windvi 0.54

[Staszek Wawrykiewicz]

I checked windvi54 and it seems stable in stadandard use,
e.g. calling mktexpk etc. Closing log when quiting is also
well expected.

Colour text works much better, also when zooming in or out or using
magnifying glass. It works also with 256 colors displays - great!
 
However 
Options -> Windvi and ->TeX doesn't work (as in version 53), 
it worked quite nice in ver.52.
The same with File -> Page setup
                   -> Printer setup 

Small inclusion of eps file (16kb, 3 squares in red, blue and green) 
cannot be displayed, even after reloading or View->Redraw page.
Ooops! I think, windvi has some problems with gs5.50 (just released).
I reinstalled for a moment gs510 and now eps files are well diplayed,
only redrawing is needed for the first time.
I can also use simple transformations like xy scaling -- great!

> ..... There is a directory called examples where you
> can find a wtest.tex examples of what should work.

It cannot be found in windvi54.zip.

Well, may I suggest some needs/corrections/todo/wish_list?
All are gathered after my crowded personal mailbox from Polish TeX users. ;-)

1. I do not understand so deep packaging share/ etc. I hope it is not
   usable in Win world and not so clear for many people how to upgrade.
   Just texmf/  etc. in zip file can be more clear. Please consider
   upgrading e.g. windvi54.zip on typical installation from TeXlive3.
   So please consider more simple:
       bin/win32/
       texmf/doc/windvi/  see below
       texmf/dvips/
   The whole distribution should be considered as well stand alone
   as for TeXlive4 (deadline December!).

2. windvi.html should always go into texmf/doc/windvi/ -- for consistence.
   kpatsea.pdf and other pdf and ps files can be left in upper doc/
   or also moved to texmf/doc/

3. mktex.exe found on TeXlive3 and again in windvi54 -- it is for what??

4. texconfig is missing on TeXlive3 and on win32 distribution. After several
   experiments with linux and solaris I've learned the reason of its
   existence: making local mini TeX-tree in networked installations.
   Since many users asked how to do in win32 it would be appreciated
   having it. The only problem -- texconfig -init remake all format files
   (from 18 upto 40 depending on installation basic, recommended, full).
   IMHO it can be hardly accepted for some admins.

5. please do not forget the proper metapost in the new distribution.

6. since man pages are hardly accepted in M$ Win world, may I suggest
   to distribute just .txt files. (there is now tendence to distribute
   all docs and even readmes in html format -- see GhostScript 5.50 etc.,
   it is strange and can not be accepted for users sitting behind text
   console.) Small PS files are also a good idea, but in main README should
   be stressed that user should have installed gs _with_ some Type1 fonts.

7. documentation -- it is the great problem and I think Fabrice should
   have somebody's help. I know very well that's time consuming...
   Most of the actual documentation are not so clear, there is missing
   good introduction explaying fundamental terms _before_ installation:
   TEXMFMAIN, TEXMFLOCAL, HOMETEXMF, VARTEXFONTS etc. -- somehow mistic
   for a new user and, OK, mentioned in deap parts of existing docs.
   Who will write it?

By the way, may I ask to sign somehow the newer versions of windvi.html
(always March 1988 at heading) and again: some strange letters displays
such a text:
 et S_PATH=c:\gstools\gs5.10\gswin32c.exe
 et S_LIB=c:\gstools\gs5.10;c:\gstools\fonts
etc.

Thank you Fabrice for a great work.

**StaW

Staszek Wawrykiewicz
email: staw@gust.org.pl