FUTURE RUNOFF PLANS ------ ------ ----- Here is a partial list of features which have been considered, and could be added: 1. PROPORTIONAL SPACING, where each character occupies a different spacing. This is a really big ticket item and while I have con- sidered it, the problems are large. If supported it might not be possible to do it for any arbitrary printer. Some of the pieces necessary for it are already included, but implementation of this feature might not be device independent. 2. Hyphenation dictionary. This is the only means of properly hy- phenating all words. 3. Better hyphenation algorithm. This would be nice if improve- ments could be made without too much extra memory needed. I am open to suggestions from other users. 4. The remaining missing DSR commands are either conveniences or unnecessary bells and whistles. Some or all could be added with little overhead, but since they can generally be done without they just might be. They include: a) AUTOJUSTIFY - Use Save commands. b) CONTROL CHARACTERS - Not needed at all. c) DATE / NO DATE - Probably not (may be simulated). d) NO SUBTITLE - Maybe (same as .SUBTITLE with no text). e) NUMBER RUNNING - This is irrelevant and unnecessary!! f) ENABLE/DISABLE BOLDING + FLAGS BOLD - Too much overhead. g) FLAGS COMMENT - Probably not. h) REPEAT - Probably not. i) SET DATE/TIME - Probably not (simulated by .DELETE/DEFINE SUBSTITUTE). j) XLOWER/XUPPER - Maybe. k) Vertical centering commands - Suggested by a user, and not presently planned. l) Double column index - Only as general multiple column pack- age. This is difficult to mix with escape sequences, equa- tions and half spacing. Printer independence would be difficult to maintain. Several ways of doing this are pos- sible. Each has distasteful consequences: i. Coordinated postprocessor - The post processor must know all about possible escape sequences. This project would be a good one for someone else in the user community. ii. Backspace to top of document for each column - this would not be available for ordinary printers. Some printers can not handle such violent paper movement. iii. Keep internal 1 page buffer - this would be a major logic change that would require too much work. Runoff Future Plans Page 2 5. A /VARIANT switch would probably not be a difficult item. This may be accomplished other ways. For example, input files con- taining the appropriate variant definitions can be inserted be- fore the main file. --- VMS/RSX --- John Clement T. W. Bonner Lab Rice University P.O. Box 1892 Houston, Tx, 77251 Tel (713) 527-8101x2037 Arpanet: CLEMENT@PHYSICS.RICE.EDU or: @RICE.EDU:CLEMENT@PHYSICS.RICE.EDU Bitnet: BONNER@RICE --- Rt-11 --- Robert Walraven Multiware, Inc. 437 F Street Davis, CA 95616