However, I would prefer to have an offline solution. This adventure started with the usual insidious idea: "I could do this in ConTeXt! And this is a great opportunity to learn metafun!"
A couple weeks later, I have an almost ready product! It compiles fine, but I have the following issue: The template creates a Line, composed of Sections. And uses variables to assign a measurement for the nib-width, and an amount of ascender, x-height and descender Sections (nib-widths), to compose a Line.
But also, I would like to, if needed, display nib-width marks on the left side. My code so far generates marks, but only for the first Line. I think they are generated but maybe they are placed on top of each other, maybe? I'm not sure why my logic is not working.
Also, if I change the amount for ascenders, descenders of x-height, the marks are not drawn correctly.
My current path for a mark is a custom path emulating two unit squares, nib-width size, on top of each other, with the top one shifted a nib-width to the right. A little bit like a chess board, or a scale ruler on a map. But this would only work in Lines that have an even amount of Sections. I'm not sure how to proceed with that... I tried using unit squares, but that made things very complex, and after fumbling around I managed to get this far.
If you can take a look, or have some advice, it would be greatly appreciated. I hope it is understandable.
My code:
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
\setuppapersize[letter,landscape][letter,landscape]
\setuplayout[backspace=15mm,width=250mm,header=0mm,footer=0mm]
\startreusableMPgraphic{pauta}
% Global variables:
% Show nib-width marks
boolean marks ; marks := true ;
% Path for nib-width
path mark ; mark := (0,0) -- (1,0) -- (1,2) -- (2,2) -- (2,1) -- (0,1) -- cycle ;
% Line width
numeric line ; line := \the\textwidth ;
% Type box
numeric box ; box := \the\textheight ;
% Nib width (distance between lines)
numeric nib ; nib := 3mm ;
% Ascenders for writing line
numeric asc ; asc := 3 ;
% x-height for writing line
numeric med ; med := 4 ;
% Descenders for writing line
numeric dsc ; dsc := 3 ;
% Total height of a writing line in mm (including asc, med, and dsc)
numeric lineHeight ;
lineHeight = (asc + med + dsc) * nib ;
% Available lines on a page
numeric availableLines ;
availableLines = round(box / lineHeight) - 1 ;
% Starting position
numeric start ; start := 0 ;
% Macros
% Draw a section of a line (ascender, x-height or descender)
vardef Section(expr lines, initial) =
draw (0, initial) -- (line, initial) withpen pencircle scaled 0.2mm ;
for i=0 step 1 until lines :
save final ; final = i*nib ;
pair a; a = (0, final + initial) ;
pair b; b = (line, final + initial) ;
draw a -- b withpen pencircle scaled 0.1mm ;
% If marks=true show nib-width marks
if marks = true:
fill mark scaled nib yshifted (final*2) ;
fi ;
endfor ;
draw (0, final + initial) -- (line, final + initial)
withpen pencircle scaled 0.2mm ;
final + initial
enddef ;
% Draw a line with the three secions (asc, med, dsc)
vardef Line(expr descender, ascender, xheight, initial) =
numeric dd, oo, aa ;
% Líneas
dd = Section(descender, initial) ;
oo = Section(xheight, dd) ;
aa = Section(ascender, oo) ;
% Devolver posicion final con espacio para siguiente renglon
aa + nib*2
enddef ;
% Llenar la página con renglones
for i=1 upto availableLines :
start := Line(dsc, asc, med, start) ;
endfor ;
\stopreusableMPgraphic
\startdocument
\startstandardmakeup
\reuseMPgraphic{pauta}
\stopstandardmakeup
\stopdocument
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
-- ----------------------------------------
Los fines no justifican los medios, porque la medida verdadera de nuestro carácter está dada por los medios que estamos dispuestos a utilizar, no por los fines que proclamamos.
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