[fptex] fptex 0.7 - is \write18 working properly?

[Heiko Oberdiek]

On Wed, Oct 15, 2003 at 03:24:39PM +0800, LUK ShunTim wrote:

> \usepackage[dvips]{graphicx}
> \DeclareGraphicsRule{.jpg}{eps}{.bb}{`convert #1 eps:-}
> 
> The about test file used to work in older versions but it's no longer 
> working in fptex 0.7.
>
> I've set shell-escape to t in texmf.cnf and "convert test.jpg eps:-" 
> works with no problem.

Caution: In this case convert is not run by TeX. The graphics driver
dvips.def only writes the command call into the DVI output.
Then dvips sees it and runs convert, if it is allowed to run
external programs.

Because running of external programs is a security risk, it
is disabled by default either for TeX or dvips.
See config.ps for enabling it in dvips:

% Execution of external programs is disabled by default. Set   
% % to z0 if you want backticks in \special commands enabled.
z1

The other case is pdfTeX. Here the graphics driver pdftex.def
runs the external program, if you want to use epstopdf.sty
for example. Then the \write18 feature is needed.

Yours sincerely
  Heiko <oberdiek at uni-freiburg.de>
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