$Id: README,v 1.6 2005/03/21 19:16:12 karl Exp $

This README file for the MetaPost distribution is public domain.
(As is the MetaPost software, see the end of this file.)

MetaPost is a system for producing graphics developed by John Hobby at
AT&T, based on Donald Knuth's Metafont.

- The MetaPost home page is http://tug.org/metapost.

- The <metapost@tug.org> mailing list is for general help and discussion
  of MetaPost; to subscribe, visit http://tug.org/mailman/listinfo/metapost.

- MetaPost development is currently hosted at supelec.fr; visit
  https://foundry.supelec.fr/projects/metapost for the current development
  team members, sources, and much else.
  
- Please report bugs and request enhancements either on the
  metapost@tug.org list, or through Sarovar.  (Please do not send
  reports directly to Dr. Hobby any more.)


This README file merely describes this packaging and source layout of
the MetaPost system.  See ./INSTALL for some installation help, and
./CHANGES for recent and not-so-recent improvements to MetaPost.

The source installation package has been created by extracting the
bits and pieces of TeX Live 2004 that are absolutely needed to compile
the programs in such a way that they can be plugged into an existing
web2c-based installation afterwards. It follows, that for a succesful
build, your system has to be able to compile and install a web2c based
distribution like tetex or TeX Live. See http://tug.org/texlive/ for more
information.

Some support is required in a dvi-to-PostScript program in order to take
full advantage of MetaPost's ability to include typeset text in figures.
Rokicki's dvips is one of the few drivers that has this support; it is
available from http://www.ctan.org and/or other standard sites as well
as being included in most common TeX distributions.

When using pdftex, that same functionality is provided by the mptopdf
TeX macros by Hans Hagen that convert MetaPost output to PDF primitives
on the fly. These macros are part of his ConTeXt format, which is also
included in most TeX distributions. More information on ConTeXt can be
obtained from http://www.pragma-ade.com.

The main source files for MetaPost are located in src/texk/web2c;
auxiliary programs that process included TeX commands are contained in
the subdirectory src/texk/web2c/mpware; standard macro files and such
are distributed below the top-level ./texmf directory. The manual and
some other documentation is under ./manual. Optional troff files are
in ./troff.

The executable that is created by the build process is named mpost. As
is normal in current web2c systems, this executable functions as both
inimp and virmp by means of a command-line switch.

When mpost is processing an input file that contains TeX commands, it
depends on a shell script (mpware/makempx) to create an auxiliary
input file that gives corresponding MetaPost picture expressions.
This script uses mpware/mpto to create TeX (or troff) input and uses
the program dvitomp (for TeX) or mpware/dmp (for troff) to postprocess
the output.

The dmp translator reads data file ./troff/trfonts.map.
It handles the translation between troff names and tfm file names.

Like its ancestor Metafont, MetaPost is written in the web language.
Anyone who is not familiar with the mechanics of web programs should
see the documentation that comes with his/her TeX distribution.  The
distribution contains a directory called "web2c" with Tim Morgan's
programs for automatically translating web programs into C.  It is a
good idea to look at the documentation for web2c before installing
MetaPost.

The ultimate source for MetaPost is mp/mp.web.  System-dependent
changes go in mp/mp.ch, and there may be extra .ch files if you have
donwloaded a pretest or beta release. These are basically diff files
where changes are denoted
                   @x <old text> @y <new text> @z

Have fun!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The following AT&T software is hereby put into the public domain:

    The MetaPost system, including the interpreter, mp,
    and support programs mpto, dvitomp and dmp

This does not constitute a precedent to be applied to any other AT&T
copyright software.

AT&T relinquishes all intellectual property rights to this code, both
source and binary form and permission is granted for anyone to use,
duplicate, modify and redistribute it.

AT&T provides absolutely NO WARRENTEE OF ANY KIND with respect to this
software.  The entire risk as to the quality and performance of this
software is with the user.

IN NO EVENT WILL AT&T BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR ANY DAMAGES
ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT
LIMITATION, DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOST DATA OR LOST PROFITS,
OR FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
