TEXEXEC(1) ConTeXt TEXEXEC(1)
NAME
texexec - front end to the ConTeXt typesetting system
SYNOPSIS
texexec [ OPTION ... ] FILE [ ... ]
DESCRIPTION
texexec, a ruby(1) script, is the command-line front end to the ConTeXt typesetting system, an extensive macro package built on the tex(1)
family of typesetting programs. texexec provides several facilties:
o Process a ConTeXt source file, performing as many runs as necessary of tex(1), texutil(1), and MetaPost (mpost(1)). Options con-
trol the output format, the pages to process, paper size, and so forth.
o Create new ConTeXt formats, useful during installation.
o Post-process existing PDF files, including merging multiple files, and extracting and rearranging pages within a file, similar to
the facilities provided for PostScript files by psnup(1) or for PDF files by pdftk(1).
o Extract or strip documentation from ConTeXt source files using texutil(1).
o Run MetaPost (mpost(1)) to generate figures from MetaPost source.
o Produce proof sheets of figures used in a ConTeXt source file.
OPTIONS
All switches are specified in full here but can be abbreviated to the shortest unique prefix. Thus, --env works the same as --environ-
ment. With no options, texexec assumes that the file on the command line is a ConTeXt source file, i.e. a TeX file in the ConTeXt dialect,
and produces a PDF file using the source file.
General Options
--alone
Avoid calling other programs when possible. For example, --alone will prevent texexec from using fmtutil(1) to generate formats
(this prevention can be handy when tracing installation problems).
--environments=file[,file[,...]]
Specify ConTeXt environment file(s), separated by commas, to use when processing the source file. This option is useful when con-
verting from non-ConTeXt file formats without environment or layout settings.
--help Produce a summary of switches and arguments. A more detailed help is produced by including --all.
--interface=language
Specify the language ConTeXt should use to communicate with you. Options are
en US English
nl Dutch
de German
uk British English
cz Czech
it Italian
--keep Preserve a few of the temporary files generated while processing by appending .keep to their name. For example, after
texexec --keep document.tex
you will find (besides document.pdf) document.log.keep and document.top.keep. The document.top file is where texexec wraps docu-
ment.tex with the proper ConTeXt macro commands to set the output format, etc.
--once Process a file exactly once. (By default, texexec processes the file as many times as necessary to sort out all references, typeset
MetaPost code, and so forth.)
--purge
Get rid of most temporary files generated while processing the source file. For example,
texexec --purge somefile.tex
will generate somefile.pdf, cleaning up after itself and leaving only one extra file, somefile.tuo. See also the --purge option
of ctxtools(1)
--purgeall
Get rid of all temporary files generated while processing the source file, including the filename.tuo file. See also the --purge
--all option combination of ctxtools(1)
--randomseed=NNNN
Set the random seed.
--result=FILENAME
Allows you to change the basename of the output file. See --mode for an example.
--runs=NUMBER
Specify the number of runs to perform on a file. Overrides texexec's calculations.
--separation
Perform color separations.
--silent
Suppress a few diagnostic and progress messages.
--timeout=NNN
Abort the run if a subprocess waits for more than NNN seconds; e.g. while waiting for user input when tex reports an undefined con-
trol sequence. Useful for automated testing scripts, to make sure the runs finish.
--usemodules=module1[,module2,[...]]
Use the comma-separated list of modules. For example, to typeset document.tex using the bib and units modules:
texexec --usemodules=bib,units document.tex
--verbose
Output extra diagnostic information.
--version
Print the version number.
Processing ConTeXt Source Files
Including specifying paper sizes, formats, and so forth.
--arrange
Perform page rearrangements, which are used to produce booklets. This option tells ConTeXt to the first n-1 runs without taking
account of arrangements, then on the last run to pay attention to the arrangement commands in the source file.
--batchmode
Process the file in batchmode, which means to typeset the whole document even if there are errors. More imformation about batchmode
can be found in Donald E. Knuth's TeXbook.
--nonstopmode
Process the file in nonstopmode, which means to typeset the document and report errors, but not to stop at any error. It is similar
to batchmode but more verbose. More imformation about nonstopmode can be found in Donald E. Knuth's TeXbook.
--bodyfont=font
The name of a font to preload for use in setting the body of the text (OBSOLETE).
--centerpage
Center the document on the page.
--color
Turn on color mode. Color mode can also be set by commands embedded in the document. These commands override the --color option.
--convert=FORMAT
Convert the input file to ConTeXt format from FORMAT before processing. In most cases, this conversion will result in a TeX file.
Currently supported input FORMATs are xml and sgml.
--dvipdfmx, --dvipdfm, --dpx, --dpm
Use the TeX engine (e.g. pdftex or pdfetex) to make a DVI file and dvipdfmx(1) to turn it into PDF.
--dvi, --ps, --dvips
Use the TeX engine (e.g. pdftex or pdfetex) to make a DVI file and dvips(1) to turn it into PostScript. It's counterintuitive that
--dvi produces a PostScript file in addition to the DVI file. But that's because --dvi is shorthand for --dvips; adding the
--nobackend option prevents texexec's running dvips(1). See also the --engine option.
--fast Typeset the document(s) as fast as possible without causing problems.
--final
Perform a final run without skipping anything. This option is typically used with --fast.
--language=LANGUAGE
Set the language for hyphenation. Can be specified in your source file. Options are the same as those for --interface.
--mode=MODELIST, --modes=MODELIST
Allows you to change the mode used while typesetting the source file. The MODELIST is a comma separated list of modes. Modes are a
conditional-compilation facility like #ifdef in C. So one source file can be used to produce several typeset documents: one for A4
paper, one for screen display in full color, one for letter paper, etc. For example:
texexec --pdf --mode=A4 --result=manual-a manual-t.tex
texexec --pdf --mode=letter --result=manual-l manual-t.tex
texexec --pdf --mode=screen --result=manual-s manual-t.tex
Here the --mode tells ConTeXt which mode directives to use when typesetting the source file. The --result option tells ConTeXt
where to put the output file.
--modefile=file
Load this file before most of the usual processing; usually used for mode-related material.
--noarrange
Ignore arrangement commands in the source file.
--nobackend
Do not run the backend, e.g. dvips(1) or dvipdfmx(1). See the --dvips or --dvipdfmx options. Why would you give one of those
options to choose a backend, yet tell texexec not to run the backend? Because each backend has its own syntax for special calls.
Specifying the backend allows the ConTeXt macros to use the correct syntax so that when you later run the backend to produce Post-
Script or PDF, the specials will be interpreted correctly.
--pages=PAGENUMBERLIST
Specify the pages or page range to appear in the output file. PAGENUMBERLIST may be the keyword odd or even; or one or more pages
or page ranges separated by commas. For example,
texexec --pages=1,7,8-11,14 somefile.tex
--paperformat=KEY
For typesetting multiple pages on a single piece of paper. KEY has the form a4a3 (for printing A4 pages on A3 paper), a5a4 (for
printing A5 pages on A4 paper), or in general aMaN. The actual layout of the pages is specified with the --printformat option.
--pdf, --pdftex
Use pdftex(1) to produce a pdf document (the default).
--printformat=KEY
Specify the layout of the final output. KEY can be up, resulting in 2 pages per sheet, double sided; or down, resulting in 2
rotated pages per sheet, double sided. Use the --paperformat option to specify the original page and sheet size.
--utfbom
Turn on UTF-8 encoding.
--xetex, --xtx
Use xetex(1) to produce a pdf document.
Creating ConTeXt Format Files
--make Generate a ConTeXt format file. For example, to make cont-en.fmt and have it placed in a default format directory:
texexec --make de
The most common invocation, which is used by scripts that install a new version of ConTeXt (see ctxtools(1)), uses --all so that
texexec makes the usual formats:
texexec --make --all
--local
When searching for TeX or MetaPost formats, look in the current directory rather than in the location set by the kpse library. See
kpathsea(1) for more information on path searching.
--check
Check and report information about the ConTeXt version, the distribution, the TeX engine, and the language interfaces/formats.
Expert options
You should know what you're doing if you use these options!
--alpha
Use the TEXMFALPHA environment variable to find and run an alpha release of ConTeXt.
--beta Use the TEXMFBETA environment variable to find and run a beta release of ConTeXt.
--distribution=dist
Usually one of standard, web2c, or miktex. texexec should figure it out automatically, and you shouldn't need to use this option.
--engine=texengine
Specify the program to do the hard work of typesetting. Currently either pdftex (the default), xetex, or aleph. The luatex value
is experimental. The --engine option is not usually needed. Instead, let texexec figure out the setting based on other command-
line information. See for example the --xetex or --pdf switches.
Postprocess PDF Files
--combination=ROWS*COLS
Specify the number of pages to show on a single page. Use with --pdfcombine.
--pdfarrange
For rearranging pages in PDF files.
texexec --pdfarrange --paperformat=a5a4 --printformat=up foo.pdf
This command creates an A5 booklet from a PDF file foo.pdf. --pdfarrange is used in conjunction with the following options.
--pdfcopy
Copy and perhaps process pages from the pdf file. The resulting file is texexec.pdf by default, but you can change that using
--result. Use the --scale option to magnify or demagnify the original pages and the --pages option to select the pages to copy.
Here is an example using all these options:
texexec --pages=4-7 --pdfcopy --scale=750 --result=one images.pdf
It takes pages 4-7 from images.pdf, scales them by 75%, and copies them to one.pdf.
--scale=integer
If the integer is less than 10, then it is taken as an (integer) magnification factor. Otherwise, it is taken as a magnification
factor in TeX terms, i.e. with 1000 meaning full scale.
--paperoffset=dimen
Specify the space between the edge of the pages and the beginning of the text block.
--backspace=dimen
Specify the inside (gutter) margins.
--topspace=dimen
Specify the top and bottom margin.
--markings
Add crop marks.
--addempty=PAGES
Add empty pages after the pages specified in PAGES. (Useful for, among other things, adding blank pages after a table of contents.)
--textwidth=WIDTH
Set the width of the original text. Specifying this parameter with a single-sided original will allow ConTeXt to adjust the page
layout for double-sided output, producing much more attractive results.
With the --pdfarrange flag, specifying more than one file will result in all of the files being combined in the final result, allow-
ing you to add title pages, decorated part separators, and so forth.
You can also do more complex manipulations, such as adding additional text to the page by setting up a small file with layout defi-
nitions and a simple figure insertion loop.
--pdfcombine
Combine multiple pages. Requires the --combination option.
--pdfselect
Extract pages from a file. Use in combination with the --selection switch, as in
texexec --pdfselect --paperformat=S6
--selection=1,9,14 file-1
which extracts pages 1, 9, and 14 from file-1.pdf, and places them in texexec.pdf (the default output filename if an output file
isn't specified).
See --pdfarrange for other options.
--selection=PAGES
Specify pages to be affected by another option. See --pdfarrange and --pdfselect for examples.
XML handling
--filters=filter1[,filter2[,...]]
Specify XML filters to use.
Extract or Strip Out Documentation
--listing
Produce a typeset version of the source code in FILE. You can specify the format of the output file. For example, use
texexec --ps --listing readme.now
to produce a PostScript file called texexec.ps.
See also --backspace, --topspace, and --result.
--module
Create documentation for ConTeXt, MetaPost (see mpost(1)), perl(1), and ruby(1) modules. Converts the documentation to ConTeXt for-
mat and then typesets a documentated version of the source file.
Documentation lines in ConTeXt source files are specified by beginning lines with these strings:
%C : Copyright information
%D : Documentation lines
%I : TeXEdit information lines (mostly in Dutch)
%M : Macro code needed to processs the documentation
%S : Suppressed lines
The same forms can be used for Perl or ruby scripts, except that the % character (the TeX comment character) is replaced by # (the
Perl comment character).
See also the --documentation option to ctxtools(1).
Process MetaPost Figures
--mpsformats=name
The name of a MetaPost format file, e.g. metafun (the default).
--mptex
Strips out and typesets TeX code embedded in a MetaPost file.
--nomp Do not run mpost(1), even if needed.
--nomprun
Do not run mpost(1) on embedded MetaPost code.
Producing Proof Sheets of Figures
Generate information and proof sheets of one or more (non-EPS) graphics files. For example,
texexec --figures *.png *.jpg
scans the current directory for PNG and JPG files and extracts useful information about their sizes and types. By default, this informa-
tion is stored in rlxtools.rli. Then the given figures are made into a proof sheet (by default texexec.pdf) according to the method speci-
fied by the --method option. Note that newer versions of pdftex(1) do not support TIFF inclusion.
--method=ALTERNATIVE
Specify one of three options to produce the document containing the images used in the source file:
a : A proof sheet with additional information provided for each figure (the default)
b : A proof sheet with the graphics only
c : One figure per page, with the page clipped to the bounding box of the figure
See also --paperoffset, which allows you to specify an offset to be added to the page, as in
texexec --figures --method=c --paperoffset=.5cm *.pdf *.png *.jpg
USAGE
Each ConTeXt user interface (language) has its own format. The following command generates two formats, one using the English interface
for typesetting in English, and one for Dutch:
texexec --make en nl
By default, the language used for typesetting matches the user-interface language (set with --interface. It is possible to use one lan-
guage for typesetting and another for messages by changing the relevant settings in cont-usr.tex. These languages can also be changed on
the command line with a command such as
texexec --make --language=pl,cz,sk en
That command generates a ConTeXt format file with an English user interface, and the main language set to Polish (pl). Czech and
Slovak hyphenation patterns are also loaded so that Czech and Slovak text included in a source file will be typeset properly (cz and
sk).
o When the appropriate formats are present, a file can be typeset by typing
texexec test
texexec tries to determine what interface it should use to typeset test.tex by looking for a line such as
% interface=en tex=pdftex output=pdftex
at the top of the file (i.e., on the very first line). This line is equivalent to TeX's format line, ``&FORMAT'').
By default, texexec will produce a PDF file using pdftex(1). The --dvips flag tells texexec to produce a PostScript file instead.
After an error-free run, texexec will run texutil(1) to determine whether additional runs of tex(1) (or pdftex(1)) or any utility
programs (e.g., bibtex(1), makeindex(1)) are necessary. You can suppress these additional runs by specifying the --once or --runs
flags:
texexec --once test
texexec --runs=2 test
EXAMPLES
Produce PDF from ConTeXt source (the .tex extension is optional):
texexec file.tex
Same as the above but without rerunning for crossreferences, etc.:
texexec --once file.tex
Produce PostScript from ConTeXt source:
texexec --ps file.tex
Produce file-a4.pdf using conditional compilation (modes):
texexec --mode=a4 --result=file-a4 file.tex
Generate format (.fmt) files used by ConTeXt (used during installation):
texexec --make --all
INITIALIZATION
texexec requires ruby. On Unix and Unix-like systems, no special steps have to be taken to get texexec to work beyond installing
ruby and having the ruby(1) binary in your path.
SEE ALSO
bibtex(1), ctxtools(1), dvipdfmx(1), dvips(1), fmtutil(1), makeindex(1), mpost(1), mptopdf(1), pdftex(1), pdftk(1), ruby(1), psnup(1),
tex(1), texfont(1), texmfstart(1), texshow(1), texutil(1), xetex(1).
The texexec manual mtexexec.pdf, available from PRAGMA ADE <http://www.pragma-ade.com/dir/general/manuals/>.
Donald E. Knuth's The TeXbook.
ConTeXt wiki <http://www.contextgarden.net>.
AUTHOR
This manpage was written by Tobias Burnus <burnus@gmx.de> and C.M. Connelly <c@eskimo.com> and updated by Sanjoy Mahajan <sanjoy@mit.edu>.
It is based on the mtexexec.pdf manual written by Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl>.
texexec 6.2 December 2006 TEXEXEC(1)