Comment on new "Page Design" Chapter for new manual.
The question of page dimensions can be very confusing for the raw beginner. I suggest the something like the following as a lead in: ----------------------------------------------------------- For a printed page we really have to deal with three different sets of dimensions. The body of the text exclusive of headers, footers etc. is called the type block. In TeX the measurements of the type block are called \hsize and \vsize. When text is being laid out each paragraph is generally no wider than the \hsize and when \vsize is exceeded the page is ended and a new one is started. The actual page size of the finished document is measured with \pdfpagewidth and \pdfpageheight. For most documents this is the last set of dimensions needed. In a few cases "camera ready copy" is required which means that the final printed page image is centered on a larger piece of paper stock, often with trim marks indicating the boundaries of the page size. For example here are the dimensions for a book recently printed: hsize =4.25 in vsize =7 in pdfpagewidth = 6 in pdfpageheight = 9 in stockwidth = 8.5 in stockheight = 11 in. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The terminology may need some refinement but you get the idea. Think of the "Man from Mars" encountering Context and even TeX for the first time. -- John Culleton Create Book Covers with Scribus: http://www.booklocker.com/p/books/4055.html Typesetting and indexing http://wexfordpress.com book sales http://wexfordpress.net Free barcode: http://www.tux.org/~milgram/bookland/
Hi John, On 01/27/2011 11:41 PM, John Culleton wrote:
The question of page dimensions can be very confusing for the raw beginner. I suggest the something like the following as a lead in:
Thanks, duly noted. I'll keep this in mind for the next revision. Best wishes, Taco
On 27-1-2011 11:41, John Culleton wrote:
The question of page dimensions can be very confusing for the raw beginner. I suggest the something like the following as a lead in: ----------------------------------------------------------- For a printed page we really have to deal with three different sets of dimensions. The body of the text exclusive of headers, footers etc. is called the type block. In TeX the measurements of the type block are called \hsize and \vsize. When text is being laid out each paragraph is generally no wider than the \hsize and when \vsize is exceeded the page is ended and a new one is started.
hsize and vsize are more general and depend on where one accesses them, setting them will seldom work out well as they get set (and synchronized) depending on \setuplayout asignments
The actual page size of the finished document is measured with \pdfpagewidth and \pdfpageheight. For most documents this is the last set of dimensions needed. In a few cases "camera ready copy" is required which means that the final printed page image is centered on a larger piece of paper stock, often with trim marks indicating the boundaries of the page size.
pdfpagewidth and pdfpageheight are not to be used directly in context, \setuppapersize is to be used; setting the dimensions directly will have side effects
For example here are the dimensions for a book recently printed: hsize =4.25 in vsize =7 in
pdfpagewidth = 6 in pdfpageheight = 9 in
stockwidth = 8.5 in stockheight = 11 in.
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participants (3)
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Hans Hagen -
John Culleton -
Taco Hoekwater