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ECN Apache: Inline T_EX

This is the first of a series which will feature special functions in ECN's HTTP server, Apache. In order to better serve our users, Apache has been modified for ECN use. Some of its functionality will not be found elsewhere.

Most ECN web servers currently run the NCSA server software. Servers are being converted to Apache server software. To date, 31 ECN web servers are running Apache. If you need Apache, contact with your ECN site specialist.

Why Do I Want To Use T_EX In HTML?

Normally, such inline images take a few steps to create. Using FrameMaker, for example, you could enter an equation and then export it as a PostScript file. You might then use ImageMagick's convert program to crop, scale and convert the image to a GIF. After you had saved the resulting GIF in a Web-accessible location, you would then need to insert a reference to it in your HTML document. ( You would have to make sure that you saved the original FrameMaker document in case you would ever want to change/regenerate the image.)

With repetition, this process is not daunting. However, it takes time. Until now, it has been the only option. Inline T_EX changes this.

Using inline T_EX, you can quickly create inline figures without having to go through the usual steps. Simply type in the T_EX code and you are done. (And, no, T_EX is not difficult to learn for simple figures. An hour with a good book should be enough for most uses.)

How Do I Put T_EX In My HTML?

8 In your document, you can use standard HTML just as you normally would. When you want a T_EX figure, enter a command of the form

<!--#tex source="TeX code"-->

Let's say that I'm describing a process and I want to say "...the square root of x cubed plus the square root of alpha..." The text is bulky, not quickly understood, and sometimes ambiguous. Instead, I could use

<!--#tex source="$\sqrt{x^3+\sqrt\alpha}$"-->

which results in

Inline T_EX code can be used for simple single characters like

and for complex equations like

It is not, however, intended to be used for pages that are predominantly T_EX. There are better tools for that.

How Does It Work?

In the early versions of this system, each image was created each time it was needed. This resulted in waits of up to 15 seconds. The current version uses a cache so that your figures should show up almost as quickly as normal inline GIF images after the initial request.

In the future, GIF images will not be the only way of viewing your inline T_EX. With the availability of inline T_EX, DVI and/or PostScript plugins, Apache will be able to return the most appropriate format for the calling browser. By returning T_EX/DVI/PostScript to the browser, printing on high-resolution devices will be greatly enhanced since these formats are not resolution-dependent (like GIF is). No modifications to your code will be necessary in order to take advantage of this feature.

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