[pdftex] Forward looking object references

[Laurent Siebenmann]

Igor Khomyakov writes:

 > I am trying to create a PDF document  (DVI is not a requirement) that would
 > show the total number of pages on each page (e.g. PAGE X OF Y), and do it in
 > one front-to-back linear pdfTeX pass! I believe it can be done in PDF by
 > using "forward object references" (I also did not think it was possible
 > until a colleague of mine suggested this interesting method). For example,
 > the output doc can look as follows:
 > 
 > page 1: PAGE 1 OF <reference to 1000 0 R>
 > page 2: PAGE 2 OF <reference to 1000 0 R>
 > ....
 > page 100: PAGE 100 OF <reference to 1000 0 R>
 > 1000 0 obj <<...100...>>

Since the PDF experts seem to have struck out on this, 
permit me to observe that this is well within the range of 
DVI technology.  Some standard DVI tools on CTAN notably
"dvipaste" (by M. Spivak) will let you do this.

However, I am tempted to operate even more directly
in your case. Upload a test DVI file (just cm fonts please!) to 

 ftp://topo.math.u-psud.fr/pub/lcs/incoming

by Thurs PM and I will have a go.

This sort of pasteup problem is common and important where mss
from different sources have to be assembled into a larger
whole.

I hope this comment will provoke useful PDF and PS 
solutions.  I have been disapointed by the poverty 
of Acrobat Exchange and wonder about the real-world 
potential of PDF postprocessing. 

Cheers

Laurent S.