MathGroup Archive 1997

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Questions re Style Sheets and Formatting (on the Mac)

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg9300] Questions re Style Sheets and Formatting (on the Mac)
  • From: siegman at ee.stanford.edu (AES)
  • Date: Mon, 27 Oct 1997 02:47:10 -0500
  • Organization: Stanford University
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

(I admire the people who designed this system, and had to make decisions
on all the hard questions;  but God, it's a pain to try to format
output in Mathematica without an adequate -- correction, without _any_
-- manual!)

I want to define a style sheet or overall format where

*  Screen display wraps (always and everything) at page width (as does
printed output also, of course).

*  Page break markers are always present (and continuously updated if
possible) in the screen display (i.e, I don't have to shift environment
to see page breaks).

*  Printed output is essentially WYSIWYG in all respects, at least so
far as cell text (in all types of cells) and linebreaks, etc, are
concerned, except that In[ ] and Out[ ] markers don't appear in printed
output.

*  Screen display is magnified enough for aging eyes to read it.

How do I do this?  (More detail the better!)

Related questions:

1)  At the bottom of the Mac window is a magnification popup menu, which
clearly magnifies (or minifies) the on screen display (thus achieving
final objective above).  But does it magnify printed output also?  Does
it change page breaks?  Where can I read about it?

1b)  When I change the magnification value for a LaserWriter in the
File=>Page Setup dialog box, does Mathematica know about this?  Does it
change the page breaks appropriately?  (Experiments seem to be
inconclusive.)

2)  When I try to modify a style sheet by selecting all cells, then
choosing Wrap at Page Width from the Format menu, I get a beep.  Yet I
seem to be able to apply the same command to every single individual
cell, or any subgroups of cells, within the style sheet.  Why?

3)  When I edit a notebook's style sheet (shared variety), while the
notebook itself is also open, do changes take place immediately?  Or
only after I close, or save the style sheet?  Do I have to Save the
style sheet to have my changes remembered?  What does the "Apply"
button in the upper right corner of the Option Inspector window do?

3)  In the Option Inspector, what's the distinction between "Global" and
"Notebook" options?  And, does changing options in either of these also
change the style sheet for an open notebook?  A shared style sheet?  Or
only a private style sheet?

4)  Suppose I want to employ the same notebook both to produce printout
(for making class handouts) and presentation output (for making
overhead transparencies) >> with larger type and different page breaks
in the presentation case <<.  If I switch the screen display
environment to presentation and manually insert hard page breaks before
or after certain cells, will these still remain when I go back to
working or printout screen display.  When I want to print the
transparencies (as contrasted to the class handouts, do I change the
printer environment ot presentation also?

There would sure be a market for a book or manual just on Mathematica
formats and style sheets, nothing else!


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