``` - **--make** Generate a **ConTeXt** format file. ## Postprocess PDF Files - **--combination=***ROWS***\****COLS* Specify the number of pages to show on a single page. Use with **--pdfcombine**. - **--pdfarrange** For rearranging pages in PDF files. - ``` texexec --pdfarrange --paper=a5a4 --print=up foo.pdf ``` - This command creates an A5 booklet from a PDF file *foo.pdf*. **--pdfarrange** is used in conjunction with the following switches: - **--paperoffset** Adjust the space between the edge of the pages and the beginning of the text block. - **--backspace** Adjust the inside (\`\`gutter´´) margins. - **--topspace** Adjust the top and bottom margin. - **--markings** Add crop marks. - **--addempty=***PAGES* Add empty pages after the pages specified in *PAGES*. (Useful for, among other things, adding blank pages after a table of contents.) - **--textwidth=***WIDTH* Set the width of the original text. Specifying this parameter with a single-sided original will allow **ConTeXt** to adjust the page layout for double-sided output, producing much more attractive results. - With the **--pdfarrange** flag, specifying more than one file will result in all of the files being combined in the final result, allowing you to add title pages, decorated part separators, and so forth. - You can also do more complex manipulations, such as adding additional text to the page by setting up a small file with layout definitions and a simple figure insertion loop. - **--pdfcombine** Combine multiple pages. Requires you to specify the **--combination** switch. - **--pdfselect** Extract pages from a file. Use in combination with the **--selection** switch, as in - `texexec --pdfselect --paper=S6` `--selection=1,9,14 file-1` - which extracts pages 1, 9, and 14 from *file-1.pdf*, and places them in *texexec.pdf* (the default output filename if an output file isn´t specified). - See **--pdfarrange** for other options. - **--selection=***PAGES* Specify pages to be affected by another option. See **--pdfarrange** and **--pdfselect** for examples. ## Extract or Strip Out Documentation - **--listing** Produce a typeset version of the source code in *FILE*. You can specify the form of the output file, as in `texexec --listing --pdf readme.now` - which will produce a PDF file called *texexec.pdf*. Without the **--pdf** flag, **texexec** will produce a DVI file. - See also **--backspace** and **--topspace**. - **--module** Create documentation for **ConTeXt**, **MetaPost** (see [**mpost**(1)](/mpost/1.md)), and Perl modules. Converts the documentation to **ConTeXt** format and then typesets that documentation. See [**texutil**(1)](/texutil/1.md) for more information about the format of the documentation strings. ## Process METAPOST Figures - **--mpformat** The name of a **MetaPost** format file. - **--mptex** Strips out and typesets TeX code embedded in a **MetaPost** file. - **--nomp** Do not run **MetaPost**, even if needed. - **--nomprun** Do not run [**mpost**(1)](/mpost/1.md) on embedded **MetaPost** code. ## Producing Proof Sheets of Figures - **--figures=***ALTERNATIVE* Specify one of three options to produce a document containing the images used in the source file: - - **a** A proof sheet with additional information provided for each figure - **b** A proof sheet with the graphics only - **c** One figure per page, with the page clipped to the bounding box of the figure - See also **--paperoffset**, which allows you to specify an offset to be added to the page, as in - ``` texexec --figures=c --paperoffset=.5cm *.pdf *.png *.jpg ``` - - **texexec** uses [**texutil**(1)](/texutil/1.md) to obtain the list of figures to process. ## USAGE - o Each **ConTeXt** user interface (language) has its own format. The following command generates two formats, one using the English interface for typesetting in English, and one for Dutch: - ``` texexec --make en nl ``` - By default, the language used for typesetting matches the user-interface language (set with **--interface**. It´s possible to use one language for typesetting and another for messages by changing the relevant settings in *cont-usr.tex*, but these languages can also be changed on the command line with a command such as - `texexec --make --language=pl,cz,sk --bodyfont=plr en` - That command generates a **ConTeXt** format file with an English user interface, and the main language set to Polish (**pl**). The default body font is the Polish version of Computer Modern Roman (**plr**). Czech and Slovak hyphenation patterns are also loaded so that Czech and Slovak text included in a source file will be typeset properly (**cz** and **sk**). - o When the appropriate formats are present, a file can be typeset by typing - ``` texexec test ``` - **texexec** tries to determine what interface it should use to typeset *test.tex* by looking for a line such as - ``` % interface=en tex=pdfetex output=pdftex ``` - at the top of the file (i.e., on the very first line). This line is equivalent to **TeX**´s format line, \`\`&*FORMAT*´´). - By default, **texexec** will produce a DVI file. The **--pdf** flag tells **texexec** to produce a PDF file, instead (by running [**pdftex**(1)](/pdftex/1.md)). You can also be more specific about what drivers **texexec** should use, by specifying a command line such as - ``` texexec --output=dvips,acrobat test ``` - which specifies the use of the **dvips** driver (which is the default), combined with the use of Acrobat-specific PDF instructions. - After an error-free run, **texexec** will run [**texutil**(1)](/texutil/1.md) to determine whether additional runs of [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md) (or [**pdftex**(1)](/pdftex/1.md)) or any utility programs (e.g., [**bibtex**(1)](/bibtex/1.md), [**makeindex**(1)](/makeindex/1.md)) are necessary. You can suppress these additional runs by specifying the **--once** or **--runs** flags: - ``` texexec --once test texexec --runs=2 test ``` - ## INITIALIZATION - When starting, **texexec** first looks for the file *texexec.ini*, which specifies the location of various programs and configuration files, and specifies the programs to use. The **--verbose** flag causes **texexec** to print the information in *texexec.ini* to the terminal and the log file. - **texexec** requires Perl. On Unix and Unix-like systems, no special steps have to be taken to get **texexec** to work beyond installing Perl and having the [**perl**(1)](/perl/1.md) binary in your path. On Windows systems, however, you may need to run Perl by typing commands such as \`\``perl texexec.pl optvar(ARGS)`´´. - The **fpTeX** distribution comes with a program called **runperl.exe** that can be copied and renamed to **texexec.exe**. You will also have to rename a copy to **texutil.exe** (see [**texutil**(1)](/texutil/1.md)). The **teTeX** and **fpTeX** distributions, at least, should perform the necessary steps as part of their installation sequence -- if you have problems, however, you may need to follow the advice given here. - The file *texexec.rme* contains default configuration information. If no file *texexec.ini* exists (in *TEXMF/context/config/*, you should copy *texexec.rme* to that directory and rename it to *texexec.ini*. Make any necessary changes to this file to reflect the layout of programs and directories on your system. ## ENCODINGS - Some languages require specific character encodings to represent their alphabets (beyond the basic ASCII encoding). Although you can use TeX commands to represent these characters, such as \`\``\.z`´´, it´s easier to use a text editor that includes direct support for these characters and let **ConTeXt** translate them to the necessary TeX commands. For some languages, this approach can also improve the performance of TeX´s hyphenation algorithms. - **ConTeXt** supports several of the most commonly used encodings. Check the files beginning with *enco-*, *lang-*, and *font-* in the **ConTeXt** distribution for more information. - **web2c** distributions (such as **teTeX**) support a mechanism to map document encodings to **ConTeXt**´s internal encoding, font encodings, and hyphenation patterns. **texexec** provides a document option and a command-line flag to pass the necessary information to [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md) or [**pdftex**(1)](/pdftex/1.md). You can add lines such as - ``` %& --translate-file=cp1250pl ``` or - ``` % --translate=cp1250pl ``` - to the beginning of your document, or specify the **--translate** flag on the command line, as - ``` texexec --translate=il2pl somefile ``` - Note that using language-specific encodings will make your file less portable than using ASCII. It may not be possible for other people to typeset your documents on their systems. ## FILES - - *TEXMF/context/config/texexec.ini* TeXExec configuration file - *TEXMF/context/config/texexec.rme* TeXExec configuration file defaults - ## SEE ALSO - [**bibtex**(1)](/bibtex/1.md), [**dvips**(1)](/dvips/1.md), [**fmtutil**(1)](/fmtutil/1.md), [**makeindex**(1)](/makeindex/1.md), **metapost**(1), [**mpost**(1)](/mpost/1.md), [**pdfetex**(1)](/pdfetex/1.md), **pdfmerge**(1), [**pdftex**(1)](/pdftex/1.md), [**perl**(1)](/perl/1.md), [**psnup**(1)](/psnup/1.md), [**tex**(1)](/tex/1.md), [**texshow**(1)](/texshow/1.md), [**texutil**(1)](/texutil/1.md). - The TeXExec manual, *mtexexec.pdf*. - The TeXExec configuration README files: - o *TEXMF/context/config/texexec.rme* - o *TEXMF/context/perltk/texexec.rme* - Donald E. Knuth´s *The TeXbook*. ## AUTHOR - This manpage was written by Tobias Burnus \ and C.M. Connelly \. It is based on the **TeXExec** manual written by Hans Hagen \. - The PDF manual and **texexec** itself can be obtained from \