[OS X TeX] Re: Save date-time, not Print date

[Alain Schremmer]

On Feb 5, 2008, at 9:08 AM, Matthew Leingang wrote:

> What I often do is create a source file and "shell" files which do  
> as little as possible except what's different between the various  
> forms of the document, and include the source file.  Then you can  
> edit or typeset the shell files without changing the source text at  
> all.

What I have in fact are a number of questions  to be given to the  
students in three different forms: A) With open spaces for them to  
write whatever they will do with the questions. B) With "discussions"  
of the questions, C) With multiple choices (for them to realize that  
they better get back to square one before exam time comes around).

	Each question, together with its discussion and its multiple  
choices, is in a single contents file.
	The root file includes the booleans that "switch" the form, A, B or  
C, and lists the question files to be included.

However, the issue is not with the files themselves but with what I  
print on paper. Here is what happens (just a slight change from the  
previous scenario.)

1) On Monday, I print the questions with open space (Form A)
2) On Wednesday, I print the questions with discussion (Form B)

3) On Thursday, I change at least one question/discussion/multiple  
choices.

4) On Friday, I print  the questions with multiple choices (Form C)  
having completely forgotten that I made contents change on Thursday  
so that the multiple choices may not correspond to the discussion  
anymore.

Indeed, the only reason I want the SAVED date is to be able to print  
it. If I could, then, while the Monday and Wednesday print would have  
some previous SAVED date, the Friday print would have Thursday's  
SAVED date on Wednesday which would at least alert me to the fact  
that I made some change(s) before I send it for duplication.

So, in fact, not only would I like a button TypesetOnly but I would  
then also need a command for printing the last save date on the  
output and I would appreciate it very much should anyone suggest to  
me how to write such a command.

>> But it seems to me that TeXShop could easily (?) have another button
>> next to Typeset that would typeset but not save. (The fact that the
>> settings of the booleans would not be saved either is of course no
>> problem.)
>
>> Before I bother sourceforge with a request, though, I would like to
>> have the opinion of this list on the merit(s) of the case, if any.
>
> This sounds like something you do often, and if so, write a script  
> rather than use an interactive editor to start the typesetting  
> process.  Why open a file in an editor if you don't want to edit it?

I agree and the reason I didn't do it is because, not only am I inept  
with LaTeX, but I am even more so with scripts.

Very hopeful regards
--schremmer