https://github.com/brandon-rhodes/python-typesetting

A Python library letting you invoke TeX-inspired typesetting algorithms
https://github.com/brandon-rhodes/python-typesetting

Last synced: 3 days ago
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A Python library letting you invoke TeX-inspired typesetting algorithms

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/brandon-rhodes/python-typesetting
• Owner: brandon-rhodes
• Created: 2012-10-03T00:11:06.000Z (about 12 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2021-09-27T21:33:17.000Z (about 3 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-11-06T20:52:16.714Z (10 days ago)
• Language: Python
• Homepage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7RVO0Sqr4s
• Size: 2.23 MB
• Stars: 157
• Watchers: 31
• Forks: 12
• Open Issues: 2
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md

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README

        
# A Python Typesetting package

(**Note:** I plan to add user documentation

to the library within the next couple of weeks;

simply “watch” this repository here on GitHub

if you want to follow along until it appears!)

This prototype library typesets paragraphs

using the same approach as TeX and LaTeX,

knows how to avoid widow and orphan lines

when splitting paragraphs across pages,

and produces PDF output:

![alt text](media/steam-pages-2-and-3.png)

Here is an example PDF that is typeset using the library:

[examples/steam/book.pdf](examples/steam/book.pdf)

The script that produced the above PDF

is here in the repository at `examples/steam/typeset.py`.

The vast difference this library’s approach and that of TeX or LaTeX

is that **this library leaves you entirely in control** —

paragraph justification and line breaking are a **subroutine**

that you call from normal Python code

that is otherwise free to draw on the page however it wishes!

You can draw titles, page numbers, and add media

using whatever underlying library calls you want,

and the `typesetting` library stays out of your way.

No longer will you be stuck

trying to center a title or draw

using abstruse configuration

piled atop underpowered boxes and glue primitives.

The process of designing this library

is described in the 2019 “Typesetting with Python” keynote talk

that I delivered at PyLondinium19:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7RVO0Sqr4s

I am happy that the talk (in the form of the above recording)

was also featured at the remote

[TUG2020 conference](https://tug.org/tug2020/program.html)

in July 2020,

which I celebrated by returning to the repository

and getting progress underway again!