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.dvi files and VMS
- To: Joerg.Knappen@uni-mainz.de, TAUPIN@rsovax.lps.u-psud.fr, andrew.trevorrow@anu.edu, math-font-discuss@cogs.susx.ac.uk
- Subject: .dvi files and VMS
- From: ls@mathp7.jussieu.fr (Larry Siebenmann)
- Date: Sat, 30 Apr 94 08:31:16 +0200
.dvi files and VMS
(J"org first technical problem)
> I don't think, that storing documents in dvi-format only is a good idea. I
> have made too many bad experiences.
>
> The first is, that dvi-files aren't really portable. Under VMS you have
> first to convert an ftp'ed dvi-file to the usual record structure (the
> easier task, if you know about it). The worse one is, that for some drivers
> (2 out of 4 at our site) you also should pad the last record with the magic
> end bytes instead of zeroes. Not very nice.
I suspect such problems have trivial solutions. Let's check it out.
I have heard that VMS has no idea what a binary file is --- all of
its files being made of "records". I am very surprised to hear that
some TeX installations under VMS fail to supply import and export
facilities for standard binary .dvi files. Which TeXs/drivers are
these? Are they supported? Is there some problem in creating a tiny
VMS facility for import-export of .dvi files? Is there no VMS
variant of .dvi format that is valid for *all* drivers
operating under VMS?
Is there some reason why .dvi files cause trouble while equally
binary .tfm, .vf and .pk files do not?
Laurent Siebenmann