Difference between revisions of "MetaFun - MetaPost in ConTeXt"

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< [[Graphics]]|[[Metafun]]|[[Metapost]]>
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__TOC__
  
ConTeXT provides a tight integration of TeX and [[Metapost]]. Metapost can used behind the scenes for some graphic trickery. This integration is also helpful for drawing figures in metapost and use them in the document. Some of the commonly used commands for this are
 
  
 +
MetaFun is ConTeXt extension the [[MetaPost]] language. It provides a tight integration of both TeX and [[MetaPost]]. MetaPost can used behind the scenes for some graphic trickery. This integration is also helpful for drawing figures in MetaPost and use them in the document.
  
==<cmd>startMPenvironment</cmd>==
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'''THE [[manual:metafun-p.pdf|MetaFun manual]]''', also available in a [[manual:metafun-s.pdf|screen version]].
This is used to change the body font for metapost graphics. For example, to get the text in metapost graphics in times, use
 
  
<texcode>
 
\startMPenvironment
 
\usetypescript[times][texnansi]
 
\switchtobodyfont[times,10pt]
 
\stopMPenvironment
 
</texcode>
 
  
An MPenvironment is sort of like <b>verbatimtex..etex</b> in regular (standalone) MetaPost figures. Here is an example of using verbatimtex in a regular MetaPost figure:
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Don't miss the illustrations at 100% MetaFun page [https://art-aleatoire.com art-aleatoire].
<texcode>
 
verbatimtex
 
% center-align and stack the two arguments
 
\def\2#1#2{\vbox{\halign{\hfil##\hfil\cr #1\cr #2\cr}}}
 
etex
 
  
beginfig(1)
 
  z0 = (2in,0);
 
  draw fullcircle scaled 3cm;
 
  label(btex \2{sun}{mass $M$} etex, origin);
 
  draw fullcircle scaled 1.5cm shifted z0;
 
  label(btex \2{earth}{mass $m$} etex, z0);
 
endfig;
 
end
 
</texcode>
 
  
To integrate such a graphic into a ConTeXt source file, there are several choices.
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This page is a brief overview of some of the commonly used commands.
  
1. Place the definition of <b>\2</b> in the MPenvironment.  However, that fails (as of the 2006.09.28 beta but it's likely to work soon, knowing Hans) because the definition is stored as a macro itself, and then the parameters #1 and #2 become ##1 and ##2, alas.  There is a <b>\startbuffer</b> trick that Hans posted on the mailing list.  But perhaps the easiest is:
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= System Overview =
  
2. Place the definition of <b>\2</b> in the ConTeXt environment, and change <b>btex..etex</b> to <b>\sometxt</b>.  Here's an example:
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[[File:MetaPost in Context v2.png|300px]]
  
<texcode>
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= Commonly used commands =
% in a large document, put this def in an environment
 
\def\2#1#2{\vbox{\halign{\hfil##\hfil\cr #1\cr #2\cr}}}
 
  
\starttext
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; {{cmd|defineMPinstance}}, {{cmd|setupMPinstance}}: used to set up MetaPost invocations with particular features. One use case could be to select a sans serif font for all MetaPost labels.
 +
: {{cmd|startMPenvironment}} '''is DEPRECATED''' in which one could place settings that one only wanted to apply in the MetaPost environment, but not in the document itself. One should use {{cmd|defineMPinstance}} and {{cmd|setupMPinstance}}, instead.
  
% earth and sun
+
; {{cmd|startMPinclusions}}: Inside, one can specify MetaPost files to ''input'', and also define MetaPost functions.
\startreusableMPgraphic{fig}
 
  z0 = (2in,0);
 
  draw fullcircle scaled 3cm;
 
  label(\sometxt{\2{sun}{mass $M$}}, origin);
 
  draw fullcircle scaled 1.5cm shifted z0;
 
  label(\sometxt{\2{earth}{mass $m$}}, z0);
 
\stopreusableMPgraphic
 
  
\reuseMPgraphic{fig}
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; {{cmd|startuseMPgraphic}}, {{cmd|useMPgraphic}}: defines a piece of graphics code that is processed anew every time the graphic is placed with {{cmd|useMPgraphic}}.
  
\stoptext
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; {{cmd|startreusableMPgraphic}}, {{cmd|reuseMPgraphic}}: For graphics that are the same every time, it is better to use {{cmd|startreusableMPgraphic}}: the graphic is compiled only once, and the one resulting picture can be placed at various points with {{cmd|reuseMPgraphic}}.
</texcode>
 
  
Warning: <b>\sometxt</b> cannot be used in loops.  Instead use <b>\textext</b>. [Someone who understands why should expand this statement!]
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; {{cmd|startMPcode}}: When reusing a graphic is not important, you can simply use {{cmd|startMPcode}}.
  
==<cmd>startMPinclusions</cmd>==
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; {{cmd|startMPpage}}: produces a page a containing MetaPost graphic. The page is just large enough to contain the graphic. The resulting pdf is self-contained (it has all the fonts embedded). This is useful if you want to send the figure to a coauthor or a journal.  
This can be used for specifying metapost files to ''input'' and also to define metapost functions.
 
For example
 
<texcode>
 
\startMPinclusions
 
input boxes ;
 
 
vardef my_metapost_fun(expr var)=
 
...
 
enddef ;
 
\stopMPinclusions
 
</texcode>
 
  
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; {{cmd|startstaticMPfigure}}, {{cmd|usestaticMPfigure}}: The {{cmd|startuseMPgraphic}} series of commands were designed for using MetaPost for drawing fancy frames and backgrounds and not for using <i>stand-alone</i> graphics for a document. {{cmd|startstaticMPfigure}} creates a separate pdf file containing the graphic. This pdf can be included in the document using {{cmd|usestaticMPfigure}}. ConTeXt is clever enough to recompile the resulting MetaPost file only if something inside the {{cmd|startstaticMPfigure}} has changed.
  
==<cmd>startMPpage</cmd>==
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= Documentation and links =
This produces a page containing containing metapost graphic. The resulting pdf is self contained (it has all the fonts embedded) This is useful if you want to send the figure to a coauthor or a journal. For example, one can have
 
  
<texcode>
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* [[manual:mmakempy.pdf|MakeMPY]]: create MetaPost outlines (by Pragma)
\starttext
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* [[Flow Charts|FlowCharts]]: encapsulated application, demonstration of MetaPost/MetaFun
\startMPpage
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* [http://www.pragma-ade.com/general/sources/mptopdf.pdf MPtoPDF]: create PDF from MetaPost (by Pragma)
draw fullcircle scaled 2cm ;
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* [http://www.pragma-ade.com/show-gra.pdf a few examples of MetaPost graphics]
dotlabel.bot(textext("(0,0)"),origin) ;
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* [http://www.pragma-ade.com/articles/art-puzz.pdf Puzzling graphics in MetaPost] (article)
\stopMPpage
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* [http://www.ntg.nl/maps/25/15.pdf metapost metafun. Hans Hagen at MAPS]
 +
* [[Fill Patterns|FillPatterns]]: Fill pattern examples using MetaPost/MetaFun
  
\startMPpage
 
draw fullcircle scaled 2cm ;
 
drawarrow (0,0)--(1cm,0) ;
 
label.bot(textext("$r$"),(5mm,0)) ;
 
\stopMPpage
 
  
\stoptext
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----
</texcode>
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[[Category:Graphics]]
 
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[[Category:Metapost]]
Processing this file using
 
<texcode>
 
texmfstart texexec --pdf filename
 
</texcode>
 
gives a pdf with two pages of graphics.
 
 
 
==<cmd>startstaticMPfigure</cmd>==
 
<cmd>startuseMPgraphic</cmd> series of commands were designed for using metapost for drawing fancy frames and backgrounds and not for using <i>stand-alone</i> graphics for a document. <cmd>startstaticMPfigure</cmd> creates a separate pdf file containing the graphic. This pdf can be included in the document using <cmd>usestaticMPfigure</cmd>. Context is clever enough to recompile the resulting metapost file, only if something inside the start stop staticMPgraphic has changed.
 
 
 
For example,
 
<texcode>
 
\startstaticMPfigure{center}
 
draw fullcircle scaled 2cm ;
 
dotlabel.bot(textext("(0,0)"),origin) ;
 
\stopstaticMPfigure
 
 
 
\startstaticMPfigure{radius}
 
draw fullcircle scaled 2cm ;
 
drawarrow (0,0)--(1cm,0) ;
 
label.bot(textext("$r$"),(5mm,0)) ;
 
\stopstaticMPfigure
 
 
 
\starttext
 
 
 
Circle centered \usestaticMPfigure[center][width=1cm] at origin with radius
 
\usestaticMPfigure[radius][width=1cm] $r=1\,\text{cm}$.
 
 
 
\stoptext
 
</texcode>
 
 
 
* '''center''' and '''radius''' above are ''labels'' that are used to access the figure.
 
* <cmd>usestaticMPfigure</cmd> takes the first argument as the ''label'' of the figure to be inserted. The second argument has the same options as the second argument of <cmd>externalfigure</cmd>
 
* To force the figure files to be regenerated, remove all the <code>*.mp.md5</code> files from the current directory.
 
==Transparent colors in figures==
 
 
 
You can use transparent colors!  For example:
 
 
 
<texcode>
 
\runMPgraphicstrue
 
\setupcolors[state=start]
 
\starttext
 
\startreusableMPgraphic{a}
 
fill unitsquare scaled 1cm withcolor yellow;
 
fill unitsquare shifted (0.5,0.5)
 
  scaled 1cm withcolor transparent(1,0.5,red);
 
\stopreusableMPgraphic
 
 
 
\placefigure[force,none]{}{\reuseMPgraphic{a}}
 
\stoptext
 
</texcode>
 
 
 
If you see black squares rather than a yellow one underneath a partially transparent red one, then you probably hit the 'missing specials' problem diagnosed by Taco (ntg-context list, 23 Sep 2006 22:00:42 +0200):
 
 
 
<pre>
 
This all sounds like the 'missing specials' problem that is caused
 
by conflicting -progname= arguments when using the web2c version
 
of metapost.
 
  
Make sure you do not have conflicting memory settings for both
 
  main_memory.mpost
 
as well as
 
  main_memory.metafun
 
  
The best is to remove all trace of '.mpost' and '.metafun' memory
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{{MetaPost see also}}
settings from your texmf.cnf, but at least make sure all the
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{{Metapost navbox}}
'.mpost' and 'metafun' values are the same .
 
 
 
Then regenerate metafun using texexec --make, and all should be
 
well again.
 
</pre>
 
 
 
And indeed it fixed it for me (Sanjoy).  These were the memory setting in the ''/etc/texmf/texmf.d/95NonPath.cnf''
 
configlet that is part of Debian and Ubuntu distributions of TeX:
 
 
 
<pre>
 
main_memory = 1000000 % words of inimemory available; also applies to inimf&mp
 
main_memory.context = 1500000
 
main_memory.mpost = 1500000
 
</pre>
 
 
 
I commented out the .mpost line (there was no separate metafun line,
 
which I guess instead used the main_memory value of 1000000),
 
regenerated ''/etc/texmf/texmf.cnf'' with ''update-texmf'' (as root), then regenerated metafun with ''texexec --make metafun'' (as me) and transparency worked.
 
 
 
[[Category:Graphics]]
 
[[Category:Metapost]]
 

Revision as of 00:33, 26 September 2021


MetaFun is ConTeXt extension the MetaPost language. It provides a tight integration of both TeX and MetaPost. MetaPost can used behind the scenes for some graphic trickery. This integration is also helpful for drawing figures in MetaPost and use them in the document.

THE MetaFun manual, also available in a screen version.


Don't miss the illustrations at 100% MetaFun page art-aleatoire.


This page is a brief overview of some of the commonly used commands.

System Overview

MetaPost in Context v2.png

Commonly used commands

\defineMPinstance, \setupMPinstance
used to set up MetaPost invocations with particular features. One use case could be to select a sans serif font for all MetaPost labels.
\startMPenvironment is DEPRECATED in which one could place settings that one only wanted to apply in the MetaPost environment, but not in the document itself. One should use \defineMPinstance and \setupMPinstance, instead.
\startMPinclusions
Inside, one can specify MetaPost files to input, and also define MetaPost functions.
\startuseMPgraphic, \useMPgraphic
defines a piece of graphics code that is processed anew every time the graphic is placed with \useMPgraphic.
\startreusableMPgraphic, \reuseMPgraphic
For graphics that are the same every time, it is better to use \startreusableMPgraphic: the graphic is compiled only once, and the one resulting picture can be placed at various points with \reuseMPgraphic.
\startMPcode
When reusing a graphic is not important, you can simply use \startMPcode.
\startMPpage
produces a page a containing MetaPost graphic. The page is just large enough to contain the graphic. The resulting pdf is self-contained (it has all the fonts embedded). This is useful if you want to send the figure to a coauthor or a journal.
\startstaticMPfigure, \usestaticMPfigure
The \startuseMPgraphic series of commands were designed for using MetaPost for drawing fancy frames and backgrounds and not for using stand-alone graphics for a document. \startstaticMPfigure creates a separate pdf file containing the graphic. This pdf can be included in the document using \usestaticMPfigure. ConTeXt is clever enough to recompile the resulting MetaPost file only if something inside the \startstaticMPfigure has changed.

Documentation and links