Printing and Exporting

Print
Export
LaTeX and Xfig
Generating an HTML Image Map

To export or print a Fig file, xfig calls fig2dev, the post-processor which converts the Fig file to the desired output language. For printing, this is PostScript. For exporting, there are a dozen or so languages, including PostScript, EPS, LaTeX, MetaFont, and bitmap formats such as GIF, JPEG, PPM and several others. See the Language description of the Exporting section.
This means that you must have fig2dev installed on your system along with xfig. Fig2dev, which is part of the TransFig distribution is always available where you find xfig. See Getting and Installing Xfig for details.

Printing

The Print... entry in the File menu (or accelerator Meta-P) provides the facility to print figures to PostScript printers. Use File/Export if you want to store the output to a file.

Magnification

Specify the magnification when printing figure in percent of full size (%). The default is 100% and may be set by the Fig.magnification resource.

Fit to Page

Clicking this button will set the Magnification automatically so that figure size will just fill current Paper Size with at least 1/2 inch margin all around.

Orientation

Specify the orientation of the output as Landscape (horizontal) or Portrait (vertical). The default orientation is same as the orientation of the canvas which may be changed by Portrait/Landscape in the View menu.

Justification

Specify if the figure should be Flush Left or Centered on the paper of size selected by Paper Size.

Paper Size

Specify the size of the paper.

The following paper sizes are available:

Letter (8.5in x 11in)
Legal (8.5in x 14in)
Tabloid (17in x 11in)
ANSI A (8.5in x 11in)
ANSI B (11in x 17in)
ANSI C (17in x 22in)
ANSI D (22in x 34in)
ANSI E (34in x 44in)
ISO A9 (37mm x 52mm)
ISO A8 (52mm x 74mm)
ISO A7 (74mm x 105mm)
ISO A6 (105mm x 148mm)
ISO A5 (148mm x 210mm)
ISO A4 (210mm x 297mm)
ISO A3 (297mm x 420mm)
ISO A2 (420mm x 594mm)
ISO A1 (594mm x 840mm)
ISO A0 (840mm x 1189mm)
JIS B10 (32mm x 45mm)
JIS B9 (45mm x 64mm)
JIS B8 (64mm x 91mm)
JIS B7 (91mm x 128mm)
JIS B6 (128mm x 182mm)
JIS B5 (182mm x 257mm)
JIS B4 (257mm x 364mm)
JIS B3 (364mm x 515mm)
JIS B2 (515mm x 728mm)
JIS B1 (728mm x 1030mm)
JIS B0 (1030mm x 1456mm)

Pages

If Multiple is selected here, the figure will be split into multiple pages if the size of the figure is larger than Paper Size. It allows the user to output a figure larger than paper size by pasting those papers together (to make it easier, xfig generates output so that the parts of the figure will be overlap).

If Single is selected here, this facility will not be used; any part of the figure outside the paper boundary will be clipped.

Background

This will set the background color of the whole figure when printing. The default is white.

Printer

Specify the printer name output should be directed to. If this field is empty, output will be directed to the default printer.
The default value is specified by the resource Fig*printer*string or the environment variable $PRINTER.

If your system uses /etc/printcap to define printers, xfig will make a pulldown menu of printers next to the entry.

Print Job Params

The string specified here will be passed as command-line options when executing lpr (lp on System V system). If %f is included in the string, (it may appear more than once) it will be replaced by the name of the figure.

The default is empty, but it may be specified by Fig*job_params*string resource.

Figures in batch

This indicator shows how many figures have been put in the batch file for printing. Figures may be printed into the batch file by Print FIGURE to Batch, and those figures may be sent to the printer as one print job by clicking on Print BATCH to Printer.

Dismiss

Clicking this button will close the Print panel. The accelerator Meta-C will also perform this function.

Print all layers/Print only active

You may print the whole figure (all layers) or just the layers that are active according to the depth panel.

Print FIGURE/BATCH to Printer

Clicking this button will spool the figures in the batch file if any, or the current figure if none, to the printer. The accelerator Meta-P will also perform this function.

The label of this button will be Print BATCH to Printer if there are any figures in the batch file, or Print FIGURE to Printer if there are none.

When printing to the printer, xfig will first convert the figure to PostScript with fig2dev program, and pass the result to lpr (lp on System V system). When executing lpr (or lp), the printer name specified by PostScript Printer field and options specified by Print Job Params will be passed as command-line options.

Print FIGURE to Batch

Clicking this button will append the current figure to the batch file. The accelerator Meta-B will also perform this function.

The figures stored in the batch file will be printed to the printer when Print BATCH to Printer is clicked later. You can use this facility when you want to send some figures to the printer at one time.

Clear Batch

Clicking this button will erase the accumulated figures in the batch file. The accelerator Meta-X will also perform this function. The figures are automatically deleted from the batch file when Print BATCH to Printer is clicked.

Exporting

The Export... entry in the File menu (or accelerator Meta-X) provides the facility to output the figure in various format such as PostScript, GIF, JPEG, HP-GL, etc. to a file. This is useful when you want to read figures by other applications (LaTeX or FrameMaker, for example).
See LaTeX and Xfig for hints about using xfig with LaTeX.

Use File/Print if you want to print the figure to a PostScript printer.

If the export language is GIF, a menu to select a color which may be considered transparent is offered:
[Export GIF]

If the export language is JPEG (JFIF), an entry to select the "quality factor" is offered:
[Export JPEG]

Magnification

Specify the magnification when exporting figure in percent of full size (%). The default is 100% and may be set by the Fig.magnification resource.

Fit to Page

Clicking this button will set the Magnification automatically so that the figure size will just fill current Paper Size with at least 1/2 inch margin all around. This is effective only when PostScript is selected as Language.

Paper Size

Specify the size of the paper. See description in Print Panel about available paper sizes. This is effective only if PostScript is selected at Language.

Orientation

Justification

Specify if the figure should be Flush Left or Centered on the paper of the size selected by Paper Size. This is effective only if PostScript is selected at Language.

Pages

If Multiple is selected, the figure will be split into multiple pages if the figure is larger than Paper Size. If Single is selected, this facility will not used. This is effective only if PostScript is selected at Language.

Export Offset

When exporting figure, the figure will be shifted to the right or down by the amount specified here. Use negative numbers to shift it left and/or up. The unit of the amounts may be selected from Inches, Centimeters, and Fig Units(1/1200 inch in version 3.x).

Language

Specify the format (language) to be generated as output. The default is Encapsulated PostScript, but may be changed with the resource Fig.exportLanguage.

The following formats are available:

Vector formats:

LaTeX picture environment
PicTeX macros
IBMGL (HP-GL)
Encapsulated PostScript (EPSF)
PostScript
PDF (Portable Document Format)
Combined PostScript/LaTeX
Textyl
TPIC
PIC
MF (MetaFont)
CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile - useful to import into Microsoft WORD, etc.)
Tk (Tck/Tk toolkit canvas)
HTML Image map

Bitmap formats:

GIF Graphic Interchange Format
JPEG
PCX Paintbrush format
PNG Portable Network Graphics
PPM Portable Pixmap
SLD (AutoDesk slide format)
TIFF Tag Image File Format
XBM X11 Bitmap
XPM X11 Pixmap

As a variation of the LaTeX format, epic, eepic and eepicemu macros are also available. It is also possible to output the text part of the figure in LaTeX and the graphics part in PostScript using Combined PostScript/LaTeX. This is especially useful when complex numerical formulas are included in the figure (see also TEXT FLAGS).

Not all of the features in xfig are supported by all export languages. For example, imported pictures are not supported for IBMGL export. The PostScript export language supports all features of xfig and a fairly high quality output will be generated.

The fig2dev program, part of the TransFig package available with xfig does the actual conversion from Fig to the output language.

To export the figure in a bitmap format such as GIF or JPEG, you must have the GhostScript and netpbm packages on your system.

Smooth

If the export language is any of the bitmap formats, a button labeled Smooth will appear which will smooth the image by calling fig2dev (using the `-S 2' option) to force GhostScript to render at 2x magnification which improves font rendering, then passes through pnmscale to reduce to original size, which also smooths the image by averaging colors of adjacent pixels.

Border Margin

When exporting to PostScript, Encapsulated PostScript, HTML MAP, or any of the bitmap formats (e.g. GIF, JPEG, etc.), you may add a margin space around the figure. The size of the margin is in pixels or 1/80th inch.

Background

This will set the background color of the whole figure when printing. The default is white.

Transparent Color

For GIF export, it is possible to specify one of the colors as ``transparent''. When displaying the figure with GIF viewers that support Transparent GIF (such as Netscape Navigator, for example), the color will not appear but the background of the viewer will show through in place of the color. This menu button will only appear for GIF export.

The default is None.

Export all layers/Export only active

You may export the whole figure (all layers) or just the layers that are active according to the depth panel.

Default Filename

Output will be written to this file if Output Filename is empty.

This file name is the figure name plus an extension that reflects the output format at the default, and it will be changed to the specified file name if export has been performed by specifying a file name in Output Filename.

Output Filename

Specify the file name the output should be written to. If this field is empty, the file name in the Default Filename field will be used.

The file name in the Output Filename field may be changed by selecting a file name in the Fig Files list, or typing the file name from keyboard directly. If return is typed after file name is entered, export to the file will be performed as if the Export button was clicked.

Alternatives

The list of files in the current directory (only files matching the pattern specified by Filename Mask) are displayed, and users may select a file for output from the list.

Clicking a file name in this list with mouse button 1 will copy the file name to the Output Filename field. Double-clicking a file name in this list with mouse button 1 will cause exporting to the file as if Export button was clicked. Note that exporting to the existing file will over-write the old contents of the file.

Filename Mask

Only the files matching this pattern will be put in the File Alternatives list. The pattern is similar to the one used by the UNIX shell, and it is possible to use meta-characters like ``*'' or ``?''.

Typing return in this field will cause rescan of the current directory as if Rescan button was clicked. This string will be changed according to the language selected with the Language menu.

Current Dir

This shows the current directory, and files in the directory will be displayed in the Alternatives list.

The directory name in the Current Dir field may be changed by clicking a directory name in Directories list, or by typing the directory name from keyboard directly. If return is typed after directory name is entered, the directory will scanned as if Rescan button was clicked and the contents of Alternatives list will be updated.

Directories

The list of directories in the current directory is displayed here, and clicking any item in this list with mouse button 1 will cause a move to the directory. Normally, hidden directories are not displayed here, but this may be toggled by Show Hidden button.

``..'' indicates the parent directory. Moving to the parent directory may also be performed by clicking mouse button 3 on the Alternatives list or the Directories list.

Home

Clicking this button will move to the home directory of the user.

Show Hidden

This button controls if hidden directories (directories whose names start with ``.'') should be displayed or not. Clicking this button will toggle the state. Normally, hidden directories are not displayed.

Rescan

Clicking this button will scan files in the current directory and update the Alternatives list. The accelerator Meta-R will also perform this function.

Cancel

Clicking this button will close the Export panel. The accelerator Meta-C will also perform this function.

Export

Clicking this button will export to the file specified by Output Filename field if any, or the file in Default Filename. The accelerator Meta-X will also perform this function.

When trying to export to an existing file other than Default Filename, popup panel will appear and the user will asked to confirm the export operation. If the figure is exported to a file other than Default Filename, then Default Filename will be set to the actual export file name.

LaTeX and Xfig

Here are some helpful hints for using xfig and LaTeX.
This description is derived from the text written by Eric Masson ([email protected]).

HOW TO IMPORT XFIG FIGURES IN YOUR LATEX FILES

When you call xfig use the following command line:

xfig -specialtext -latexfonts -startlatexFont default

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:

Fig.latexfonts: true
Fig.specialtext: true

There are several formats to which xfig can generate output and LaTeX can read. I will only cover three cases:

Export Fig format directly into LaTeX form
Export Fig in encapsulated PostScript (EPS) and import the PostScript in LaTeX.
Save the figure partly in PostScript and partly in LaTeX form and superimpose them in your document.

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.

In your LaTeX preamble (the part that preceeds your \begin{document} statement) place the following lines:

                \input{psfig}

So your preamble could look like:

\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

\input{psfig}           % Capability to place PostScript drawings


\begin{document}
\end{document}

TYPE A - Exporting directly to LaTeX form

In terms of drawing capabilities this is the weakest form you can use. Lines in LaTeX can only be drawn at some specific angles. And lines with arrows can only be drawn at more limited angles. 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. In this mode, you can type any LaTeX string on your figure. Once imported to LaTeX, the string will be interpreted properly. For example:

                $\int_0^9 f(x) dx$

would result in a integration from 0 to 9 of the function f(x). To create your LaTeX file just choose the Export... from the File menu of xfig. 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 file:

\begin{figure}[htbp]
\begin{center}

\input{yourfile.latex}

\caption{The caption on your figure}
\label{figure:yourreferencename}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

TYPE B - Exporting to Encapsulated PostScript

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... from the File menu of xfig. Then select Encapsulated PostScript as the language to export. This will create a .eps file which you can then include into you LaTeX ducument in the following way:

\begin{figure}[htbp]
\begin{center}
  \psfig{file=yourfile.eps}
\end{center}
\caption{Your caption}
\label{figure:yourreference}
\end{figure}

Note: This method may not be available in some environments. Also, this can generate DVI file which is not fully portable.

TYPE C - PostScript/LaTeX format

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

                $\int_0^9 f(x) dx$

and they will be processed by LaTeX. Note that you must set Special flag ON for texts you want to output in LaTeX, and set it OFF for texts you want to output in PostScript.

To export in this format, simply choose the Export... from the File menu of xfig. Then select Combined PostScript/LaTeX (both part) as the language to export. This will create a file with a .pstex_t extension which you can then call directly into your LaTeX document, and a file with a .pstex extension which contains PostScript part of the figure. The .pstex_t file automatically calls the .pstex file and you do not need to include it explicitly in your tex file. To include your figure just use something similar to this:

\begin{figure}[htbp]
\begin{center}

\input{yourfigure.pstex_t}

\caption{Your figure}
\label{figure:example}
\end{center}
\end{figure}

N.B. You might want to edit the .pstex_t files created by xfig. When it refers to the other file (.pstex) it automatically gives the path specification to the .pstex file. This can be an inconvenience if you move your files to another directory because your LaTeX processing will fail. I personally prefer to remove the full path specification and only keep the filename.

SOME OTHER NOTES

You can import Encapsulated PostScript files into your Fig files. This is useful if you want to doodle on top of outputs from other programs. For example you could include a MATLAB drawing and identify points of interest with strings, lines, circles, etc. Starting from version 2.1.7 of xfig there is a hook to GhostScript which permits you to view the PostScript in your drawing. A neat feature.

Use ps2epsi in GhostScript to encapsulate your PostScript file if you only have .ps files.

If it is necessary, you may use convert PostScript to Fig file with pstoedit.

Changing the size of pictures in pstex_t

From Stephen Eglen ([email protected])

If you just include the picture using

\input{file.psttext_t}

there is no way of specifying the size of the picture.
There are two solutions to this:

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 don't like the size of the image in your LaTeX document.
Get LaTeX to change the size of the picture, using either \scalebox or \resizebox. These are general functions for scaling text or pictures from the graphics package:
```
   \scalebox{factor}{object}
```
Will scale the object by any factor. Factor is just a number (reduction if less than 1, enlargement if larger than 1). Object is normally some text or graphics
```
   eg: \scalebox{2}{ \input{file.pstex_t} }
```
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!
```
   \resizebox{width}{ht} {stuff}
```
will resize "stuff" to be of size width x ht. Using "!" as an argument retains the aspect ratio of the box.
```
   eg \resizebox{5cm}{!}{fat cat}
```
will make "fat cat" appear 5 cm wide, and suitably high. (From p129, Lamport)

Generating an HTML Image Map

It is possible to generate image map (clickable map) of HTML 3.2 by selecting HTML Image Map as Language on the Export panel.

To use this facility, using Comments on the Edit panel, comment like:

HREF="url" ALT="string"

must be set for objects you want to make it clickable. Here, url is URL of the target of the link, string is alternative string for browsers which will not display images (ALT attribute is required in HTML 3.2). string will be used as label of alternative text links xfig will generate with the image map, too.

TEXT objects can't be used for links. CIRCLE, ELLIPSE, SPLINE and ARC will be approximated with polygons. Open objects such as POLYLINE or OPEN SPLINE will be treated as if it is closed. ARC-BOX will treated as if is is a BOX.

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