.TL
\*(id User's Manual
.AU "MH 2C-518" 5292
Christopher J. Van Wyk
.AI
.MH
.AB
\*(id is a programming language to be used for describing
pictures.
.PP
The main use of \*(id is as a preprocessor to \*(tf,
so that pictures and text may reside in the same
file and be typeset together.
This manual contains many examples of this use of \*(id.
.PP
\*(id proper produces device-independent descriptions
of pictures, so pictures may also be displayed through
the
.UX
plot filters.
.PP
This document describes how to use the existing
implementation of \*(id.
.AE
.CS 24 8 33 0 0 8
.NH 1
Introduction
.PP
\*(id is a language for describing pictures.
It is intended primarily to operate as a
preprocessor to \*(tf
.[[
ossanna joseph
.]],
much like \s-2EQN\s0
.[[
kernighan cherry
.]],
\s-2TBL\s0
.[[
lesk tables
.]],
\s-2REFER\s0
.[[
lesk inverted indexes
.]],
and \s-2PIC\s0
.[[
kernighan pic graphics
.]].
.PP
I have explained the principles that motivate
the form of \*(id elsewhere
.[[
van wyk dissertation
.]
.[
van wyk manipulation
.]].
This document describes how to use
the existing implementation of \*(id
and treats several examples in depth.
.Ts
Paragraphs like this that appear in smaller
type may be skipped on first reading:
they present sidelights that
may be ignored safely by beginners.
.Te