[tex-live] %& in metapost?

[Taco Hoekwater]

Hi Karl,

Karl Berry wrote:
> 
> Does the mpto stuff actually use the first-line %& feature these days?
> I seem to recall that you were changing things around in that area.

It is mentioned in the manual, but 'makempx/mpto' do not actually
create '%&' lines, that is strictly under user control.

In the metapost manual, '&%' lines are explained as a web2c/miktex
extension, so simply adding a line to say that it may only work for
'non-knuthian' TeX is quick and easy.

> Thomas E. suggested that we do
> tex.parse_first_line = f
> in texmf.cnf -- then "tex" would still be Knuth TeX, "This is TeX ...".
> The &% feature is, I guess, the only feature that makes it not so.

As far as I can see, the banner is only controlled by src_specials_p,
file_line_error_style_p and parse_first_line_p (all three can be set
from texnf.cnf).

To get a "true" Knuthian TeX, you have have to disable some of the
command line initex options (-enctex, -mltex, -8bit) as well, since
they store information in the format file.

Taco