[Xy-pic] xy-matrix and xy-pic

[Ross Moore]

Hello Vasco,

On 04/05/2012, at 3:03 AM, Vasco Visser wrote:

> Dear xy users and/or developers,
> 
> For my Msc thesis I want to make some drawings in xy-pic/xy-matrix
> 
> What I basically want is to make base drawings in xy-matrix and then
> draw on top of that using the general xy-pic language. Is that a
> strategy that is recommendable? Or am I on the wrong track here?

Yes, this is quite possible.

Each cell in a matrix already has a named POS,
of the kind  "1,2"  for the 2nd cell in the 1st row.
see Xy-pic Reference Manual, §26.2 p.49.

You can reference this in any other cell, or even outside
the matrix, if the \xymatrix is embedded within an outer \xy...
setting.
In particular, if you use \xygraph, then different matrices
can be dropped, as separate <objects>s  using   *!M{...}

An example on p.50 shows how you can assign a "prefix" to the names,
so that you can work with the cells from different \xymatrices
within the same diagram.


> 
> If this is possible, then it would be nice if I could have access to
> positions of objects in xy-matrix from the general xy environment. I
> looked in the reference and there is a stack that can be used to store
> positions. Is it also possible to push the positions of objects in
> xy-matrix onto this stack?

Yes, you can; but there is no need when you already have a separate 
name for these \POS structures, that is very simple to use.

> 
> Are there any other pointers I can get from you?

Read the Xy-pic Reference Manual.

> 
> Also, are there any example graphics in addition to what is already in
> the refman that can help me understand the xy language quicker,
> especially graphics that make extensive use of the stack?

Try with names first.
Stacks can be useful, but you haven't shown why they are relevant 
in this setting.


> 
> Thanks a lot for any help you can give me.
> 
> Best Regards,
> Vasco


Hope this helps,

	Ross

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ross Moore                                       ross.moore at mq.edu.au 
Mathematics Department                           office: E7A-419      
Macquarie University                             tel: +61 (0)2 9850 8955
Sydney, Australia  2109                          fax: +61 (0)2 9850 8114
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