Re: Epstopdf and Lucida fonts in labels

> It seems to me that your reply does not address the issue of
> robust font integration.  But rather the issue of getting a
> well-framed "eps" file.

That's because I think it should work to  declare fonts in a `verbatimtex'
environment.  Admittedly, I use TeX rather than LaTeX.  I've been wondering
what the advantage is to using LaTeX for labels in MetaPost.  I don't usually
do very fancy things within labels.  I forgot to ask Maurizio whether he was
using math mode in his labels.  If not, it might work to just set `prologues'
to 1 (or is it 2?).

I did have a problem the other day:  I tried to put  the `verbatimtex'
environment with the `\font' declaration in a file that included another MP
file, where I wanted to use the font (it was cmr12 scaled to \magstep3, I
believe).   This didn't work, but once I put it in the included file, I had no
trouble.  I'll try including a font of my own design and see if it works.  I'm
optimistic that it will.  If it doesn't, I think the problem will be my
`texmf.cnf' file and not MetaPost.

> Incidentally, I favor using TeX label overlays rather than the
> MP label mechanism because they apply uniformly to all sorts
> of graphics from all sorts of sources. I use more bitmapped
> graphics than vectorial. Furthermore, the font storage for TeX
> label overlays is optimally efficient; it is often attrocious
> when labels are included in autonomous figure files.

As I said, there's usually more than one way to do something.  In order to
position the labels, one needs to know where to put them.  This is probably
obvious when making plain 2D graphics with MP, but it's not when using
projections, in particular, the perspective projection, with GNU 3DLDF.  It
would be possible to get the latter to output this information, and if anyone
ever asks for it, I'll probably implement it, since it shouldn't be too
difficult. 

> PS. Thanks for the specifics on the dvips "papersize" \special
> and the -i option.

You're welcome. 

> 
> PPS. The issue of well-framed and well-structured "eps" files
> can be otherwise resolved by opening (fontless) MP output
> files into Adobe Illustrator and resaving in a suitable format
> (".pdf" included!!).  Last time I checked, this workaround
> failed on MP labels.

Thanks for the tip.  However, I  tend to prefer solutions using programs that
I can call from the command line, so that I can automate them.  I also
strongly prefer using Free Software, since I can't include it in my package if
it's not (and also on general principles).  Is Illustrator free?  Of course,
it may provide a scripting facility, so someone who knows how to use it might
be able to implement an automated solution using it.

Laurence