[Mac OS X TeX] Line terminators in Web2C and Kpathsea applications (Was: Bibtex)

[Arthur Ogawa]

Fredrik Wallenberg wrote:

> As you pointed out, there has been a discussion about line feeds and I
> ran into that one myself. Opening the file in BBEdit and saving as Unix
> LF solved my problem. Then again, the latest version of TexShop is
> supposed to fix that anyway.

I think the best approach to the problem is to implement, in all
Kpathsea (and Web2C) applications, an OS-neutral approach to line
terminators. In this way, all tex engines along with all companion
applications will process "ACSII" files no matter what platform
generated the file (Mac OS, UNIX, or DOS), and all binaries generated
>from the CTAN source will do this regardless of what platform they are
running on.

The OS-neutral convention for line terminators I am speaking of is
described in the Adobe Red Book. It works per the following sequence of rules:

* The sequence <CF-LF> is interpreted as a line terminator.

* The sequence <LF> is interpreted as a line terminator.

* The sequence <CR> is interpreted as a line terminator.

Simple, isn't it?

In the Mac OS X TeX area, the need to implement such an approach is
compelling as in no other. I had been meaning to do this myself, but
events are unfolding much faster than my ability to keep up (to my chagrin).

I don't even know whom to coordinate with to get such changes
incorporated onto CTAN.

Who is the coordinator for Web2C applications?

Whom does one talk to regarding changes to, say, BibTeX or dvips?

I will admit that this approach is rather ambitious, but there is a
precedent (parity of <CR-LF> and <LF> line terminators), and the
benefits are manifest.

Arthur Ogawa

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