Software that makes placemats

[jdaw1]

At the request of AHB, extra parameter VoteRecorderNamesOrientation, with allowed values /Horizontal, /Vertical, or the default value of /Either. AHB prefers the value /Vertical.

[djewesbury]

At the request of AHB, extra parameter VoteRecorderNamesOrientation, with allowed values /Horizontal, /Vertical, or the default value of /Either. AHB prefers the value /Vertical.

Actually this is something I spent some time wondering about ages ago. I'm glad AHB had slightly more presence of mind than me. I just sat there and muddled on.

[jdaw1]

At the request of AHB, extra parameter VoteRecorderNamesOrientation, with allowed values /Horizontal, /Vertical, or the default value of /Either. AHB prefers the value /Vertical.

Damn. This has caused me to notice something else that should be fixed. The Total on the bottom-left of the page should be rotated. E.g.:

[jdaw1]

(Note to self whilst on Tapatalk. Auto-rotate that “Total” if: width of cell smaller than width of “Total”; and width of cell at least height of “Total”; and cell taller than wide.)

[jdaw1]

(Note to self whilst on Tapatalk. Different conditions better. Auto-rotate that “Total” if: width of cell smaller than width of “Total”; width “Total” × height cell > height “Total” × width cell.)

[jdaw1]

(Note to self whilst on Tapatalk. Different condition better. Compute Max font size factor if unrotated = Min(1, width of cell ÷ width of “Total”, height of cell ÷ height of “Total”. Also compute Max font size factor if rotated = Min(1, width of cell ÷ height of “Total”, height of cell ÷ width of “Total”). Rotate if latter strictly bigger. If not rotated show at original height but perhaps horizontally squashed; if rotated show shrunk equally in both directions. Maybe, if rotated and shrunk at all, shrink by a factor of at least √½. Comment welcomed.

But in one case the scaling is in one direction, in the other in both. So maybe the former should be compared to the square of the latter. Comment welcomed.)

[jdaw1]

(Note to self whilst on Tapatalk. Definitely not squaring: measuring legibility not ink. E.g., would much rather have scaling in both directions by a factor of 0.7 than scaling in one by a factor of 0.5.)

[jdaw1]

Done.

Old and new:

(Reload images with ⌘R or Control-R. Alas not possible on Tapatalk.)

[jdaw1]

A tasting is to be held on 23^rd September 2014. Because The Bung Hole will be closed for refurbishment, the tasting is to be held at Davy’s at Woolgate.

In the default value of ExternalLinks there are four lines about The Bung Hole: one for its website, and one each for three map websites. These lines should be replaced with Woolgate equivalents, and for use and future re-use, a correct replacement follows.

Code: Select all

	(http://www.davy.co.uk/woolgate/)  [(Davy) /quoteright (s at Woolgate)]
	(http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=532560&y=181440&z=106&pc=EC2V+5HA)  (EC2V 5HA, streetmap.co.uk)
	(https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.51652,-0.091&cbp=11,80,,0,0)  (EC2V 5HA, maps.google.co.uk)
	(http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=EC2V+5HA&cp=51.5162~-0.09084)  (EC2V 5HA, bing.com)

For testing purposes, those links in BBCode format:

• Davy’s at Woolgate;
• EC2V 5HA, streetmap.co.uk;
• EC2V 5HA, maps.google.co.uk;
• EC2V 5HA, bing.com.

Edit: also for the Crusting Pipe:

Code: Select all

	(http://www.crustingpipe.co.uk/)  (Crusting Pipe)
	(http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=530351&y=180907&z=106&pc=WC2E+8RD)  (WC2E 8RD, streetmap.co.uk)
	(http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=WC2E+8RD&cp=51.5121~-0.123)  (WC2E 8RD, bing.com)
	(https://plus.google.com/103198375868437142697/)  (Crusting Pipe, plus.google.com)

And, for Davy’s at Woolgate, with an extra line:

Code: Select all

	(http://www.davy.co.uk/woolgate/)  [(Davy) /quoteright (s at Woolgate)]
	(http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=532560&y=181440&z=106&pc=EC2V+5HA)  (EC2V 5HA, streetmap.co.uk)
	(http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=EC2V+5HA&cp=51.5162~-0.09084)  (EC2V 5HA, bing.com)
	(https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.51652,-0.091&cbp=11,80,,0,0)  (EC2V 5HA, maps.google.co.uk)
	(https://plus.google.com/115233829966484950403/)  [(Davy) /quoteright (s at Woolgate, plus.google.com)]

[djewesbury]

It would be good if /BackgroundTextsGlassesPaintCode were nearer the other /BackgroundTextsGlasses parameters. Just saying.

[jdaw1]

It would be good if /BackgroundTextsGlassesPaintCode were nearer the other /BackgroundTextsGlasses parameters. Just saying.

I generally assumed that …Code parameters require more expertise than parameters holding strings. If you disagree with that, or with my attempt to put such parameters in the section for them, I’ll move it.

Edit: FTR, this request is presumably based on the placemats for The Scottish Independence Referendum, 18th Sept 2014.

[djewesbury]

generally I'd agree. But this is about the basic display of the background element. Having chosen the font I want to be able to fill it without too much searching.

[jdaw1]

Hmm. Maybe.

I discourage filling: it makes it harder to see colour on glasses page, and harder to write on the TN page.

[djewesbury]

Your discouragement is noted.

[jdaw1]

Your discouragement is noted.

As is your request, which is done.

(Requests are rare, and my disagreement slight — the customer is right.)

[djewesbury]

Can I be added to the list for TN stars please. Sideways would be useful.

[jdaw1]

Can I be added to the list for TN stars please. Sideways would be useful.

One row, five columns?

[djewesbury]

Please

[jdaw1]

Can I be added to the list for TN stars please. Sideways would be useful.

One row, five columns?

Done.

If needed, ask other placemat makers to update the placemats for tastings that you are attending.

[djewesbury]

Can I be added to the list for TN stars please. Sideways would be useful.

One row, five columns?

Done.

If needed, ask other placemat makers to update the placemats for tastings that you are attending.

Thank you. Very kind.

[jdaw1]

There is to be a Ramos-Pinto Vertical on Tuesday 21^st October 2014. Current placemats, being fourteen glasses on A3 with 18pt margins.


Self-evidently, it is possible to jiggle the circles to make space such that they could be a mite bigger. The following comment has been added to the PostScript file.

Code: Select all

% Notes. A3, with 18pt margins, is 1-by-0.697984132.
% Packomania has results for 1-by-0.7, and on that size its best radius is 0.1081619.
% http://hydra.nat.uni-magdeburg.de/packing/crc_700/d3.html   http://hydra.nat.uni-magdeburg.de/packing/crc_700/pdf/d3.pdf
% Same layout as used on RP, but on 1-by-0.7, has radius of ( 127 - 10 * Sqrt(67) ) / 420 ~= 0.1074916.
% Mathematica: Solve[{6 R + 4 R Cos[Theta] == 1, 2 R + 8 R Sin[Theta] == 7/10}, {R, Theta}]
% So Packomania better by a factor of ~= 1.006235837.
% If same ratio at this nearly-0.7 page with radius currently 124.172pt, worth an extra 0.77pt ~= 0.273mm of radius.
% So about that close to the optimum.
% Judgement call: not worth Packomania's asymmetry to gain that small radius.

That link to Packomania, 1-by-0.7, 14 circles.

Edit on 3^rd Nov 2014: since solved in Mathematica, the actual gain in radius being 0.732029pt ≈ 0.258mm. So indeed not worth it.

[jdaw1]

For quotation elsewhere: See the post in the thread entitled “Software that makes placemats” containing values to use in ExternalLinks.


The parameter ExternalLinks is to hold external links relevant to the tasting, traditionally including a link to the venue and to maps. Below are some components of ExternalLinks that could be re-used. Since first being posted other venues have been added to this post, and more could be, especially if requested. (In August 2015 the parameters of ExternalLinks were extended and re-arranged: what follows is in the new pattern.)

The Royal Air Force Club

Code: Select all

	false   (The Royal Air Force Club)     (https://www.rafclub.org.uk/)
	true    (W1J 7PY, streetmap.co.uk)     (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=528568&y=179998&z=106&pc=W1J+7PY)
	true    (W1J 7PY, maps.google.co.uk)   (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.5043,-0.1487&cbp=11,330,,0,0)
	true    (W1J 7PY, bing.com)            (http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=W1J+7PY&cp=51.5043~-0.1487)

Clickable: • The Royal Air Force Club; • W1J 7PY, streetmap.co.uk; • W1J 7PY, maps.google.co.uk; • W1J 7PY, bing.com.


Simpson’s-in-the-Strand

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	false   [(Simpson) /quoteright (s-in-the-Strand)]   (http://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/)
	true    (WC2R 0EW, streetmap.co.uk)                 (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=530511&y=180743&z=106&pc=WC2R+0EW)
	true    (WC2R 0EW, maps.google.co.uk)               (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.5107,-0.1207&cbp=11,150,,0,0)
	true    (WC2R 0EW, bing.com)                        (http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=WC2R+0EW&cp=51.5107~-0.1207)

Clickable: • Simpson’s-in-the-Strand; • WC2R 0EW, streetmap.co.uk; • WC2R 0EW, maps.google.co.uk; • WC2R 0EW, bing.com.


Boot and Flogger

Code: Select all

	false   (Boot & Flogger)               (http://www.davy.co.uk/bootandflogger/)
	true    (SE1 1TA, streetmap.co.uk)     (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=532409&y=180083&z=106&pc=SE1+1TA)
	true    (SE1 1TA, maps.google.co.uk)   (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.50428,-0.0935&cbp=11,260,,0,0)
	true    (SE1 1TA, bing.com)            (http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=SE1+1TA&cp=51.50428~-0.0935)

Clickable: • Boot & Flogger; • SE1 1TA, streetmap.co.uk; • SE1 1TA, maps.google.co.uk; • SE1 1TA, bing.com.


Davy’s at Woolgate

Code: Select all

	false   [(Davy) /quoteright (s at Woolgate)]                    (http://www.davy.co.uk/woolgate/)
	true    (EC2V 5HA, streetmap.co.uk)                             (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=532560&y=181440&z=106&pc=EC2V+5HA)
	true    (EC2V 5HA, bing.com)                                    (http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=EC2V+5HA&cp=51.5162~-0.09084)
	true    (EC2V 5HA, maps.google.co.uk)                           (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.51652,-0.091&cbp=11,80,,0,0)
	true    [(Davy) /quoteright (s at Woolgate, plus.google.com)]   (https://plus.google.com/115233829966484950403/)

Clickable: • Davy’s at Woolgate; • EC2V 5HA, streetmap.co.uk; • EC2V 5HA, bing.com; • EC2V 5HA, maps.google.co.uk; • Davy’s at Woolgate, plus.google.com.


The Bung Hole

Code: Select all

	false   (The Bung Hole)                 (http://www.davy.co.uk/bunghole/)
	true    (WC1V 6DT, streetmap.co.uk)     (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=530848&y=181628&z=106&pc=WC1V+6DT)
	true    (WC1V 6DT, maps.google.co.uk)   (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.5182,-0.1154&cbp=11,15,,0,0)
	true    (WC1V 6DT, bing.com)            (http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=WC1V+6DT&cp=51.5182~-0.1154)

Clickable: • The Bung Hole; • WC1V 6DT, streetmap.co.uk; • WC1V 6DT, maps.google.co.uk; • WC1V 6DT, bing.com.


Crusting Pipe

Code: Select all

	false   (Crusting Pipe)                    (http://www.crustingpipe.co.uk/)
	true    (WC2E 8RD, streetmap.co.uk)        (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=530351&y=180907&z=106&pc=WC2E+8RD)
	true    (WC2E 8RD, bing.com)               (http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=WC2E+8RD&cp=51.5121~-0.123)
	true    (Crusting Pipe, plus.google.com)   (https://plus.google.com/103198375868437142697/)

Clickable: • Crusting Pipe; • WC2E 8RD, streetmap.co.uk; • WC2E 8RD, bing.com; • Crusting Pipe, plus.google.com.


Crown Passage

Code: Select all

	false   [(Davy) /quoteright (s at St James) /quoteright (s)]                    (http://www.davy.co.uk/stjames/)
	true    (SW1Y 6QY, streetmap.co.uk)                                             (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=529318&y=180218&z=106&pc=SW1Y+6QY)
	true    (SW1Y 6QY, bing.com)                                                    (http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=SW1Y+6QY&cp=51.5058~-0.1381)
	true    (SW1Y 6QY, maps.google.co.uk)                                           (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.5061,-0.1381&cbp=11,150,,0,0)
	true    [(Davy) /quoteright (s at St James) /quoteright (s, plus.google.com)]   (https://plus.google.com/109580562186818760629/)

Clickable: • Davy’s at St James’s; • SW1Y 6QY, streetmap.co.uk; • SW1Y 6QY, bing.com; • EC2V 5HA, maps.google.co.uk; • Davy’s at St James’s, plus.google.com.


Plantation Place

Code: Select all

	false   [(Davy) /quoteright (s at Plantation Place)]   (http://www.davy.co.uk/plantationplace/)
	true    (EC3R 7BD, streetmap.co.uk)                    (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=533205&y=180840&z=106&pc=EC3R+7BD)
	true    (EC3R 7BD, maps.google.co.uk)                  (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.5108,-0.0815&cbp=11,260,,0,0)
	true    (EC3R 7BD, bing.com)                           (http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=EC3R+7BD&cp=51.5108~-0.0815)

Clickable: • Davy’s at Plantation Place; • EC3R 7BD, streetmap.co.uk; • EC3R 7BD, maps.google.co.uk; • EC3R 7BD, bing.com.


Otto’s at 182 Gray’s Inn Road

Code: Select all

	false   [(Otto) /quoteright (s)]        (http://www.ottos-restaurant.com/)
	true    (WC1X 8EW, streetmap.co.uk)     (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=530931&y=182133&z=106&pc=WC1X+8EW)
	true    (WC1X 8EW, maps.google.co.uk)   (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.5229,-0.11417&cbp=11,50,,0,0)
	true    (WC1X 8EW, bing.com)            (http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=WC1X+8EW&cp=51.5229~-0.11417)

Clickable: • Otto’s; • WC1X 8EW, streetmap.co.uk; • WC1X 8EW, maps.google.co.uk; • WC1X 8EW, bing.com.


Kasino Hotel, Leverkusen

Code: Select all

	false   (Kasino Hotel, Leverkusen)        (https://www.bayer-gastronomie.de/)
	true    (Kasino Hotel, maps.google.com)   (https://maps.google.com/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.014376,6.985116&cbp=11,190,,0,0)
	true    (WorldOfPort.de)                  (http://www.worldofport.de/)

Clickable: • Kasino Hotel, Leverkusen; • Kasino Hotel, maps.google.com; • WorldOfPort.de.

[djewesbury]

We are in Ox CAVE in Belfast (Tapatalk so link not easy) and sampling a number of wines by the half glass. (Please, stop muttering.)

I mentioned that we'd need a placemat. RAB casually tossed out an invention on the spot:

"If you had a little Perspex cover you could make a placemat on your iPad."

Anyone want to buy the rights?

[jdaw1]

"If you had a little Perspex cover you could make a placemat on your iPad."

Anyone want to buy the rights?

Drunks balancing full glasses on electronic devices: what could go wrong?

We are in Ox CAVE in Belfast (Tapatalk so link not easy)

Perhaps oxbelfast.com.

[djewesbury]

"If you had a little Perspex cover you could make a placemat on your iPad."

Anyone want to buy the rights?

Drunks balancing full glasses on electronic devices: what could go wrong?

Correction: half glasses.
I rest my case. (No, not on the iPad.)

Could it not be encased completely?

[PhilW]

When creating the placemats for the Martinez, one problem was encountered. The placemat parameters were essentially vanilla, set up for 18 ports and 14 people, and parsing by ps2pdf.com created the placemats as we used on the night without a problem. During preparation however, I did try several options to enhance the placemats, including enabling of /Rays and (separately) enabling of /ShapesInTitles, however in both cases ps2pdf failed to parse the output, with an "internal error" response from the ps2pdf server (perhaps some form of memory error during processing rather than a postscript parsing or syntactic issue).

[jdaw1]

Ouch!

Making the following changes to the parameters

Code: Select all

/Circlearrays [ 1 1 18 {[ exch 2 string cvs ]} for ] def
/Titles Circlearrays def
/Belowtitles [ Circlearrays length {()} repeat ] def
/Names [
	(JDAW)
] def

/ShapesInTitles true def
/ShapesToUse [/Flower] def  % At least one of: /Flower /Star

/Rays true def

works in Adobe Distiller XI on my Mac

but not with ps2pdf.com.

Further investigation reveals that ps2pdf.com is having problems, even with the default PostScript file, though it worked with a tiny PostScript program. A question has been asked of the webmaster.

[PhilW]

Further investigation reveals that ps2pdf.com is having problems, even with the default PostScript file, though it worked with a tiny PostScript program. A question has been asked of the webmaster.

In case of relevance, my placemats were based on an older version containing "% This version as of 23:00 Saturday 10th May 2014".

[jdaw1]

In case of relevance, my placemats were based on an older version containing "% This version as of 23:00 Saturday 10th May 2014".

Shouldn’t be relevant, but please always use the latest: new versions fix bugs, add features, and improve default settings.

I do want to find the problem with ps2pdf.com, but somebody with geeky computer skills could install his own GhostScript.

[jdaw1]

The default venue in the placemat code has become the Boot & Flogger. From the definition of ExternalLinks:

Code: Select all

	(http://www.davy.co.uk/bootandflogger/)  (Boot & Flogger)
	(http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=532409&y=180083&z=106&pc=SE1+1TA)  (SE1 1TA, streetmap.co.uk)
	(https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?z=20&t=k&layer=c&cbll=51.50428,-0.0935&cbp=11,260,,0,0)  (SE1 1TA, maps.google.co.uk)
	(http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?where1=SE1+1TA&cp=51.50428~-0.0935)  (SE1 1TA, bing.com)

Those links in BBcode: • Boot & Flogger; • SE1 1TA, streetmap.co.uk; • SE1 1TA, maps.google.co.uk; • SE1 1TA, bing.com.

[jdaw1]

The current draft of the placemats for the 1970s on Monday 22^nd December 2014 has BackgroundTextsGlasses as true, with BackgroundTextsGlassesTexts containing “B+F”. And TastingNotesCirclesBehind is also true.

So the TN sheets have, in effect, two watermarks.



Should the default value of TastingNotesCirclesBehind be changed such that it is false if BackgroundTextsGlasses is true? Comments?

[djewesbury]

I like this. It recalls the the intricate designs on a banknote.

[PhilW]

Comments?

I think the background text works well on the glasses page, and the circles work well as background on tasting notes pages, but the background text on tasting notes is less visually appealing so I would turn that off; my preference for defaults when background text is present would therefore be:
BackgroundTextsGlasses as true
TastingNotesCirclesBehind as true
but (the perhaps non-existant, currently):
TastingNotesBackgroundTextBehind or BackgroundTextsTastingNotes as false
n.b. note the inconsistency in whether the subset is pre-/post-fixed in the variable naming.

[jdaw1]

Current defaults
/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes BackgroundTextsGlasses def
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge and} def
(The IsDistiller bit is because of a set of interlinked bugs in GhostScript and Mac Preview. Don’t ask.)

Phil: which of the following better captures your preference?

➊
/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes false def
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge and} def

➋
/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes BackgroundTextsGlasses def
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge BackgroundTextsTastingNotes not and and} def

(The original question suggested something like ➋, which is still, just, my preference. But I’m open to persuasion.)


Edit: or
➌
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge and} def
/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes {BackgroundTextsGlasses TastingNotesCirclesBehind not and} def

[jdaw1]

Question for non-programmers.

If there is a background text on the glasses pages, what should be the default on the TN pages?

0. Both faint circles and background text (as currently happens). If for technical reasons the faint circles can’t appear, then just the background text.

1. The faint circles, but not the background text. If for technical reasons the faint circles can’t appear, nothing.

2. The background text, but not the faint circles.

3. The faint circles, but not the background text. If for technical reasons the faint circles can’t appear, then substitute the background text.

[PhilW]

Current defaults
/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes BackgroundTextsGlasses def
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge and} def
(The IsDistiller bit is because of a set of interlinked bugs in GhostScript and Mac Preview. Don’t ask.)

Phil: which of the following better captures your preference?

➊
/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes false def
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge and} def

➋
/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes BackgroundTextsGlasses def
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge BackgroundTextsTastingNotes not and and} def

(The original question suggested something like ➋, which is still, just, my preference. But I’m open to persuasion.)


Edit: or
➌
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge and} def
/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes {BackgroundTextsGlasses TastingNotesCirclesBehind not and} def

/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes false def
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge BackgroundTextsTastingNotes not and and} def

[PhilW]

Question for non-programmers.

If there is a background text on the glasses pages, what should be the default on the TN pages?

0. Both faint circles and background text (as currently happens). If for technical reasons the faint circles can’t appear, then just the background text.

1. The faint circles, but not the background text. If for technical reasons the faint circles can’t appear, nothing.

2. The background text, but not the faint circles.

3. The faint circles, but not the background text. If for technical reasons the faint circles can’t appear, then substitute the background text.

3 (or maybe 1)

[jdaw1]

/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes false def
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge BackgroundTextsTastingNotes not and and} def

For non-programmers, equivalent to

1. The faint circles, but not the background text. If for technical reasons the faint circles can’t appear, nothing.

Hmm. Three people, three different preferences. Not winning.

[djewesbury]

That's democracy for you. As I say, I like 0.

[jdaw1]

That's democracy for you.

This is not a democracy. My software; my decision. A vote is not being offered. What is being offered is an opportunity to persuade me, to show me the error(s) of my ways, to guide me to a better course.

[djewesbury]

I think what you've done is wonderful. Well done. If this is such an autocracy, why are you dithering so much? I bet Stalin didn't ask people's opinion.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I think what you've done is wonderful. Well done. If this is such an autocracy, why are you dithering so much? I bet Stalin didn't ask people's opinion.

I believe he did. He would ask people about to be exiled to Siberia whether they thought he was a nice person or not.





I made this up. It may be true, but if it is then that is just coincidence.

[jdaw1]

A decision with reasoning.

• I believe the two watermarks are too cluttered. Daniel likes it because it “recalls the the intricate designs on a banknote”, but these aren’t banknotes, these are TN sheets on which people are meant to be able to write.

• Phil agrees with having just one, but prefers the circles. Typically BackgroundTextsTastingNotes is false. But if it’s true, it must be true for a reason. Maybe we wanted to add “RP” as light flattery of a visiting dignitary, maybe we had some other motivation. The circles are an elegant echo of the glasses sheet, but seem to be merely decorative (being ingratiating is more important).

So I haven’t been persuaded, and there isn’t a clear-cut consensus suggesting that I’ve made an error.

Decision: the default has now been changed to:
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge BackgroundTextsTastingNotes not and and} def

[PhilW]

Having read your decision with reasoning, it seemed something was missing; in re-reading your original question, I now see what. A follow-on attempt at persuasion for a slightly different solution:

At the moment, the first variable is /BackgroundTextsTastingNotes which when defined puts text on the back of the glasses page. We then argue about whether this should then override the circles or not on the tasting notes pages.

It would seem to make more sense to me that there should be two variables (naming up to you, below just as example) one defining the text for background use on glasses pages, and one defining text for background use on tasting note pages. This allow them to be different, or the same (using a common variable if wanted), so is more flexible and also more explicit for the user. Thus:

# Code for variables section
/BackgroundTexts false def % replace false here for background text to use on all pages
/BackgroundTextsGlasses BackgroundTexts def % replace false here for background text to use on glasses pages
/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes BackgroundTexts def % replace false here for background text to use on tasting notes pages

# Code for processing section
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge BackgroundTextsTastingNotes not and and} def

I think that would give you the default you desire (changing /BackgroundTextsTastingNotes to a default of false was my preference), while making it much simpler and clearer for the user to modify to obtain desired results, as well as more flexibility.

[jdaw1]

It would seem to make more sense to me that there should be two variables

But there are, and have been since long before this discussion. Defaults are (and have been since long before this discussion):
/BackgroundTextsGlasses false def
/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes BackgroundTextsGlasses def
(Bolding for emphasis only.)

So they can be different, though by default BackgroundTextsTastingNotes takes the value of BackgroundTextsGlasses. Your suggestion seems to be very similar, except that you want BackgroundTextsTastingNotes to default to false irrespective of the value of BackgroundTextsGlasses. (But if the glasses pages have an “RP” background then surely both should — at least, that’s what I would want to do.)

[PhilW]

Thank you for the clarification; in which case we are in overall agreement on structure and approach, with only a minor difference in preference for default; no issue.

[jdaw1]

Daniel discovered that if the Distiller was set to make archive-standard PDFs (ISO 15930-3:2002), Distiller exits with an error and no PDF. Help was received, and the problem fixed.

The solution isn’t cleanly forward-compatible, so other archive standards might need acknowledgement in the code.

As always, please start placemat production by downloading the latest version of the code.

[jdaw1]

Further investigation reveals that ps2pdf.com is having problems, even with the default PostScript file, though it worked with a tiny PostScript program. A question has been asked of the webmaster.

Still broken. However online2pdf.com/convert-ps-to-pdf seems to work. Failing contrary comment, I’ll soon change the manual page.

[Glenn E.]

I discovered this brokenness while making placemats for the 1985 horizontal, but somehow came to the conclusion that it was file size related.

Online2pdf does seem to be a fine substitute. It is what I used when I found the problem as well.

[djewesbury]

Does nobody use Distiller?