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Software that makes placemats

https://www.theportforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=175

Page 18 of 27

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 21:46 Tue 19 Aug 2014
by jdaw1
jdaw1 wrote: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.:
Image

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 23:04 Tue 19 Aug 2014
by 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.)

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 06:15 Thu 21 Aug 2014
by 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.)

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 19:41 Thu 21 Aug 2014
by 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.)

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 19:19 Fri 22 Aug 2014
by 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.)

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 09:07 Sun 24 Aug 2014
by jdaw1
Done.

Old and new:
Image Image
(Reload images with ⌘R or Control-R. Alas not possible on Tapatalk.)

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 20:43 Wed 10 Sep 2014
by jdaw1
A tasting is to be held on 23rd 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:
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)]

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 17:43 Tue 16 Sep 2014
by djewesbury
It would be good if /BackgroundTextsGlassesPaintCode were nearer the other /BackgroundTextsGlasses parameters. Just saying.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 18:09 Tue 16 Sep 2014
by jdaw1
djewesbury wrote: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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 18:11 Tue 16 Sep 2014
by 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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 18:14 Tue 16 Sep 2014
by jdaw1
Hmm. Maybe.

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

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 18:19 Tue 16 Sep 2014
by djewesbury
Your discouragement is noted.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 18:44 Tue 16 Sep 2014
by jdaw1
djewesbury wrote:Your discouragement is noted.
As is your request, which is done.

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

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 16:54 Sat 20 Sep 2014
by djewesbury
Can I be added to the list for TN stars please. Sideways would be useful.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 17:58 Sat 20 Sep 2014
by jdaw1
djewesbury wrote:Can I be added to the list for TN stars please. Sideways would be useful.
One row, five columns?

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 17:59 Sat 20 Sep 2014
by djewesbury
Please

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 20:31 Sat 20 Sep 2014
by jdaw1
jdaw1 wrote:
djewesbury wrote: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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 20:32 Sat 20 Sep 2014
by djewesbury
jdaw1 wrote:
jdaw1 wrote:
djewesbury wrote: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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 21:34 Sun 05 Oct 2014
by jdaw1
There is to be a Ramos-Pinto Vertical on Tuesday 21st October 2014. Current placemats, being fourteen glasses on A3 with 18pt margins.
Image

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

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 11:49 Thu 06 Nov 2014
by 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

Code: Select all

	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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 18:52 Sat 22 Nov 2014
by 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?

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 18:55 Sat 22 Nov 2014
by jdaw1
djewesbury wrote:"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?
djewesbury wrote:We are in Ox CAVE in Belfast (Tapatalk so link not easy)
Perhaps oxbelfast.com.

Software that makes placemats

Posted: 18:56 Sat 22 Nov 2014
by djewesbury
jdaw1 wrote:
djewesbury wrote:"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?

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 12:11 Fri 28 Nov 2014
by 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).

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 13:36 Fri 28 Nov 2014
by 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
Image Image Image
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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 16:02 Fri 28 Nov 2014
by PhilW
jdaw1 wrote: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".

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 11:01 Sun 30 Nov 2014
by jdaw1
PhilW wrote: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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 21:36 Tue 16 Dec 2014
by 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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 11:26 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by jdaw1
The current draft of the placemats for the 1970s on Monday 22nd 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.

Image

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

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 11:27 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by djewesbury
I like this. It recalls the the intricate designs on a banknote.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 11:33 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by PhilW
jdaw1 wrote: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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 11:48 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by 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

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 12:46 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by 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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 12:56 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by PhilW
jdaw1 wrote: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

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 12:56 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by PhilW
jdaw1 wrote: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)

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 12:58 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by jdaw1
PhilW wrote:/BackgroundTextsTastingNotes false def
/TastingNotesCirclesBehind {IsDistiller GlassesNumCopies 1 ge BackgroundTextsTastingNotes not and and} def
For non-programmers, equivalent to
jdaw1 wrote: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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 13:33 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by djewesbury
That's democracy for you. As I say, I like 0.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 13:47 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by jdaw1
djewesbury wrote: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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 13:48 Sun 21 Dec 2014
by 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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 12:02 Tue 23 Dec 2014
by Alex Bridgeman
djewesbury wrote: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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 12:24 Tue 23 Dec 2014
by 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

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 14:23 Tue 23 Dec 2014
by 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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 15:19 Tue 23 Dec 2014
by jdaw1
PhilW wrote: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.)

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 23:24 Tue 23 Dec 2014
by 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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 21:24 Mon 23 Feb 2015
by 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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 21:42 Mon 23 Feb 2015
by jdaw1
jdaw1 wrote: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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 05:58 Tue 24 Feb 2015
by 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.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 08:43 Tue 24 Feb 2015
by djewesbury
Does nobody use Distiller?

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 09:20 Tue 24 Feb 2015
by PhilW
djewesbury wrote:Does nobody use Distiller?
No, based on cost >£15/month, and all I would use it for is doc/ps to pdf. I use a freeware pdf printer driver for all document-as-pdf output needs; the only time I need to convert ps-to-pdf is for TPF placemats.
I believe the server-based version of distiller has now also been retired, though the functionality is part of a new (I assume) server-based package for enterprise called Livecycle, though I don't know what it costs.

Re: Software that makes placemats

Posted: 10:37 Tue 24 Feb 2015
by jdaw1
From the first page of the thread entitled A Placemat Consistency Problem.
flash_uk wrote:Is there a way to have abovetitles text wrap upwards, so it would look like:

Gould
Campbell

Edit: hmmm...can't get it to look the way I intended. Imagine the "Gould" is a little indented and centred above the Campbell.
djewesbury wrote:But it would actually be a monumentally complicated alteration from what I understand and it would reduce the usability of a piece of software that is already minimally user friendly. And the effort required would not be commensurate with the use expected.
jdaw1 wrote:Not going to happen, for the reasons given. (It can be done, by inserting lots of complicated code into the parameter, but don’t do that.)
Can it? I thought I’d test.

Code: Select all

/Circlearrays [
	[ [{(Campbell) StringWidthRecursive (Gould) StringWidthRecursive sub 2 div CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto} (Gould) {(Gould) StringWidthRecursive (Campbell) StringWidthRecursive add -2 div CurrentFontSize -0.875 mul rmoveto} (Campbell) {0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto}]   (1970) ]
	[ [{0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto} (Quarles) {(Quarles) StringWidthRecursive (Harris) StringWidthRecursive add -2 div CurrentFontSize -0.875 mul rmoveto} (Harris) {0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto}]   (1970) ]
	[ [{(Holdsworth) StringWidthRecursive (Tuke) StringWidthRecursive sub 2 div CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto} (Tuke) {(Tuke) StringWidthRecursive (Holdsworth) StringWidthRecursive add -2 div CurrentFontSize -0.875 mul rmoveto} (Holdsworth) {0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto}]   (1970) ]
	[ [{0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto} (Ramos) {(Ramos) StringWidthRecursive (Pinto) StringWidthRecursive add -2 div CurrentFontSize -0.875 mul rmoveto} (Pinto) {0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto}]   (1970) ]
	[ [{[(W) {-0.06 Kern} (oodhouse)] StringWidthRecursive (Smith) StringWidthRecursive sub 2 div CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto} (Smith) {(Smith) StringWidthRecursive [(W) {-0.06 Kern} (oodhouse)] StringWidthRecursive add -2 div CurrentFontSize -0.875 mul rmoveto} [(W) {-0.06 Kern} (oodhouse)] {0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto}]   (1970) ]
] def


/TitlesTastingNotes [
	[(Gould) {(Gould) StringWidthRecursive neg CurrentFontSize -0.875 mul rmoveto} (Campbell) {0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto}]
	[(Quarles) {(Quarles) StringWidthRecursive neg CurrentFontSize -0.875 mul rmoveto} (Harris) {0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto}]
	[(Tuke) {(Tuke) StringWidthRecursive neg CurrentFontSize -0.875 mul rmoveto} (Holdsworth) {0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto}]
	[(Ramos) {(Ramos) StringWidthRecursive neg CurrentFontSize -0.875 mul rmoveto} (Pinto) {0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto}]
	[(Smith) {(Smith) StringWidthRecursive neg CurrentFontSize -0.875 mul rmoveto} [(W) {-0.06 Kern} (oodhouse)] {0 CurrentFontSize 0.4375 mul rmoveto}]
] def

/TitlesVoteRecorder TitlesTastingNotes def

/Titles [ Circlearrays {0 get} forall ] def
/Belowtitles [ Circlearrays length {()} repeat ] def

/Names [
	(Test)
] def

/InlineTitles false def
Resulting in a PDF, and images follow.
Image Image Image Image

Summary: the Titles and Circlearrays can be made to work, albeit nastily.
All times are UTC
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