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<h1>LaTeX and Xfig</h1>
<dl>
<dd><img src="images/redballdot.png" alt="-">
<a href="#LaTeX">Importing xfig figures into your LaTeX Files"</a>
by Eric Masson (ericm@kirk.ee.mcgill.ca),
<dd><img src="images/redballdot.png" alt="-">
<a href="#picsize">Changing the Size of Pictures in pstex_t</a>
by Stephen Eglen (stephene@cogs.susx.ac.uk)
<dd><img src="images/redballdot.png" alt="-">
<a href="#PDFLaTeX">Xfig and PDFLaTeX</a>
by Josselin Mouette (jmouette@ens-lyon.fr)
<dd><img src="images/redballdot.png" alt="-">
<a href="#misc">Miscellaneous Notes</a>
</dl>
<hr>
<a name="LaTeX">
<h3>How to Import Xfig Figures in Your LaTeX Files</h3></a>
When you call xfig use the following command line:
<p>
<tt>xfig -specialtext -latexfonts -startlatexFont default</tt>
<p>
If you want ALL of your figures to be started with special text and
latex fonts, you can set the following resources in your .Xresources
or whatever resource file you use:
<p>
<tt>
Fig.latexfonts: true
<br>
Fig.specialtext: true
</tt>
<p>
There are several formats to which xfig can generate output and
latex can read. I will only cover three cases:
<br>
(A) Export Fig format directly into latex form
<br>
(B) Export Fig in encapsulated postscript and import the
postscript in latex.
<br>
(C) Save the figure partly in postscript and partly in latex
form and superimpose them in your document.
<p>
All three methods have their advantages and are equally simple
to handle. In method (A) the advantage is that all your work
is in tex form and that your .dvi files will hold all the necessary
information. In (B) you have all the power and fonts of postscript
at your disposal. In (C) you get the drawing power of postscript
and the typesetting of latex for your strings.
<p>
In your latex preamble (the part that preceeds your
\begin{document} statement) place the following lines:
<p>
<tt>\input{psfig}</tt>
<p>
So your preamble could look like this:
<pre>
\documentstyle[12pt,bezier,amstex]{article} % include bezier curves
\renewcommand\baselinestretch{1.0} % single space
\pagestyle{empty} % no headers and page numbers
\oddsidemargin -10 true pt % Left margin on odd-numbered pages.
\evensidemargin 10 true pt % Left margin on even-numbered pages.
\marginparwidth 0.75 true in % Width of marginal notes.
\oddsidemargin 0 true in % Note that \oddsidemargin=\evensidemargin
\evensidemargin 0 true in
\topmargin -0.75 true in % Nominal distance from top of page to top of
\textheight 9.5 true in % Height of text (including footnotes and figures)
\textwidth 6.375 true in % Width of text line.
\parindent=0pt % Do not indent paragraphs
\parskip=0.15 true in
\usepackage{color} % Need the color package
\usepackage{epsfig}
\input{psfig} % Capability to place postscript drawings
</pre>
And your document beginning could look like this:
<pre>
\begin{document}
\end{document}
</pre>
<h3>TYPE A - Exporting directly to latex form</h3>
In terms of drawing capabilities this is the weakest form you can use.
Lines in latex can only be drawn at multiples of 30 and 45 degrees.
And lines with arrows can only be drawn at multiples of 45 degrees.
Several features such as ellipses, splines, etc. are not supported
(xfig does not take advantage of available LaTeX macro packages
such as bezier). When drawing lines for type A drawings make
sure you restrict yourself to the proper angle geometry in xfig.
Otherwise when you export your figures to latex format, xfig
will approximate your lines to the nearest angle available in latex.
Usually this has unpleasant results.
<p>
In this mode, you can type any LaTeX string on your
figure. Once imported to LaTeX, the string will be interpreted
properly. For example:
<pre>
$\int_0^9 f(x) dx$
</pre>
would result in a integration from 0 to 9 of the function f(x).
<p>
To create your LaTeX file just choose the export option off the
xfig main menu. And then select LaTeX picture as the language
to export. This will create a file with a .latex extension which
you can then call directly into your latex document. For example
this code would import the file yourfile.latex directly into latex
format:
<pre>
\begin{figure}[htbp]
\begin{center}
\input{yourfile.latex}
\caption{The caption on your figure}
\label{figure:yourreferencename}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
</pre>
<h3>TYPE B - Exporting to Encapsulated postscript</h3>
There are no limitations in drawing figures of this type. Except that
one cannot use latex command strings in this format. However all
of the many fonts of postscript are available when this format
is selected. Once you are done drawing your figure simply choose the
export menu off of the xfig main menu and select encapsulated postscript
as your output language. This will create a .eps file which you can then
include into you latex ducument in the following way:
<pre>
\begin{figure}[htbp]
\begin{center}
\ \psfig{file=yourfile.eps}
\end{center}
\caption{Your caption}
\label{figure:yourreference}
\end{figure}
</pre>
<h3>TYPE C - Postscript/Latex format</h3>
You can draw any lines or curves when using this format.
In this type of export, latex strings are permitted
you also have the postscript fonts available to you. Therefore
you can type in strings such as
<pre>
$\int_0^9 f(x) dx$
</pre>
and they will be processed by latex. You will need to export
your file to the combined ps/latex (both parts) language.
This will create both a .pstex
file and a .pstex_t file. The .pstex_t
file automatically calls the .pstex file and you do not need
to include it explicitely in your tex file (users of the previous
version please take note of this.) To include your figure
just use something similar to this:
<pre>
\begin{figure}[htbp]
\begin{center}
\input{yourfigure.pstex_t}
\caption{Your figure}
\label{figure:example}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
</pre>
<hr>
<a name="picsize">
<h3>Changing the Size of Pictures in pstex_t</h3></a>
If you just include the picture using
<tt>\input{file.psttext_t}</tt>
you have no way of specifying the size of the picture. There are two
solutions to this.
<ol>
<li>Draw it the right size in xfig to start with. Or, when you are
exporting the figure, change the magnification of the picture by
using the magnification box in the export window. Either way you
have to go back into xfig if you dont like the size of the image in
your latex document.
<p>
<li>Get LaTeX to change the size of the picture, using either <tt>\scalebox</tt>
or <tt>\resizebox</tt>. These are general functions for scaling text or
pictures from the graphics package:
<p>
<ol type="A">
<li>
<tt>\scalebox{factor}{object}</tt>
<br>
Will scale the object by any factor.
Factor is just a number (< 1 = reduction; > 1 = enlargement)
Object is normally some text or graphics
<p>
<li>
<tt>\scalebox{2}{ \input{file.pstex_t} }</tt>
<br>
will scale the picture by 2, dependent on driver (.ps works, but xdvi
wont). Scaling bitmap fonts may produce ugly results, so try and
avoid them!
<p>
<li>
<tt>\resizebox{width}{ht} {stuff}</tt>
<br>
will resize "stuff" to be of size width x ht. Using "!" as an argument
retains the aspect ratio of the box.
eg <tt>\resizebox{5cm}{!}{fat cat}</tt> will make "fat cat" appear 5 cm wide,
and suitably high.
(From p129, Lamport)
</ol>
</ol>
<hr>
<a name="PDFLaTeX">
<h1>xfig and PDFLaTeX</h1></a>
written by Josselin Mouette (jmouette@ens-lyon.fr)
<ol>
<li>A STANDARD PDF FILE
<br>
In xfig, select the "PDF" export filter, which will generate a
<tt>foo.pdf</tt> file. In your document, put in the preamble :
\usepackage[pdftex]{graphicx}
\DeclareGraphicsRule{.pdftex}{pdf}{.pdftex}{}
and insert your picture with <tt>\includegraphics{foo.pdf}</tt>
You may use all the includegraphics options as well.
Pros: Very easy to use.
Cons: The text in your figure will appear as is on your document,
using postscript fonts; you cannot put some TeX code in it.
<p>
<li>A COMBINED PDF/LaTeX FILE
<br>
This is the method I would recommend in most cases. It may be
difficult for the beginner at the first time, but it is really
powerful. If you choose this method, you'll have to set the xfig
fonts to LaTeX ones, and to set the "special" attribute of your
text boxes. To do this automatically, you can add these 2 lines in
your .Xresources or .Xdefaults (depends on your system):
<pre>
Fig.latexfonts: true
Fig.specialtext: true
</pre>
Then, when exporting, select the "Combined PDF/LaTeX" format.
Then, in your LaTeX file, put in the preamble:
<br>
<tt>\usepackage[pdftex]{graphicx,color}</tt>
<br>
The color package is required whenever you put some text in colors.
Then include the picture with:
<br>
<tt>\input foo.pdftex_t</tt>
<br>
You can also resize it:
<br>
<tt>\resizebox{3cm}{!}{\input foo.pdftex_t} % sets the width to 3cm</tt>
<br>
Pros: Whatever is put in your text boxes is treated just as your
document's code; that means you can use your own macros,
which is really cool.
<br>
Cons: When putting big formulas on your figure, it is sometimes
difficult to predict what place they will take because xfig and fig2dev
don't know the bounding area of the text because they contain LaTeX
directives that aren't printed.
<p>
<li>METAPOST
<br>
There is nothing special to do in xfig to use MetaPost. All the
text you type will be treated as plain TeX code - note, this will
be not compiled within your document, so you don't have acess to
packages like AMS-TeX, neither have you to your macros.
In xfig, export your file with the MetaPost filter, it creates
<tt>foo.mp</tt>. Then, type mpost foo.mp, it will generate <tt>foo.0</tt>
(or <tt>foo.1</tt>, sometimes).
In your document, put this in the preamble:
<pre>
\input supp-pdf.tex
\usepackage[pdftex]{graphicx}
</pre>
And to include your figure :
<pre>
\convertMPtoPDF{foo.0}{1}{1}
</pre>
That's it. Quite simple, and you can put a bit TeX inside.
<br>
Pros: Can be easily included in a dual-output (pdf/dvi) file: for
including it as PS, just put a <tt>\includegraphics{foo.0}</tt> in the
document.
<br>
Cons: Not adapted to big formulas, as AMS-LaTeX is not
accessible. Long phrases may look bad as well, if your
document is not in English (babel cannot be used).
<p>
<li>MULTI-METAPOST
<br>
This method is designed to be used in PDF presentations. Using the
<tt>\pause</tt> command, it will display step by step the layers of your
figure as you click on the button, which can look very nice (and
can even be useful sometimes). All that have been told about
MetaPost inclusions is true, but there are a few extra things to
know:
<p>
<ol type="A">
<li>
When creating your figure, be careful with the depth of your
objects. When exporting your figure in the MultiMetaPost format,
transfig will treat the consecutive depth levels where is an object
as a single layer, for example:
<pre>
Circle at depth 51 \__first displayed layer
Text at depth 50 /
*** Nothing at depth 49
Square at depth 48 \
Text at depth 48 > Second displayed layer
Curve at depth 47 /
... and so on.
</pre>
<li>
After exporting, mpost <tt>foo.mmp</tt> will create a set of files named
<tt>foo.0, foo.1...</tt>
To include them in the document, you will need the mpmulti.sty
provided with the latest version of PPower4 (still in Beta stage at
the time of writing).
The preamble of your document should look like this:
<pre>
\input supp-pdf.tex
\usepackage[pdftex]{graphicx}
\usepackage{pause,mpmulti}
</pre>
And to include your animation, just put:
<pre>
\multiinclude{foo}
</pre>
You can adjust it to a defined size by using:
<pre>
\multiinclude[graphics={width=5cm}]{foo}
</pre>
Compile your document, then ppower4 it. Nifty, isn't it?
<br>
Pros: The only way to insert automatically animations. Benefit of
the existing xfig's depth system.
<br>
Cons: Are there any?
</ol>
<hr>
<a name="misc">
<h3>Some Other Notes</h3></a>
Sometimes one may get "mn" in your LaTeX text. Here is what one
user did to work around that problem:
<p>
The problem was in the <tt>\smash</tt> part of a command that was generated in
the latex part of the export. If the <tt>\mddefault</tt> and <tt>\updefault</tt> are
not set properly on your system you need to define them to do nothing.
<hr>
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