ePiX -- README

Last Change: September 12, 2007

Please consult the following files as appropriate:

INSTALL -- Detailed installation instructions
NEWS -- Recent major changes (see ChangeLog for code changes)
README (this file) -- General overview and information


DESCRIPTION

ePiX (pronounced like "epic" with a soft "k", playing on "TeX"), a
collection of command line utilities for *nix, creates mathematically
accurate figures, plots, and movies using easy-to-learn syntax. The
output is expressly designed for use with LaTeX.

The user interface resembles that of LaTeX itself: You prepare a short
scene description in a text editor, then compile the input file into a
picture. LaTeX- and web-compatible output types include a LaTeX
picture-like environment written with PSTricks, tikz, or eepic macros;
vector images (eps, ps, and pdf); and bitmap images (png, mng, gif).


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 $(prefix)/share/doc/epix, by
default /usr/local/share/doc/epix.

The manual, a complete description of ePiX's features and use, is
installed as PostScript (for printing), hyperlinked PDF (for online
reading), GNU info (for reference within emacs), and as LaTeX sources.


DEVELOPER FILES

The header files are installed in $(pkgincludedir), by default
$(prefix)/include/epix.


INTERNET DOWNLOAD SITES

*  http://math.holycross.edu/~ahwang/epix/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/1.2

  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    <ahwang -at- holycross -dot- edu>
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. This 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  <ahwang -at- holycross -dot- edu>
Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA, 01610-2395, USA
