[metapost] mptopdf corrupts source file

[Franck Pastor]

Le 15 janv. 10 à 10:08, Oliver Buerschaper a écrit :

> Dear all,
>
> I'm experiencing some issues with mptopdf in different scenarios...
>
> Suppose there are no errors in the MetaPost source file. Then the  
> mptopdf program included in (a fresh) TeXLive 2009 seems to rename  
> "file.mp" to "file" and then create "file.mp" again during  
> compilation. The result: front ends like TeXShop track the original  
> file and one ends up with the source "file" rather than "file.mp"  
> opened in the editor window. After editing you can only typeset  
> again if you "Save as" before. Quite annoying. In TeXLive 2008 the  
> problem doesn't occur.
>
> Now assume that the MetaPost source file does contain an error. Then  
> it's copied to "file.mp.copy" by mptopdf. This file is what the  
> front end keeps opened. Hence correcting the error in the editor  
> window and recompiling again needs a "Save as" beforehand which is  
> rather time-consuming. This bug occurs both in TeXLive 2008 and 2009.
>
> Also in some cases mptopdf appears to append empty lines to the  
> source file. Still investigating though.
>
> Best wishes,
> Oliver

The script oddly named "mptopdf" in TeXShop  is from Nicola  
Vitacolonna, and has been incorporated under this rather improper  
name  by Richard Koch in TeXShop >=2.28. You cand find it in / 
Applications/TeXShop.app/contents/resources/mptopdfwrap, or in /Users/ 
<your-home>/TeXShop/Engines/Inactive/metapost.engine.

The problems you report are probably from this script, not from the  
original mptopdf. I suggest you report them to Nicola Vitacolonna (http://users.dimi.uniud.it/~nicola.vitacolonna/freesoftware.html 
), and also to the "TeX on Mac OS X mailing list" (http://mactex-wiki.tug.org/wiki/index.php?title=TeX_on_Mac_OS_X_mailing_list 
), to which Richard Koch participates (and Nicola Vitacolonna too, if  
I remember well).

Best regards,

Franck Pastor