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 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 Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA, 01610-2395, USA