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Everything about MetaPost

Programming language

MetaPost refers to both a programming language and the interpreter of the MetaPost programming language. Both are derived from Donald Knuth's Metafont language and interpreter. MetaPost produces vector graphic diagrams from a geometric/algebraic description. The language shares Metafont's declarative syntax for manipulating lines, curves, points and geometric transformations. However,Metafont is set up to produce fonts, in the form of image files with associated font metric files, whereas MetaPost produces EPS, SVG, or PNG files The output of Metafont consists of the fonts at a fixed resolution in a raster-based format, whereas MetaPost's output is vector-based graphics Metafont output is monochrome, whereas MetaPost uses RGB or CMYK colors. The MetaPost language can include text labels on the diagrams, either strings from a specified font, or anything else that can be typeset with TeX. Starting with version 1.8, Metapost allows floating-point arithmetic with 64 bits Wikipedia →

🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path

  1. Read the overview: MetaPostA 5-minute orientation
  2. Skim a recent paper: Metafont/MetaPost and a complex Indic script: MalayalamInfluential work since 2022
  3. Pick up a classic book: The LaTex graphics companionThe most-reprinted book on the subject
  4. Read the landmark paper: Beyond MetaPost: TeX, MetaPost, and LuaCited 1 times
  5. Go sideways: MetafontA closely related topic
  6. Go sideways: Douady–Earle extensionA closely related topic

📖 Definitions

Noun A posted message dealing with the topic of what and how to post on a particular Internet forum or thread.

🗂️ The subject at a glance

  1. Availability and usage
  2. Examples

🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)

🆕 Influential since 2022

📚 Books worth reading

Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.

🔗 Related topics