Subject: categories: Re: graphics

From: Jeremy Gibbons <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 11:49:11 +0000 (GMT)

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004, Vaughan Pratt wrote:

> If you're a Picasso in such things then
> starting off with xfig isn't so bad, but if you're more of a Mondrian you
> might prefer to work in Latex's picture environment from the get-go.
> ...
> The only other widely supported language I know that's expressive enough to
> write a complete macro library in 20 lines for capabilities like flowcharts,
> digital or analog circuits, and lattice diagrams and that interoperates
> smoothly with Latex is PostScript.

I'm surprised no-one seems to have mentioned John Hobby's METAPOST
language. This is a mostly declarative language, with the capability of
solving linear equations. (So you can, for example, express that one item
appears halfway between two others, and that relationship will be
maintained as either endpoint moves.) It also integrates beautifully with
LaTeX. If you're neither a Picasso nor a Mondriaan, but you like writing
programs, I would have said this was the tool for you. Should come with
any decent TeX distribution.

Jeremy