[tex-eplain] tex macro-HELP

service@wexfordpress.com service@wexfordpress.com
7 Jan 2002 11:55:22 -0800


On Fri, 28 December 2001, Zero M wrote:

> 
> hi all,
> 
> I am a new babie in TeX. 
> 
> my project is to write a tex file similar to plain.tex
> 
> 
> I am not able to understand the plain.tex. please help
> me with any documentation.
> 
> I like to know how to write advance TeX macros and how
> it works during the tex compliation
> 
> 
> kindly help me
> 1. where i can start 
> 3. what are the site
> 4. what are the search keyword
> 
> thanx & regards
> 
> Zemi
> 
> 

Do you want to rewrite plain TeX?

This is a bit like writing the bible from scratch. The Plain TeX macro package is explained in detail in The TeXBook by Donald Knuth. It consists of many hundred commands writen in a sophisticated and idiosyncratic macro language. The index alone of The TeXbook is 25 pages double column in small type. Just learning how it all works is an occupation for a lifetime. 

If you just want to typeset some text using plain tex then that is a simpler matter. Go to 
www.ctan.org and search for a file called gentle.tex. Run that through tex, then through dvips and view in gv reader. If you have problems let me
know and we can discuss an alternative course.

Also read the newsgroup comp.text.tex. If English is not yor best language there are other 
newsgroups for German etc. users. 

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