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
 
  
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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>
 
  
==<cmd>startMPinclusions</cmd>==
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This page is a brief overview of some of the commonly used commands.
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>
 
  
  
==<cmd>startMPpage</cmd>==
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= Commonly used commands =
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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; {{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.
\starttext
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: {{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.
\startMPpage
 
draw fullcircle scaled 2cm ;
 
dotlabel.bot(textext("(0,0)"),origin) ;
 
\stopMPpage
 
  
\startMPpage
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; {{cmd|startMPinclusions}}: Inside, one can specify MetaPost files to ''input'', and also define MetaPost functions.
draw fullcircle scaled 2cm ;
 
drawarrow (0,0)--(1cm,0) ;
 
label.bot(textext("$r$"),(5mm,0)) ;
 
\stopMPpage
 
  
\stoptext
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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}}.
</texcode>
 
  
Processing this file using
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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>
 
texmfstart texexec --pdf filename
 
</texcode>
 
gives a pdf with two pages of graphics.
 
  
==<cmd>startstaticMPfigure</cmd>==
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; {{cmd|startMPcode}}: When reusing a graphic is not important, you can simply use {{cmd|startMPcode}}.
<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,
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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.
<texcode>
 
\startstaticMPfigure{center}
 
draw fullcircle scaled 2cm ;
 
dotlabel.bot(textext("(0,0)"),origin) ;
 
\stopstaticMPfigure
 
  
\startstaticMPfigure{radius}
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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.
draw fullcircle scaled 2cm ;
 
drawarrow (0,0)--(1cm,0) ;
 
label.bot(textext("$r$"),(5mm,0)) ;
 
\stopstaticMPfigure
 
  
\starttext
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= Documentation and links =
  
Circle centered \usestaticMPfigure[center][width=1cm] at origin with radius
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* [[manual:mmakempy.pdf|MakeMPY]]: create MetaPost outlines (by Pragma)
\usestaticMPfigure[radius][width=1cm] $r=1\,\text{cm}$.
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* [[Flow Charts|FlowCharts]]: encapsulated application, demonstration of MetaPost/MetaFun
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* [http://www.pragma-ade.com/general/sources/mptopdf.pdf MPtoPDF]: create PDF from MetaPost (by Pragma)
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* [http://www.pragma-ade.com/show-gra.pdf a few examples of MetaPost graphics]
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* [http://www.pragma-ade.com/articles/art-puzz.pdf Puzzling graphics in MetaPost] (article)
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* [http://www.ntg.nl/maps/25/15.pdf metapost metafun. Hans Hagen at MAPS]
  
\stoptext
 
</texcode>
 
==If transparency is not working==
 
* '''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.
 
  
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----
 
[[Category:Graphics]]
 
[[Category:Graphics]]
 
[[Category:Metapost]]
 
[[Category:Metapost]]
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{{MetaPost see also}}
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{{Metapost navbox}}

Revision as of 21:49, 6 June 2020


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.


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


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