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Re: text in graphics

  • To: mathgroup at yoda.physics.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: text in graphics
  • From: ross at macmath.btec.mq.edu.au (Ross Moore)
  • Date: Wed, 3 Jun 92 18:13:06 +1000

Gerhold Fasol asks...

Does anybody know if some TeX-like method
exists to produce exponents etc in FrameLabels and other text within
graphics?


Yes, you can do exponents and subscripts and other fonts.
For fonts you use  FontForm[]  see pp467-470 of the bible.
This section also explains how to position pieces of text at 
desired locations, and oriented at specified angles.

There is a catch that is not mentioned which may be applicable if
you are using non-standard fonts, or non-standard symbols within
standard fonts. Basically the problem is with PostScript, not Mma.
It relates to character codes of the characters within a font.
Typing a, b, c, ... A, B, C, ... will get you most characters but 
there may be some, with codes 128--255 that cannot be generated this way.
To get these you must type \xyz  where xyz is the 3-digit Octal representation
of the desired character. e.g. \260 produces an  infinity  symbol in many
Macintosh fonts.
e.g.
Show @ Graphics[
	Text[FontForm["\265",{"Symbol",36}],{.5,.5}]
	]

produces the desired symbol, and prints correctly.

WARNING: FontForm["\260",{Times-Roman",36}] also gives an infinity
symbol on screen, but it does not print. This is because there is no
character \260 in the PostScript Times-Roman font. The Mac references
this character from the Symbol font.


To get exponents for labels, the easiest way is to use  OutputForm .
For example,

PlotLabel -> "f(x) = " (5/4 x^(4/5) //OutputForm) 

gives a label formatted in the same way as you get with:

Print[ "f(x) = ", 5/4 x^(4/5) ];

          4/5
       5 x
f(x) = ------
         4

If the spacings and/or sizes are not to your liking here, you might try
hacking at the PostScript code to get what you want.

Cheers,
Ross Moore.







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