Re: dvipdf vs buildt-in converter to pdf??

[Tim X]

pop <asd@asd.com> writes:

> Tim X wrote:
>
>> "pop" <asd@asd.com> writes:
>> 
>>> Emacs does not use 'dvipdf' when it converts dvi files to pdf.
>>>
>>> I prefer using 'dvipdf' because I only need to have an .eps version of
>>> the images I would like to include in my .tex files.
>>>
>>> Why does emacs not use 'dvipdf' and is there any flaws to this converter
>>> compared to the one emacs use??
>>>
>> 
>> Not enough information to provide a concise answer. For example, are
>> you using auctex mode to create your documents?
>
>
> I use auctex. If I use latex built-in 'pdflatex' I need to have my pictures
> in a .pdf format. But if I just want to see the dvi output I need to have
> them in .eps. So far I have had both a .pdf version and a .eps version of
> the pictures and included them like:
>
> \begin{center}
> \includegraphics[width=10cm]{pic1}
> \end{center}
>
> where pic1.pdf and pic1.eps are located in the same dir as my .tex file.
>
> But now I just found out that if I use dvipdf instead of pdflatex I don't
> need to have the .pdf versions of my pictures, which saves me for a lot of
> work.
>
> Therefore I would like to know what the difference is between using 'dvipdf'
> and 'pdflatex' (besides from the obvious advantage of only using .eps
> files).

I guess we have different modes of operation. This is what I do

1. Create the image files - either .eps, .gif, .png etc
2. Create my Latex doc with emacs and auctex
3. Use command similar to yours to embed image
4. Hit C-c C-c to run latex and get a dvi file
5. View with C-c C-c again (using xdvi). All images are visible (at
least if they are .eps, can't remember about .gif and .png). 
6. If more work required, go back to 2 and repeat until final document
looks correct
7. Run dvipdf on dvi file to produce pdf version

This works fine for me using tetex as my TeX/LaTeX implementation. I
don't understand why the additional process of creating a PDF file
just to view it - thats the last step I do prior to printing or
sending to someone else. I have no problems viewing files with a fair
few images - but on average, the documents I'm working on are around
the 20-40 page size and rarely exceed 100 pages. Often, if I'm going
to print the document and I am using a postscript or specific
device/printer, I may use one of the more specific dvi* as I think you
get a more reliable result and it seems to make no sense to go through
an additional processing/translation when you are only going to print
the file. 

Tim
-- 
tcross (at) rapttech dot com dot au