 \centerline{\bf Atari-ST \TeX}
\medskip
\noindent
There are several implementations of \TeX\ for the {\sc atari-st}.
             The  review  program  was  version 1.1 of
       \TeX\ (version 2.1) from TooLs GmbH.  
This implementation will run on the {\sc atari {\rm 520} st}+, the 1040 {\sc stf},
and any of the larger machines. It is supplied on three diskettes,
but will run quite happily on a machine with two disk drives. A hard disk
is not essential.

The main program is  executed
        from  the  desktop  by  double-clicking  the  |tex.ttp|  file.  This
        implementation does not preload any formats (e.g.~|plain.fmt|),  but
        the  required  formats  are specified as parameters at start-up or
      alternatively can be introduced once the  program  has  loaded.  A
        sample  file, previously used on an {\sc ibm} version of \TeX, was tested
        and as expected there were no major surprises, it worked! To cater
        for the different ST-system configurations, a  facility  has  been
        provided   for   specifying   a   search-path   for   the  various
input\slash output\slash font\slash format files  which  is  achieved  by  means  of
environment-variables  (similar to {\sc unix}), and these can be defined
        in a separate file |environm.ent|  which  must  be  present  in  the
        current directory. A useful idea for tailoring your own set-up.
        
             A  single  program  provides  both a preview facility on the
        screen, and drives a selection of printers. The |dvi| information is
        converted into a bitmap-graphic image in memory and, depending  on
        the  selected  options,  is  either  sent  to the screen or to the
        printer. The options are selected from the familiar  GEM-Menu  and
        if  required,  these  can  be  stored on a file called |dvi.inf| and
        recalled in the future using the file options. The display uses  a
        default screen resolution of 95 pixels/inch so that the width of a
        standard  A4  page  fits  nicely  on  a single screen  avoiding
        having to shift the text sideways in  order  to  see  the  covered
        portion.  The  text  is  quite  legible at this resolution, though
        subscript and superscripts do suffer. However, the screen
        resolution can be altered to suit  one's  particular  preferences,
        but  this  is  only  possible  provided  the appropriate fonts are
        available at the chosen resolution. Consequently it would be quite
        handy to have the ST-\MF\ package (also by  TooLs  GmbH)  with
        which  to  generate  the  necessary fonts. Apart from altering the
        screen resolution, the same  effect  can  be  achieved  using  the
        magnification option, but once again lack of suitable fonts may be
        a  hinderance.  However,  using the latter option, it is possible
          to   substitute
        different  (probably  smaller)  fonts   to get an idea of the
        final layout.

             At high resolutions, the machine memory may not be sufficient
        to hold the Bitmap-graphic image of an entire page,
 but an option is provided where the page is formed in `stripes', and
this will overcome the memory problem.
 
             When  processing  the |dvi|  file  the  entire  file  will  be
        processed  by default. Options have been provided to override this
        and these enable the user to specify the  starting  page  and  the
        number  of pages required. Furthermore, by preceeding the starting
        page number by a '?', it is  possible to format and  view  the
        pages  in  any  order  one desires simply by entering the required
        page number. Alternatively it is possible to specify the order  in
        a  file called |dvi.pag|, which is helpful when it comes to printing
        the pages in a predetermined order.
        
             A very wide range of printers are supported, including  9-pin  and
        24-pin  dot-matrix  printers,  {\sc atari} Laserprinter and {\sc hp} Laserjet.
It can support the Laserjet in 150\,dpi draft resolution, as well as 300\,dpi.
        Unfortunately, \PS\ printers 
        have not yet been catered for. Printout is possible in  draft  and
        quality  mode  (provided the necessary fonts in the required
        resolution are present). For some printers, landscape mode is  also
        possible.  The  sample  file  was  printed  on an {\sc epson} compatible
        {\sc juki}-5510 9-pin dot-matrix printer and   the
        printout  was  impressive.  There  exist  an additional option for
        improving the printout, analogous to switching the printer from  a
        bidirectional  mode  to  unidirectional  print  mode.  However  
 the printed results are  impressive  even  without
        using this extra facility.

             The  mode  of  operation of the preview\slash print program is such
        that options are selected  first  before  formatting  of  the  |dvi|
        information   takes   place.  Thus  everytime  the  |dvi| processing is
        initiated, the required fonts need to be loaded in first and  this
        can  be  time  consuming.  To  by-pass this slow process a library
        manager program has been supplied. This can be used  to  set-up  a
        library  of  fonts  which are regularly used and this font library
        once loaded will remain in-core.

             Apart  from  the  main  \TeX\ program  and  the   preview/print
        program,  |initex|  comes supplied as standard, and can be
        used  to generate the format form of macro-packages, such as \LaTeX\
        and \AmSTeX. These can then be linked  in  at  \TeX\ load time.  
The  \LaTeX\  format  file and associated fonts can be
        purchased separately to complement the basic package. \LaTeX\ is
priced at 70 DM, and \BibTeX\ at 17.50 DM.

             This  particular  implementation  of  \TeX\  on  the
        {\sc atari-st} at 230 DM (approx. \quid80) 
must be excellent value for money
        and I have not come across any major bugs. The accompanying manual
(in German, and soon in English)
        is quite good and covers the various aspects of the implementation
        in  detail.  

 I would like to see a number of enhancements
        in future versions to extend the scope of the package as  well  as
        making  it  more  user-friendly.  It would be nice if a GEM-based
        shell environment could be provided with access to a  simple  text
        editor  so  that  errors or other changes to the \TeX\ file could be
        done without the need to leave the \TeX\  environment and load in  an
        editor.  I would also like additional fonts to be supplied so that
        the preview  could  be  magnified  one  or  two  steps  in  either
        direction  without  the  need  to purchase the \MF\ package in
        order to generate the necessary font information. Printing onto  a
        \PS\   device  would  also  be  a  welcomed addition, and the
        option of \AmSTeX, though I agree that  this  may  not  be  widely
        used,  it  should  appeal  to  those  of  us who are involved with
        writing scientific reports.

A comparison of this and the Kettler-{\sc edv} implementation was
published in the July/August '87 German edition of
{\it Atari Computer} ---  `\TeX\ auf dem Atari ST'.

For further details contact:
{\obeylines
TooLs GmbH
Kaiserstra\ss e 48
D-5300 Bonn 1
FRG
}


\rightline{\sl Bijan Djahansouzi}
