Re: [Matplotlib-users] LaTeX, eps, ghostscript, and the like

On Monday 06 February 2006 16:04, Robert Hetland wrote:
> I have been following the discussions about getting LaTeX text
> processing, I have tried it myself, and I have been unsuccessful.  I
> gave gnu-ghostscript, I have tried a number of different rc settings,
> but nothing seems to work well.  PNG output has very poor quality
> text, EPS output chokes ghostscript, and PS output appears as nothing.

I would start by clearing your .matplotlib/tex.cache directory. Then set 
verbose.level : helpful in your matplotlibrc settings. This will cause mpl to 
spit out the important messages that are produced during the calls to latex, 
dvips, ghostscript, etc. For the time being, set your ps.usedistiller rc 
option to either none or ghostscript. Once you get that working, you can move 
on to using xpdf like Ryan suggested.

I dont understand why png output would be bad. Does the text look bad on the 
screen as well? What OS are you using, what version of latex, and what 
version of dvipng? Try making a very simple latex file, like:

\documentclass[10pt]{article}
\pagestyle{empty}
\begin{document}
Hello, world! $e^{i\pi\theta}$
\end{document}

make a dvi, and then make a png using dvipng. My guess is that the problem is 
dvipng, because the text that mpl shows you on screen and in png output comes 
straight from dvipng. Incidentally, my png output looks fine, see attached.

> Is there a place where all of the important issues are laid out?  I
> would like to see someone who understands all of the important issues
> start a HOWTO on the scipy Wiki.  

Let me know what you found confusing about the existing usetex wiki page at 
SciPy, so I can improve it.

Darren