[texworks] Some (simple) questions

[Joseph Wright]

Morten Høgholm wrote:
> 
>> 2) Another short one.  The program doesn't seem to add an extension by
>> default.  Is that deliberate?
> 
> Strange - it does on the Mac (r132).

Okay, to be very clear.  If I make a new document, it gets the title
"untitled-1.tex", with the extension.  But if I change the name, nothing
gets added as the filter is set to "All files (*.*)".  So I have to add
the .tex (or .ltx) part every time. I just wonder what the usual is
(after all, extensions are a Windows thing).

>> 3) When compiling with, for example, pstricks enabled, pdf output is not
>> a possibility.  So I'd usually use auto-pst-pdf to get things working
>> nicely.  However, that needs write18 support enabled, which I don't like
>> having on all of the time.  A graphical switch might be handy for this.
> 
> I think this is unlikely to be added as it is going in the opposite
> direction of the purpose of the program. How many users would want to
> toggle that switch? Very few I would think and so adding a graphical
> element for that 0.01% would just clutter things for the 99.99%.

I did say might.  I guess that I sort-of answered this myself with the
first-line parsing trick.  Probably a better option for those who need it.

> If you don't ask, you get no answers. :-) I can see where you are coming
> from as I am myself firmly planted in the programming end of LaTeX. My
> users, however, are not, hence the need for a basic editor fulfilling
> their needs.

To be honest, although I mainly write packages I don't really use too
many "advanced" features.  As I guess I've indicated, hard line wrapping
and understanding .dtx files to some extent would basically cover what
I'd need.  The only other thing I use with any regularity is visual
diff-ing, and that can happily be done with something like WinMerge.

Of course, I'm sure other things will come to mind!

Joseph Wright