fig2vect 1.1.23
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fig2vect 1.1.23

 

Examples

Simple Fig drawing (no embedded images) in LaTeX document

LaTeX document

We start with a LaTeX document mytext.tex like this:

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article}
\usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{textcomp}
\usepackage{mathptmx}
\usepackage[scaled=.92]{helvet}
\usepackage{courier}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\author{The documentation group}
\title{The documentation}
\begin{document}
\section{Test}
This is a test.
This is a test.
This is a test.
This is a test.
This is a test.
This is a test.
\end{document}

Fig drawing

The image doc1.fig to add to the document is drawn in jFig (you can use XFig, WinFig or any other program producing *.fig files):

Convert *.fig file to *.mps and *.tex

To do the conversions we run

fig2vect -lmp.tex doc1.fig doc1.mp
fig2vect -ltex doc1.fig -i doc1.mps doc1.tex
mpost -tex=latex doc1
mv doc1.0 doc1.mps

Image inclusion into *.tex file

The LaTeX source mytext.tex is changed, we add a figure environment and include doc1.tex:

\begin{figure}%
{\centering%
\input{doc1.tex}%
\caption{Test image}%
\label{fig:test-image}%
}
\end{figure}

LaTeX document processing

Now we can create mytext.ps by running

latex mytext
latex mytext
dvips mytext

or mytext.pdf by running

pdflatex mytext
pdflatex mytext

Example summary

  • The Fig drawing does not contain embedded images, so we can use the MetaPost output driver combined with the TeX driver.
    The combination of MetaPost driver and TeX driver is the recommended driver combination to produce images for use with LaTeX.
  • MetaPost is my preferred output driver for 2 reasons:
    • MetaPost output can be processed by bot latex/dvips and pdflatex.
    • MetaPost allows to use the MetaPost arrowheads feature (curved arrowheads on splines and arcs).
  • In the example we use a combination of MetaPost and TeX output driver.
    We could leave up text typesetting to MetaPost but this would require MetaPost to create a LaTeX source, run latex and process the *.dvi file for each Fig drawing containing text. Additionally we would have to prepare a preamble file for inclusion into the *.mp files.
    Using combined MetaPost/TeX drivers speeds up processing, especially if a LaTeX document references a large number of Fig files.
  • In the resulting *.ps or *.pdf file text in the drawing should be of same font family and size as normal text. The ``mp.tex'' driver is set up to leave all text typesetting (including choosing a font and setting size) up to LaTeX.
    The LaTeX document sets the font size to 12 pt. When drawing in jFig we could use any text size for the texts but we should use 12 pt too for approximated WYSIWYG.

Standalone PDF file from simple Fig drawing (no embedded images)

Fig drawing

In this example we use the same Fig drawing as in the example above.

Font preamble file

In the standalone PDF file we want to have the texts in the same fonts as in the example above. So we have to prepare a file preamble.tex containing a preamble only:

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article}
\usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{textcomp}
\usepackage{mathptmx}
\usepackage[scaled=.92]{helvet}
\usepackage{courier}
\usepackage{color}

We have to use all the packages related to font selections, text encoding... The color package is required for text colors.

Create PDF file

We use

fig2vect -lmp.tex doc1.fig doc1i.mp
mpost -tex=latex doc1i
mv doc1i.0 doc1i.mps
fig2vect -ltex.full doc1.fig -i doc1i.mps -o preamble.file=preamble.tex doc1.tex
pdflatex doc1

to create a standalone PDF file doc1.pdf.

Example summary

  • A stripped down preamble was used to create the doc1.tex file. This preamble file sets up the font size and loads the packages to process text. Additionally we need the color package because the doc1.tex file contains a \color{} instructuion for each text.
  • In the file name for the *.mp and the *.mps file we added an ``i'' (for inclusion). This is not necessary when using the mp.tex/tex.full driver combination but absolutley necessary for the pdf.tex/tex.full driver combination. We will look at an example for this combination below.

Creating a bitmap image from a standalone PDF file

Convert standalone PDF file to PNG

We use

pdftoppm doc1.pdf doc1
pnmtopng doc1-000001.ppm> doc1.png
rm doc1-000001.ppm

to convert doc1.pdf to doc1.png.

Optimize PNG file for size

We use

optipng -q doc1.png

to reduce the size using default settings.

For better compression we attempt 

optipng -q -o7 doc1.png

To attempt a maximum number of combinations of compression methods we run

optipng -q -zc1-9 -zmk1-9 -zs0-3 -f0-5 doc1.png

This will take a long time but there is no guarantee for better results than in the previous command.
The optipng documentation does not recommend this option, so we better use the simple -o7 option from the command above.

Optimize PNG file for use on a web server

We use the -i option to optipng to create an interlaced image:

optipng -q -i1 -o7 doc1.png

Fig drawing with embedded image used in LaTeX document

Fig drawing

Now we embed the bitmap image testlogo.png into the Fig drawing doc2.fig which originally was a copy of doc1.fig.

LaTeX source

In mytext.tex we replace

\begin{figure}%
{\centering%
\input{doc1.tex}%
\caption{Test image}%
\label{fig:test-image}%
}
\end{figure}

by

\begin{figure}%
{\centering%
\input{doc2.tex}%
\caption{Test image}%
\label{fig:test-image}%
}
\end{figure}

to use the new drawing.

Convert the *.fig file to *.eps, *.pdf, *.bb and *.tex

We run

fig2vect -lpdf.tex doc2.fig doc2.pdf
fig2vect -leps.tex doc2.fig doc2.eps
fig2vect -ltex doc2.fig doc2.tex

to produce doc2.pdf, doc2.eps and doc2.tex

Process the LaTeX source

Now we can use either

latex mytext
latex mytext
dvips mytext

or

pdflatex mytext
pdflatex mytext

to produce either mytext.ps or mytext.pdf.

Example summary

  • The Fig drawing contains embedded images, so we can not use the MetaPost output driver here.
  • We use either a combination of PS/TeX drivers or PDF/TeX drivers instead, in the example we use the configurations eps.tex/tex and pdf.tex/tex.
    The eps.tex or pdf.tex configuration creates partial EPS or PDF output files containing all graphics elements except texts.
    The tex configuration creates a TeX file importing the partial files and placing the texts over the graphics elements from the partial files.
  • If one of the bitmap images embedded in the Fig drawing contains an alpha channel we can not use the EPS driver.
    In this case we would be restricted to the pdf.tex/tex configurations.

Standalone PDF file from Fig drawing with embedded images

Fig drawing

We use the same drawing as in the previous example.

Create the partial PDF file doc2i.pdf

To create the partial PDF file doc2i.pdf (containing all graphics elements except texts) we run

fig2vect -lpdf.tex doc2.fig doc2i.pdf

Font preamble file

We use the same font preamble file preamble.tex as in example 2.

Create PDF file

We use

fig2vect -ltex.full doc2.fig -i doc2i.pdf -o preamble.file=preamble.tex doc2.tex
pdflatex doc2

to create a standalone PDF file doc2.pdf.

Example summary

  • The combination of pdf.tex and tex.full configuration is used to create a standalone PDF file. The pdf.tex configuration creates a partial PDF file containing all graphics elements except texts. The tex.full configuration creates a complete LaTeX source which can be processed by pdflatex.
  • The names of the partial PDF file and the final PDF file must differ.
    In the example the final PDF file is named doc2.pdf, the partial PDF file is named doc2i.pdf.
  • The standalone PDF can be viewed in a PDF viewer. You can also use this file to create a bitmap image, see example 3.

Interesting example: See the features of fig2vect

Fig drawing


 
The example file doc3.fig uses fill patterns, contains a thick line with arrowheads and references two bitmap images: testlogo.png and fbt.png. The fbt.png image shows a clock standing at five before twelve, the image uses an alpha channel for transparency effects.

Use the image in a LaTex source

To create doc3i.pdf and doc3.tex we run

fig2vect -lpdf.tex doc3.fig doc3i.pdf
fig2vect -ltex doc3.fig doc3.tex -idoc3i.pdf

As at least one embedded bitmap image contains an alpha channel fig2vect reminds us to include a line

\ifpdf\pdfpageattr{/Group <</S /Transparency /I true /CS /DeviceRGB>>}\fi

into the main LaTeX documents preamble.
We also need to use the ``ifpdf'' package providing the \idfpdf instruction.
Instead of doc2.tex we use doc3.tex in the \input instruction in mytext.tex.

Now we can run

pdflatex mytext
pdflatex mytext
pdflatex mytext

to produce mytext.pdf.

Create a standalone PDF file

To produce a standalone PDF file doc3.pdf we run

fig2vect -lpdf.tex doc3.fig doc3i.pdf
fig2vect -ltex.full doc3.fig doc3.tex -idoc3i.pdf
pdflatex doc3
pdflatex doc3

Example summary

Looking at the PDFs we find differences to the output of other converters:

  • Fill patterns are implemented using vector graphics operations, not bitmaps.
  • Fill patterns are contiguous at graphics elements borders.
  • The partial transparency in the clock image is transferred to the PDF output.

Create SVG image (simple procedure)

Fig drawing

In this example we use the Fig drawing doc1.fig from the first example again.
When using the SVG output driver the Fig drawing must not contain special text (text with TeX flag set).

Create SVG image

Run

fig2vect -lsvg doc1.fig doc1.svg

to produce doc1.svg.

Example summary

  • The simple procedure does not require manual font setup.
  • The SVG output file suggests font names and - as fallback - font features but does not contain any information where to search for fonts.
    So the SVG might look differently on different computers.
  • SVG images created by the simple procedure can be used on both the local computer and on web servers.

Create SVG image for use on a web server

SVG variants of the GhostScript fonts

  • To follow this procedure you must have SVG variants of the GhostScript fonts installed on the local computer.
    We assume the fonts are installed in a directory /usr/share/fonts/urw-svg on Unix/Linux systems or in C:\Programme\urw-svg on Windows systems.
  • Edit the fig2vect configuration file, typically /etc/fig2vect/fig2vect.cfg or /usr/local/etc/fig2vect/fig2vect.cfg (Unix/Linux) or C:\Windows\Fig2vect (Windows).
    In the [svg.gs] and [svg.embedded.gs] sections change the value of the ``gs svg-font directory'' setting to ``file:///usr/share/fonts/urw-svg'' on Unix/Linux systems or to ``file:///c:/programme/urw-svg'' on Windows systems.
  • Edit the comfont.cfg file in the same directory, replace all occurances of ``./urw-svg'' by either ``file:///usr/share/fonts/urw-svg'' (Unix/Linux) or ``file:///c:/programme/urw-svg'' (Windows).

Convert the drawing

Run

fig2vect -lsvg.gs doc1.fig doc1.svg

to create doc1.svg.

Example summary

  • The SVG style information now contains a font name for each text and - as a fallback if the named font is not found - a font feature.
  • For each of the named fonts there is an ``@font-face'' entry where to search for the font file referring to the local file system.

Create SVG image for use on a web server

SVG variants of the GhostScript fonts

  • To follow this procedure you must have SVG variants of the GhostScript fonts available on a Web server.
    We assume the fonts are available as ``http://192.168.101.123/urw-svg/xxxxxxxx.svg''.
  • Edit the webfont.cfg file (either in /etc/fig2vect, /usr/local/etc/fig2vect or C:\Windows\Fig2vect) and replace all occurances of ``./urw-svg'' by ``http://192.168.101.123/urw-svg''.
    Instead of ``192.168.101.123'' use your file servers host name or IP address.

Convert the drawing

Run

fig2vect -lsvg.web doc1.fig doc1.svg

to create doc1.svg.

Example summary

  • The resulting SVG file now contains a font name - and as a fallback if the named font is not found - a feature for each text.
  • For each font there is an ``@font-face'' entry in the SVG file referring to a file on the file server.

Workshop: Create a partially transparent PNG for use as web logo

I have prepared a workshop how to use jFig and fig2vect together with Batik and your favorite text editor to create a partially transparent PNG file for use as web logo. This is a little beside from the average use of fig2vect to convert images for use with LaTeX.
Please note: The text and the embedded images use approx. 1,77 MB.
Click the link to visit the workshop at
./workshop/workshop.html.

Dirk Krause
Schmalkalden (Germany), 2009-12-01
http://fig2vect.sourceforge.net