NAME

       dvipost, pptex, pplatex - post processing of dvi files

SYNOPSIS

       dvipost [-debug] [-version] [-help] in out

       pplatex [-debug] [-version] [-help] [LaTeX-Arguments]

       pptex [-debug] [-version] [-help] [TeX-Arguments]

DESCRIPTION

       The  command dvipost is a post procesor for dvi files, created by latex or tex. It is used
       for special modes, which normally needs the support of dvi drivers (such as  dvips).  With
       dvipost,   this  features  could  be  implemented  independent  of  the  prefered  driver.
       Currently, the post processor supports layout raster, change bars and overstrike mode.

       This version of dvipost does not seek the dvi file, so it could be used as a filter. If  -
       is  given as file name, the command uses standard input or standard output respective. The
       command does not substitute a missing .dvi extension to the filename.

       Because the command works with a temporary file and creates  the  ouput  file  only  after
       successfull  processing  the input file, it is possible to use the same name for input and
       output.

       If the command is renamed or linked to pplatex/pptex, it runs latex/tex and post processes
       the  createt output.  If the name of the dvi file could not be determined by the arguments
       to latex/tex (e.g. on an interactive run), the command processes  all  dvi  files  in  the
       current directory with a modification time later than the run of latex/tex.

   Basics
       If  the  filter is used in context of LaTeX, the style file dvipost.sty should be included
       in the LaTeX source.

       The filter interpretes dvi extensions in the form of
              dvipost: name [arg]
       where arg depends on the command name and may be separated from name by =  or space.   All
       other extensions are not interpreted by dvipost and remain in the dvi file.

       Such a dvipost command could be placed with the TeX primitive
              \special{dvipost: cmd}
       or the LaTeX macro (provided by dvipost.sty)
              \dvipost{cmd}
       in the dvi file.

       Depending on the type of dvipost commands, the following kinds of arguments may be used:
       length is  a  floating point number followed by a unit specification.  The following units
              are supportet by divipost: pt, in, cm and mm.  If no argument is given or the  unit
              specification is missing, the corresponding length is set to 0.
       string is an arbitrary string argument.
       flag   is an integer argument, where a value different from 0 (usually 1) means true and a
              missing value or 0 means false.
       depth  is an integer argument, where a value different from 0  (usually  1)  increments  a
              depth counter and a missing value or 0 decrements it.

   Change bars
       All text printed with change mode level higher than 0 is marked with a change bar.

       The following LaTeX macros modifies the change mode level:

       \changestart
              increments the change mode level.
       \changeend
              decrements the change mode level.
       \textchanged{text}
              increments the change mode level for text only.

       The following dvipost commands are used in context of change bars:
       cbmode depth
              increments/decrements  the  change  mode  level.  This command is used by the LaTeX
              macros.
       cbrule length
              determines the thickness of the change bar. The default value is 2pt.
       cbsep length
              sets the distance beetween page margin and change bar.  The default value is 2pt.
       cbexp length
              sets the additional height and depth of a character in calculating the  change  bar
              positions.  The default value is 6pt.
       cbstart string
              places the dvi extension string before printing characters in change mode.
       cbend string
              places the dvi extension string after printing characters in change mode.

       The  use  of  cbstart  and  cbend  allows to set additional attributes to the marked text,
       depending on the dvi driver.

       If dvips is used as dvi driver and the preamble of the LaTeX source contains
              \usepackage{dvipost}
              \dvipost{cbstart color push Blue}
              \dvipost{cbend color pop}
       the marked text is colored blue.

   Overstrike mode
       All text printed with overstrike level higher than 0  is  overstriked  with  a  horizontal
       line.

       The  overstrike line is positioned at the mean height of every block of text not broken by
       vertical movements and font changes.

       The following LaTeX macros modifies the overstrike level:

       \overstrikeon
              increments the overstrike level.
       \overstrikeoff
              decrements the overstrike level.
       \overstrike{text}
              increments the overstrike level for text only.

       The following dvipost commands are used in context of overstrike mode:
       osmode depth
              increments/decrements the overstrike level.  This command  is  used  by  the  LaTeX
              macros.
       osrule length
              sets  the  thickness  of  the  overstrike  line  to  length.   The default value is
              \fboxrule.
       osstart string
              places the dvi extension string before change of overstrike mode.
       osend string
              places the dvi extension string after change of overstrike mode.

       The use of osstart and osend is similar to cbstart and cbend.

   Layout parameters
       Layout parameters are transfered to the dvi file on loading the style file. If any changes
       are  made  to  layout  parameters,  like \evensidemargin, the macro \dvipostlayout must be
       called to get the correct placement of change bars. Additional calls to \dvipostlayout are
       harmeless.

       The  following  layout  parameters  are  transfered  to  the dvi file: \hoffset, \voffset,
       \textwidth,  \textheight,  \oddsidemargin,   \evensidemargin,   \topmargin,   \headheight,
       \headsep,  \footskip,  \marginparsep  and \marginparwidth.  Additional the flag twoside is
       set to 0 or 1, depending on the document style option twoside.

       Instead of calling \dvipostlayout, partciucular values could be set.  The command
              \dvipost{evensidemargin=\the\evensidemargin}
       transfers the actual setting of \evensidemargin to the dvi file.

       The dvipost command allows the printing of the layout raster by setting layout to a length
       different to 0. The value of layout is used as the thickness of the raster lines.

       For example: The command
              \dvipost{layout=\the\fboxrule}
       activates the layout raster and uses the same line thicknes as frame boxes.

NOTES

       The  filter  is primarly written for LaTeX.  It could be used for plain TeX, but currently
       there is no assistance style file included in the distribution.  Maybe somone would  write
       one, I am not a plain TeX user.

       The  current  state  of  change  bar  mode  and  overstrike  mode  must  be  committed  do
       environments, which are placed on different locations than the current text. This is  done
       in  dvipost.sty  by  redefining  \color@begingroup and \color@endgroup.  This may conflict
       with other packages.

       If  the  macro  \footnoterule  is  redefined,   it   should   start   with   the   command
       \dvipost{footnote} for a correct handling of overstrike mode and change bars.

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (C) 2002 Erich Fruehstueck

                                                                                       dvipost(1)