New release of XY-pic diagram drawing macros (fwd)

[Petr Sojka]

Forwarded message:
>From kris at diku.dk Thu Jun  9 19:19 MET 1994
Date: Thu, 9 Jun 1994 18:03:40 +0200
From: kris at diku.dk

Dear fellow diagram drawers and TeX users!

This is to announce the release of a new version of my DIAGRAM DRAWING
PACKAGE, XY-pic: version 2.9.  In particular this version represents
the stage where XY-pic 3 has left ALPHA test (and entered BETA
confidence test) and the kernel should be stable.

The release is mainly a BUG FIX RELEASE fixing several problems
reported in version 2.7 and 2.8 by users; in addition it ADDS THESE
NEW FEATURES:

* The speed of diagram typesetting has been increased back closer to
  the version 2.6 speed, faster for very large diagrams.

* The set up of the style of \arrow command must now be clearly
  marked.

* It is possible to `compile' large diagrams (with some restrictions)
  to a file such that retypesetting is faster still.

* Options can now be loaded safely in any order.

* The bug that required removal of \\ before \enddiagram has been
  fixed.

* The PostScript backend by Ross Moore has been greatly enhanced and
  now supports varying line thickness, colour, rotation, and scaling.

* There is a new feature by Ross Moore: \xyoption{2cell} loads special
  commands typesetting pairs and triples of curved arrows like
  categorical two-cells.

Below I have attached the TRAILER of the package that gives some more
details and explains how to obtain it; the version packaged specially
for the Apple Macintosh by Ross Moore will be available shortly.

Regards,
	 Kristoffer Rose		(.signature at end of TRAILER)

-*-text-*- $Id: TRAILER,v 2.9 1994/06/09 14:53:07 kris Exp $

======================================================================
TRAILER: ANNOUNCING the XY-pic version 2.9 DIAGRAM TYPESETTING PACKAGE
======================================================================

XY-pic is a package for typesetting a variety of graphs and diagrams
within TeX that works with most formats (including LaTeX 2.09, LaTeX2e,
AMS-LaTeX, AMS-TeX, and plain TeX).  In particular XY-pic is provided
as a LaTeX2e `package'.

NOTE: version 2.9 is a final BETA CONFIDENCE TEST release of XY-pic 3
in the sense that it is likely to contain minor bugs in both
documentation and code but should be stable.  If you are a user of an
earlier version of XY-pic then PLEASE TEST this release with your
existing diagrams and REPORT PROBLEMS you encounter to the authors!

The intention remains to maintain full backwards compatibility with
XY-pic 2 but we need feed-back from users in order to achieve this
goal (see `The future and backwards compatibility' in the User's Guide
for the unavoidable exceptions).

Version 2.9 is the final result of the effort this springs to outline
XY-pic 3 in collaboration with Ross Moore while visiting Macquarie U,
Sydney: The package has been restructured and extended into a kernel
and several orthogonal modules and is now ready for the implementation
of several independent `specialist' modes for convenient typesetting
of Graphs and Trees, 2-cells, String and braid diagrams, etc. (some
are already under construction).

Below I discuss the main features of XY-pic and how it is available.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
VERSION 2.9 FEATURES
----------------------------------------------------------------------

XY-pic version 2.9 provides two modes of specifying drawings:

* A matrix-like mode where the dimensions of the drawing are
  automatically computed by aligning diagram entries in rows and
  columns (this is also the `version 2 compatibility mode').

* A general `turtle graphic' drawing language for specifying graphs
  with objects and connections between them in a manner independent of
  orientation.

Both modes support the following specific features:

+ Positions can be given in variety of formats (extendable) including
  user defined coordinates (x,y) and relative to previous positions,
  objects, object edges, and points on connections.

+ Objects may be circular or rectangular (more shapes can be added)
  and adjusted in several ways.

+ Large library of objects with mnemonic names.

+ Objects that orient themself along a connection when placed relative
  to it, e.g., `\dir{|-}' is like \vdash but thus oriented; new such
  objects can be defined in a convenient way.

+ Includes circle segments and arbitrary TeX text.

+ Connections are aligned between the reference points of objects but
  start and end on the edges.

+ Any object can be used to build a connection (using `diagonal
  filling'); library objects provide common line types.

+ Special notation for drawing arrows with tail, stem, and head build
  from any object(s).  Special support for arrows that cross each
  other, arrows that `go by' other entries, combined arrows, and
  arrows with n/8 bends.

+ Library of frames.

+ NEW: Special notation for rotation, scaling, colour, and line
  thickness.  The correct typesetting of these features requires a
  backend that supports it (i.e., PostScript) but even when PostScript
  is not available XY-pic tries to approximate what is requested.

+ Output can use PostScript for drawing (several \special formats are
  supported: dvips, dvitops, Textures, and OzTeX -- more are being
  added continuously: contact Ross Moore <ross at mpce.mq.edu.au> for the
  current list).  Notation for inclusion of literal PostScript.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
AVAILABILTY
----------------------------------------------------------------------

XY-pic can be retrieved by anonymous ftp from at least the following
locations (given as `site : directory'):

  ftp.diku.dk : 	/diku/users/kris/TeX
  ftp.mpce.mq.edu.au :	/pub/maths/TeX

as well as (unpacked) on CTAN in macros/generic/diagrams/xypic.

The following distribution files should be available in the above two
locations but check the `README' file in each case:

  xy29.TRAILER		These release notes

  xy29run.tar.Z		XY-pic 2.9 `ready to run' distribution for
			un*x and similar systems

  xy29src.tar.Z		XY-pic 2.9 complete sources

  xy29mac.sit.hqx	XY-pic adapted for the Macintosh (Textures and
			  OzTeX) by Ross Moore <ross at mpce.mq.edu.au>

  xyguide.ps.Z		User's Guide and Reference Manual preformatted
  xyrefer.ps.Z		  for a 300dpi PostScript printer

Please note that XY-pic is `copyleft' under the terms of the GNU
General Public License.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the end of the TRAILER.  I hope you will enjoy XY-pic!

--
Kristoffer Ho/gsbro ROSE                         Internet: kris at diku.dk
DIKU, U of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 1, 2100 Ko/benhavn O/, DANMARK
phone: +45 35321400       direct: +45 35321420       fax: +45 35321401
--
World Wide Web URL:   file://ftp.diku.dk/diku/users/kris/WWW/home.html