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Article #395Re: DVI question
From: Chris Torek
Date: Fri, 07 Dec 1984 02:32
Date: Fri, 07 Dec 1984 02:32
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> Can someone tell me if the .DVI files produced by DiTroff and
> the .DVI files produced by TeX are the same or different formats??
They are most emphatically *not* the same. DiTroff's ``device
independent'' output is different for each device; I think it's
misnamed; it should be called ``device specific'' output. (Don't
get me wrong: I think ditroff is quite an improvement over troff.)
TeX's output is precisely the same for every device; in fact, TeX
itself doesn't care *what* device will eventually be used. The
basic approach to device independence is different. Instead of
using the ultimate output resolution as internal units, TeX uses
``scaled points'' (sp), where 2**16 sp == 1 point == 1/72.27 in.
This comes out to 4,765,777.92 points per inch, which is enough
resolution that roundoff errors disappear. (In fact, you'd have
to use a powerful microscope to detect a difference of a few sp.)
--
(This line accidently left nonblank.)
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci Dept (301) 454-7690
UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!chris
CSNet: chris@umcp-cs ARPA: chris@maryland
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Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site umcp-cs.UUCP Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!chris From: chris@umcp-cs.UUCP (Chris Torek) Newsgroups: net.text Subject: Re: DVI question Message-ID: <1671@umcp-cs.UUCP> Date: Thu, 6-Dec-84 21:32:21 EST Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.1671 Posted: Thu Dec 6 21:32:21 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 8-Dec-84 07:05:01 EST References: <256@zinfandel.UUCP> Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD Lines: 22