[AUCTeX-devel] call for advice: auctex 11.8x as a xemacs pkg (was: XEmacs and ZUCTeX Problems)

[Uwe Brauer]

>>>>> "David" == David Kastrup <address@hidden> writes:


   David> Seems like a waste of time, given that we have changed the version
   David> string mechanism in 11.81 to not rely on CVS keywords.  Instead of
   David> trying to fix up the problems with the old 11.55, it would seem to
   David> make more sense to sync with upstream.

Ok, may be this is the right moment to come up with a question, I was
thinking to post anyway. That question is mainly addressed to the
people in Xemacs-beta, but since it concerns auctex, I will cc it to
the devel list and would be happy for any suggestions.

Situation: up to version 11.55 auctex consisted of a (huge) bunch of
lisp file which made editing latex files easier. Now since version
11.80, preview-latex (mostly a brainchild of David Kastrup) has been
included into auctex, such that preview-latex no longer is a
stand-alone package. Preview-latex basically runs Latex on a file in
question generates `pictures' based on the dvi file and `inserts' them
into the latex source file. The crucial point is that preview-latex
needs certain latex style files, which are not part of a standard
(La)TeX distribution. Since it contains such files there is a problem
for the  xemacs-pkg version. Basically I see the following possibilities

    - I generate a xemacs pgk which is preview-latex free. This
      is possible though discouraged by the auctex team. Moreover
      the problem with this is that if a user wants to have the
      preview latex functionality she/he cannot any longer
      install it as a add-on (since it does not exist as a
      stand-alone pkg).  So he must install auctex with
      preview-latex enabled. I think such a approach would not
      enhance the popularity of the xemacs auctex pkg.

    - I generate a a xemacs pgk which contains preview-latex. Now
      the problem with this is that I don't know where to put the
      preview  latex  style files.  In the  standard installation
      auctex comes  with sophisticated  make and  configure files
      which are able to find the latex distribution installed and
      runs during  the installation process  texhash in  order to
      update  the latex databae. So the  most obvious thing would
      be  to install those  files  in the  etc/ directory of  the
      xemacs auctex pkg. However then either

            - a link must be set  to a relevant directory in  the
              latex tree (and the user must run texhash). I don't
              know whether MS windows system  have the concept of
              a link.

            - or an appropriate  tex  path variables must be  set
              and the user must run  texhash.  However that again
              would depend  on the latex distribution used, which
              I cannot know before hand.

If I decide follow the philosophy of the second possibility I
have then to add in the documentation of the xemacs pkg,
information of how to set up the latex distribution
appropriately. 

The only similar case (of using non lisp files) I know is
x-symbol, written by Christoph Wedler. This package allows to
present latex math constructs by `real symbols'. It does it by
using special non standard fonts. Such fonts are shipped with
x-symbol and in earlier version of x-symbol one had to install
such fonts globally and restart the xserver. In recent version
that is not necessary any longer. I try to find out how Christoph
achieved that but I am afraid that the x-symbol case might be to
different to be helpful.


The problem is connected to  the fact that the xemacs pkg system
wants to serve a huge variety of platforms and try to avoid
platform dependent stuff, while auctex depends on sophisticated
configure/Makefile which can provide such information.



In any case I would strongly appreciate any comments on that
subject.


Uwe Brauer