Re: [Axiom-developer] Some latex packages that may help with multiple individual files in books

[Ralf Hemmecke]

> > Oh, that might be true. But what does that help if you want to combine
> > pamphlets from different authors who use conflicting latex packages???

> Obviously, it doesn't.  However, I'm hopeful that such conflicts will either 
> be minimal and easily resolved, or we can improve the latex packages 
> themselves.

1) If you need to edit the pamphlet files to make them work in the 
context of a big book. That sounds as if you have too much time to spare.

2) Where are our priorities? Improving LaTeX or improving computational 
mathematics?

I could imagine to impose restrictions on the LaTeX packages that are 
approved be used inside an Axiom pamphlet. But do you know all the LaTeX 
packages and the preferences of authors that you feel able to decide 
which package to allow and which package to forbid? I don't.

> > Some time ago I looked into combine, but I gave up since one needs to
> > make sure that the packages that authors use do not conflict each other.
>
> Yes, that's an ongoing issue with LaTeX.  However, it might be regarded as 
> bugs to be fixed, as much as anything else.

Hmm, yes, you could call it a bug. In fact, I know LaTeX not well enough 
to understand why it is so difficult to set up a wrapper file around a 
collection of latex files so that each file would appear (nearly) 
identical to the way it would appear as dvi when compiled separately.
The collection should, of course produce running page numbers.

And what I want is that links would be allowed between the parts. These 
links forbid an implementation that puts each part of the collection 
into a separate box, since there must be "communication" between them. 
So basically, it calls for a nicely defined API.

What I don't believe is that you can convince package authors to take 
every effort to keep their package compatible with any other package out 
there. Some people just write a package because they need it for their 
work and then suddenly it becomes useful for others. The was probably 
only a question that the package need to be compatible with packages 
that the original author used.

Ralf