Malayalam-TeX Questions and answers
Jeroen Hellingman
to post my Questions and Answers list again,
Jeroen Hellingman
Frequently asked questions about Malayalam-TeX and their answers
1. What is Malayalam-TeX?
Malayalam-TeX is a package to be used together with the TeX Typesetting
system to typeset the Malayalam language of South India. The included
Malayalam fonts cannot be used with other software and are not in PostScript
or TrueType format.
1b. But I want Malayalam PostScript or TrueType fonts!
Be patient! a TrueType version of the font is currently under
development. It will be usable with most windows applications and
a Macintosh version is also planned.
2. How can I get Malayalam-TeX?
by anonymous FTP, you can download an evaluation/private use copy from:
archive.cs.ruu.nl:/pub/TEX/FONTS/Malayalam-TeX-1.1.tar.gz
ftp.doc.ic.ac.uk:/packages/tex/languages/malayalam/Malayalam-TeX-1.1.tar.gz
if you download this, please give me a note and tell me how you are using it.
for a complete version, including the Metafont sources, contact the author at:
Jeroen Hellingman E-mail: <jhel...@cs.ruu.nl>
't Zand 2 Tel: +31 3473 73935
4133 TB Vianen Bank: PostBank Amsterdam,
The Netherlands Account No: 5025409.
This version costs DFL 75.-
3. Can Malayalam-TeX be used on system X?
This depends on 2 factors.
a. is TeX available on system X.
b. is an ANSI C compiler available on system X.
Malayalam-TeX has been used successfully on Atari-ST, MS-DOS and UNIX machines.
4. How do I enter Malayalam?
Malayalam is entered in a simple to learn ASCII transcription. In this
transcription the Malayalam alphabet is:
a aa i ii u uu .r .r.r .l .l.l e ee ai o oo au aM aH
ka kha ga gha n"a ca cha ja jha n~a Ta Tha Da Dha Na
ta tha da dha na pa pha ba bha ma ya ra Ra la va sha Sa
sa ha La zha.
The begin and end of Malayalam transcription is indicated by $-signs
5. What about scientific transcription?
Scientific transcription (i.e. with the dots and macrons) can be derived
from the same ASCII transcription, by changing the single $ delimeters into
double $$ delimitors.
6. How can I change the Malayalam transcription?
The transcription is defined in tables in the files mmr.trs (for
modern script), mm.trs (for traditional script) and mm.pat (for
scientific transcription). By editing those files, you can change the
transcription as you wish.
Alternatively, you can use the patc utility, included in the package
to translate your transcription to the standard Malayalam-TeX transcription,
by defining a new pattern file. An example pattern file (ack2mm.pat) which
translates a commonly used transcription to Malayalam-TeX transcription
is included in the package.
7. What about other Indian languages?
Malayalam-TeX has been tested together with Frans Velhuis' devnag font
for Devanagari and Rigdeways Tamil fonts. Files and instructions for
using those fonts smoothlessly together with Malayalam-TeX are included
in the package. The packages themselves, however, are not included.
8. What if I still have more questions?
A full manual is included in the package in PostScript and TeX format,
print it and read it. If you still have more questions
contact the author, his address is given in the answer to question 2.
[End.]
--
Jeroen Hellingman E-mail: <jhel...@cs.ruu.nl>
't Zand 2 Phone: +31-3473-73935 (home)
4133 TB Vianen (18.00--21.00 GMT)
The Netherlands Answer in English, German, or Dutch.