%%% File: README
%%% A part of mfpic 0.9 2006/05/26
%%%

MFpic defines a command group \mfpic...\endmfpic (optionally in LaTeX
an environment, mfpic) and drawing commands to be used inside this group.
When TeX (or LaTeX) is run on a file containing those commands, a
Metafont (or MetaPost) source file is created. When that file is correctly
processed by Metafont (or MetaPost), and LaTeX or TeX is run again, the
result is a figure in the TeX document at the location of each
environment.

See install.txt for initial setup and brief installation instructions.
See mfpguide.pdf for a short tutorial. See below for a summary of
features added since the previous official release (0.8a beta). See the
manual mfpman.pdf for more detailed instructions and descriptions
of features.

This is mfpic version 0.9.

LEGALITIES
----------
All files of the core mfpic distribution (listed below) may be
distributed and/or modified under the conditions of the LaTeX Project
Public License, either version 1.3b of this license or (at your option)
any later version. The latest version of this license is in

  http://www.latex-project.org/lppl.txt

and version 1.3b or later is part of all distributions of LaTeX version
2006/12/01 or later.

While every effort has been made to make mfpic useful, it comes with no
warranty, expressed or implied.

MANIFEST
--------
Here is a list, plus explanation of purpose, of all files in the mfpic
distribution. Read it *before* trying to process any of the example
files. These, and the files generated by TeXing mfpic.ins, constitute
the mfpic distribution to which the LPPL applies.

The four files marked with * below are the only ones essential
for using all the facilities of mfpic.

All the *.tex files in the src directory (except the plainTeX file
mfpcard.tex) require the LaTeX style file mfpdoc.sty. The mfpic manual
is mfpman.pdf.

TeX/LaTeX code:
--------------
*mfpic.dtx          Contains mfpic.sty and mfpic.tex
*mfpic.ins          The unpacking script, run tex or latex on it. It
                    reads in mfpic.dtx and grafbase.dtx and produces
                    the only required files: mfpic.sty, mfpic.tex,
                    grafbase.mf, grafbase.mp, and dvipsnam.mp
*mfppatch.tex       patches and bugfixes. Not required unless there are
                    some

MetaPost/Metafont code:
----------------------
*grafbase.dtx       Contains grafbase.mf, grafbase.mp and dvipsnam.mp

Documentation:
-------------

 changes.txt        Summary of changes
 install.txt        Basic information on installation
 README             This file.
 mfpguide.pdf       Precompiled tutorial (usletter)
 mfpman.pdf         Precompiled manual   (usletter)
 mfpcard.pdf        Precompiled reference card (usletter landscape).
 src/mfpcard.tex    reference card source, should fit on two sides
                    of either USletter or A4, rotated. Plain TeX.
 src/mfpdoc.sty     LaTeX style used by the next two
 src/mfpguide.tex   LaTeX source for mfpguide.pdf, requires mfpdoc.sty and mfpic
 src/mfpman.tex     LaTeX source for mfpman.pdf, requires mfpdoc.sty
 src/coil.mps       Figure included in mfpman.tex

 examples/pictures.tex    Run tex, produce pics.mf file
 examples/lapictures.tex  Run latex, produce pics.mf file (same)
 examples/data.dat        Sample data file needed for above two
 examples/forfun.tex      Example of \mfsrc: Run tex, produce forfun.mp

This distribution, the latest updates, and some past versions, should also be
available at my web site:

    <http://comp.uark.edu/~luecking/tex/mfpic.html>.

IMPORTANT NOTE
--------------
A minor (I hope) backward incompatibility has been introduced:

By historical accident, the MetaPost macros of mfpic (grafbase.mp) have
overwritten the primitive MetaPost commands "dashed" and "clipped".
With this version, these commands are no longer overwritten. The files
written by mfpic have not contained "dashed" for over 6 years, and have
never (I believe) contained "clipped".

However, if you learned enough about grafbase macros to use these
commands, or if you try to run mpost on old files created by mfpic, you
may need to change occurences of "clipped" to "Clipped" and change
occurences of "dashed" to "Dashed". If you run mpost on files created
for Metafont, there may be occurances of "clip" that need to be changed
to "Clipped".

Also, if you have been delving into mfpic internals, almost all internal
commands have been renamed.

NEW FEATURES since Version 0.8a
-------------------------------
 -- \arrowhead{<shape>} adds <shape> to head of a path.
 -- \arrowtail{<shape>} adds <shape> to tail of a path.
 -- \arrowmid {<shape>} adds <shape> to middle of a path.

 -- \zigzag, \sinewave, \coil: three new ways to render a path.

 -- \tlabel now allows a list of points even without mplabels.

 -- \border: a closed rectangle tracing the lines of the border axes.

 -- \startbacktext, \stopbacktext: Between these, labels are added in
    the background; all other elements of the figure are on top of them.

 -- \axisline{<letter>}: the line (without arrowhead) that
    \axis{<letter>} would draw.

 -- \griddotsize: a length command, the default size for dots in \grid.

 -- \vectorfield, a field of arrows determined by a formula in x and y.
 -- \plrvectorfield: vector formula is in polar variable r and t.

 -- \globalassignmfvalue: a global version of \assignmfvalue
    (\global\assignmfvalue didn't work with mplabels).

 -- \globalsetmfvariable, a global version of \setmfvariable.

 -- \norender: a prefix macro that cancels automatic rendering.

 -- \everymfpic, \everyendmfpic: commands to add to the start/end of
    every mfpic environment.

 -- \closedcurve = \cyclic (a possibly more easily remembered name).
 -- \closedconvexcurve = \convexcyclic
 -- \closedpolyline = \polygon

 -- \randomizepath: random changes to the nodes and controls of a path.
 -- \randomlines: connects randomly changed nodes with straight lines.

 -- \arc has a *-form that produces the complement of the arc that
    would have been formed otherwise.
 -- \arccomplement, used in front of any arc, produces the
    complementary arc. Arc need not be one produced by \arc.

 -- Loops (\mfploop, \mfpwhile and \mfpfor) are allowed outside mfpic
    environments as long as no drawing commands are used in them.

 -- \mfpbarchart, \mfppiechart: versions of \barchart, \piechart for use
    outside \mfpic..\endmfpic. (Actual drawing must still be inside.)

 -- Somewhat better cooperation with babel. Also better handling of
    filenames with special characters.

 -- \useraggedcaptions (option raggedcaptions) sets multiline captions
    (from \tcaption) raggedright. With centeredcaptions both sides are
    ragged. \noraggedcaptions restores the default justified captions.

 -- centeredcaptions option corrected in LaTeX.


--
Dan Luecking  <luecking at uark dot edu>
Department of Mathematical Sciences
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701-1201
U.S.A.
