[texhax] Re: irregular boundaries

Nelson H. F. Beebe beebe at math.utah.edu
Fri Jun 6 13:58:12 CEST 2003


tomss at ids.net asks on Thu, 05 Jun 2003 22:37:03 -0400 about
typesetting material with irregular boundaries.

See the packages picinpar and shapepar, discussed on pp. 50--53 of the
LaTeX Companion, and the documentation of the \parshape command in the
TeXbook (pp. 101ff).  

See also these original papers:

@Article{Hoenig:TB8-1-73,
  author =       "Alan Hoenig",
  title =        "{{\TeX\ does windows}}",
  journal =      j-TUGboat,
  volume =       "8",
  number =       "1",
  pages =        "73--73",
  month =        apr,
  year =         "1987",
  ISSN =         "0896-3207",
  bibdate =      "Thu Feb 14 07:16:05 MST 2002",
  bibsource =    "ftp://ftp.math.utah.edu/pub/tex/bib/tugboat.bib;
                 http://www.math.utah.edu/pub/tex/bib/index-table-t.html#tugboat",
  acknowledgement = ack-bnb # " and " # ack-nhfb,
}

@Article{Hoenig:TB8-2-211,
  author =       "Alan Hoenig",
  title =        "{{\TeX\ does windows\Dash conclusion}}",
  journal =      j-TUGboat,
  volume =       "8",
  number =       "2",
  pages =        "211--215",
  month =        jul,
  year =         "1987",
  ISSN =         "0896-3207",
  bibdate =      "Thu Feb 14 07:16:05 MST 2002",
  bibsource =    "ftp://ftp.math.utah.edu/pub/tex/bib/tugboat.bib;
                 http://www.math.utah.edu/pub/tex/bib/index-table-t.html#tugboat",
  acknowledgement = ack-bnb # " and " # ack-nhfb,
}

@Article{Fox:TB8-2-216,
  author =       "Jim Fox",
  title =        "{Comment on ``\TeX\ does windows''}",
  journal =      j-TUGboat,
  volume =       "8",
  number =       "2",
  pages =        "216--216",
  month =        jul,
  year =         "1987",
  ISSN =         "0896-3207",
  bibdate =      "Thu Feb 14 07:16:05 MST 2002",
  bibsource =    "ftp://ftp.math.utah.edu/pub/tex/bib/tugboat.bib;
                 http://www.math.utah.edu/pub/tex/bib/index-table-t.html#tugboat",
  acknowledgement = ack-bnb # " and " # ack-nhfb,
}

Sometimes, for certain shapes, a different solution is possible: try
this example, which reproduces text from a business card typeset in
1956.

% cat youden.ltx
\documentclass{article}

\newenvironment{widecenter}{%
    \bgroup
    \@flushglue = 0pt plus 1fil minus \textwidth
    \begin{center}%
      \hfuzz = \maxdimen
      \ignorespaces % IMPORTANT: so space after \begin{widecenter} is gobbled
}{%
    \end{center}%
    \egroup
}

\begin{document}

%% Stephen M. Stigler, Statistics on the Table: The History of
%% Statistical Concepts and Methods, Harvard University Press 1999,
%% p. 415, ISBN 0-674-83601-4

\begin{widecenter}
The\\
normal\\
law of error\\
stands out in the\\
experience of mankind\\
as one of the broadest\\
generalizations of natural\\
philosophy $\diamond$ It serves as the\\
guiding instrument in researches\\
in the physical and social sciences and\\
in medicine agriculture and engineering $\diamond$\\
It is an indispensable tool for the analysis and the\\
\mbox{interpretation of the basic data obtained by observation and experiment.}
\end{widecenter}

\begin{flushright}
--- W. J. Youdon (1956)\\
\end{flushright}


\begin{widecenter}
THE\\
NORMAL\\
LAW OF ERROR\\
STANDS OUT IN THE\\
EXPERIENCE OF MANKIND\\
AS ONE OF THE BROADEST\\
GENERALIZATIONS OF NATURAL\\
PHILOSOPHY $\diamond$ IT SERVES AS THE\\
GUIDING INSTRUMENT IN RESEARCHES\\
IN THE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES AND\\
IN MEDICINE AGRICULTURE AND ENGINEERING $\diamond$\\
IT IS AN INDISPENSABLE TOOL FOR THE ANALYSIS AND THE\\
\mbox{INTERPRETATION OF THE BASIC DATA OBTAINED BY OBSERVATION AND EXPERIMENT.}
\end{widecenter}

\begin{flushright}
--- W. J. Youdon (1956)\\
\end{flushright}

\begin{widecenter}
\sf
The\\
normal\\
law of error\\
stands out in the\\
experience of mankind\\
as one of the broadest\\
generalizations of natural\\
philosophy $\diamond$ It serves as the\\
guiding instrument in researches\\
in the physical and social sciences and\\
in medicine agriculture and engineering $\diamond$\\
It is an indispensable tool for the analysis and the\\
\mbox{interpretation of the basic data obtained by observation and experiment.}
\end{widecenter}


\begin{flushright}
--- W. J. Youdon (1956)\\
\end{flushright}

\newpage
\begin{widecenter}
\em
The\\
normal\\
law of error\\
stands out in the\\
experience of mankind\\
as one of the broadest\\
generalizations of natural\\
philosophy $\diamond$ It serves as the\\
guiding instrument in researches\\
in the physical and social sciences and\\
in medicine agriculture and engineering $\diamond$\\
It is an indispensable tool for the analysis and the\\
\mbox{interpretation of the basic data obtained by observation and experiment.}
\end{widecenter}


\begin{flushright}
--- W. J. Youdon (1956)\\
\end{flushright}


\end{document}

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- Center for Scientific Computing       FAX: +1 801 581 4148                  -
- University of Utah                    Internet e-mail: beebe at math.utah.edu  -
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