ePiX -- README

Last Change: June 02, 2006

Please consult the following files as appropriate:

INSTALL -- Detailed installation instructions
README (this file) -- General overview and information
README-changes -- Changes visible to users (see also CHANGELOG)


DESCRIPTION

ePiX (pronounced like "epic" with a soft "k", cf. "TeX"), a collection
of command line utilities for *nix, creates mathematically accurate
line figures, plots, and movies using easy-to-learn syntax. LaTeX and
dvips comprise the typographical rendering engine, while ImageMagick
is used (if desired) to create bitmapped images and animations.  The
user interface resembles that of LaTeX: You prepare a short scene
description in a text editor, then "compile" the input file into a
picture. Default output formats are eepic (a plain text enhancement to
the LaTeX picture environment), eps, pdf, png, and mng. GNU bash and a
C++ compiler are *required* for ordinary use.

ePiX is tested on the following platforms:

* PC: x86 (GNU/Linux, gcc-3.2; development platform)
          (Windows XP, latest Cygwin; light testing)

* Mac: G4 (Jaguar, gcc-3.1; extensive testing)

* Unix: Sparc (Solaris, gcc-3.3; moderate testing)


INSTALLATION

Please see the "INSTALL" file.


OVERVIEW

ePiX's command-line conversion utilities are

* epix: ePiX to eepic

* elaps: ePiX and eepic to eps or pdf

* laps: (La)TeX to PostScript

* flix: ePiX to png or mng

Each script prints a detailed help message when invoked with the
option "-h" (help)


DOCUMENTATION

ePiX documentation is installed in $EPIX_INSTALLDIR/share/doc, by
default /usr/local/share/doc.

The tutorial/manual, a complete description of ePiX's features and
use, is installed as PostScript (for printing), hyperlinked PDF (for
online reading), and as LaTeX sources (for study/archiving).

The sample document consists of about two dozen figures, side-by-side
with their source files, and is also installed as PostScript, PDF, and
tarred LaTeX sources.


INTERNET DOWNLOAD SITES

*  http://math.holycross.edu/~ahwang/current/ePiX.html

  Links to currently available packages and documentation, general
  information, sample images and animations, and summaries of the
  latest developments.


*  http://freshmeat.net/projects/epix

  Announcements of recent releases, project stats, and links.


*  http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/graphics/epix/

  Stable releases with synchronized documentation.


*  http://savannah.nongnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/epix/epix/

  The very latest source code by CVS.


As with all free (GPL) software, the source code can be obtained on a
floppy disk from the author by post ("snail mail"), in this case from:

Andrew D. Hwang    <rot 13 nujnat at zngupf dot ubylpebff dot rqh>
Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA, 01610-2395, USA


PYEPIX

Though ePiX can be compiled and run using CygWin, Windows users may be
more interested in Andrew Sterian's Pyepix package, an implementation
of ePiX-1.0.4 in Python. Pyepix is available from

  http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~steriana/Python/index.html

and requires Python 2.2 or newer.


MAILING LIST

There are two mailing lists, for users and for development issues.
Please visit

  http://savannah.nongnu.org/mail/?group=epix

to subscribe.


COPYLEFT and DISTRIBUTION

ePiX and its documentation are distributed under the terms of the GNU
GPL.  This program and its documentation come with ABSOLUTELY NO
WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Lest this lack of guarantee sound
dire, please note that it is the same guarantee granted by all common
software, including expensive, proprietary software whose quality you
have no way to verify directly, and whose license you tacitly accept
merely by opening the package.

Feedback about this program (suggestions for features, etc.) is 
welcome. If you find this program useful, please consider making a
contribution to the Free Software Foundation; see

  http://www.fsf.org


--- Contact Information ---

Andrew D. ("Andy") Hwang  <rot 13 nujnat at zngupf dot ubylpebff dot rqh>
Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA, 01610-2395, USA
