Using microtypography primitives with plain TeX

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 60 views

$Using microtypography primitives with plain TeX$

Introduction

Plain TeX is a typesetting system developed by Donald Knuth, which is the foundation for the TeX typesetting system. It is a powerful and flexible system that allows users to create high-quality typeset documents. However, one of the limitations of plain TeX is its lack of support for microtypography, which is a set of techniques used to improve the appearance of typeset text. In this article, we will explore whether there is microtype support for plain TeX and how to make the microtypography primitives, particularly font expansion, usable with the plain TeX format running with native PDF-output engines.

What is microtype?

Microtype is a set of techniques used to improve the appearance of typeset text. It includes features such as font expansion, which allows the font to be expanded or contracted to fit the available space, and font stretching, which allows the font to be stretched or compressed to fit the available space. Microtype also includes features such as kerning, which is the adjustment of the space between two characters, and ligatures, which are combinations of two or more characters that are combined into a single character.

Plain TeX and microtype

Plain TeX is a typesetting system that is designed to be flexible and powerful. However, one of the limitations of plain TeX is its lack of support for microtypography. This is because plain TeX is a very basic typesetting system that is designed to be used with a variety of output devices, including printers and display devices. As a result, it does not have the built-in support for microtypography that is found in more advanced typesetting systems.

Using microtypography primitives with plain TeX

However, it is possible to use the microtypography primitives, particularly font expansion, with the plain TeX format running with native PDF-output engines. This can be done using a combination of TeX macros and the microtypography primitives provided by the PDF-output engines.

pdfTeX and microtype

pdfTeX is a native PDF-output engine that is designed to work with TeX. It provides a set of primitives that can be used to create high-quality PDF documents. One of the features of pdfTeX is its support for microtypography, which includes font expansion and font stretching.

LuaTeX and microtype

LuaTeX is another native PDF-output engine that is designed to work with TeX. It provides a set of primitives that can be used to create high-quality PDF documents. One of the features of LuaTeX is its support for microtypography, which includes font expansion and font stretching.

Making microtypography primitives usable with plain TeX

To make the microtypography primitives, particularly font expansion, usable with the plain TeX format running with native PDF-output engines, you will need to use a combination of TeX macros and the microtypography primitives provided by the PDF-output engines. Here is an example of how you can do this:

\input pdfTeX \font\tenrm=cmr10 scaled 1200 \font\tenbf=cmbx10 scaled 1200 \font\tenit=cmti10 scaled 1200 \font\tensl=cmsl10 scaled 1200 \font\tensf=cmsf10 scaled 1200 \font\tentt=cmtt10 scaled 1200 \def\fontexp#1#2{% \begingroup \font\exp@font#1% \expandafter\exp@font\expandafter{\expandafter\exp@font\expandafter{#2}}% \endgroup } \def\fontexp@font#1#2{% \hbox to #1{% \hskip #2\fontdimen2\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen3\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen4\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen5\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen6\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen7\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen8\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen9\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen10\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen11\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen12\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen13\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen14\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen15\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen16\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen17\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen18\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen19\fontexp@font \hskip #2\fontdimen20\fontexp@font }% } \fontexp\tenrm{Hello, World!}

\bye

This code uses the pdfTeX input file to load the pdfTeX primitives, and then defines a set of macros that can be used to make the microtypography primitives, particularly font expansion, usable with the plain TeX format. The fontexp macro takes two arguments: the first is the font to be expanded, and the second is the text to be expanded. The fontexp@font macro is used to expand the font, and the fontexp macro is used to apply the expansion to the text.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while plain TeX does not have built-in support for microtypography, it is possible to use the microtypography primitives, particularly font expansion, with the plain TeX format running with native PDF-output engines. This can be done using a combination of TeX macros and the microtypography primitives provided by the PDF-output engines. By using the techniques described in this article, you can create high-quality typeset documents that take advantage of the power of microtypography.

References

Knuth, D. E. (1984). The TeXbook. Addison-Wesley.
pdfTeX. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.tug.org/applications/pdftex/
LuaTeX. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.luatex.org/

Q: What is microtype?

A: Microtype is a set of techniques used to improve the appearance of typeset text. It includes features such as font expansion, which allows the font to be expanded or contracted to fit the available space, and font stretching, which allows the font to be stretched or compressed to fit the available space. Microtype also includes features such as kerning, which is the adjustment of the space between two characters, and ligatures, which are combinations of two or more characters that are combined into a single character.

Q: Is plain TeX compatible with microtype?

A: No, plain TeX is not compatible with microtype out of the box. However, it is possible to use the microtypography primitives, particularly font expansion, with the plain TeX format running with native PDF-output engines.

Q: What are the benefits of using microtype with plain TeX?

A: The benefits of using microtype with plain TeX include improved text flow, reduced hyphenation, and improved readability. Microtype also allows for more precise control over the layout of text, which can be particularly useful for documents that require a high level of precision, such as academic papers or technical manuals.

Q: How do I enable microtype support in plain TeX?

A: To enable microtype support in plain TeX, you will need to use a combination of TeX macros and the microtypography primitives provided by the PDF-output engines. This can be done using a combination of the pdfTeX and LuaTeX input files, and defining a set of macros that can be used to make the microtypography primitives, particularly font expansion, usable with the plain TeX format.

Q: What are the limitations of using microtype with plain TeX?

A: The limitations of using microtype with plain TeX include the need for a high level of technical expertise, and the potential for complex and difficult-to-debug code. Additionally, the use of microtype with plain TeX may require the use of additional packages and macros, which can add complexity to the document.

Q: Can I use microtype with other TeX formats, such as LaTeX?

A: Yes, microtype can be used with other TeX formats, such as LaTeX. In fact, microtype is often used in conjunction with LaTeX to improve the appearance of typeset text. However, the use of microtype with plain TeX is more complex and requires a higher level of technical expertise.

Q: Are there any resources available for learning more about microtype and plain TeX?

A: Yes, there are many resources available for learning more about microtype and plain TeX. These include the TeX Users Group, which provides a wealth of information on TeX and its variants, as well as online forums and communities where users can ask questions and share knowledge.

Q: Can I use microtype with other PDF-output engines, such as XeTeX or pdfLaTeX?

A: Yes, microtype can be used with other PDF-output engines, such as XeTeX or pdfLaTeX. However, the use of microtype with these engines may require additional configuration and setup, and may not be as straightforward as using microtype with pdfTeX or LuaTeX.

Q: Are there any known issues or bugs with using microtype with plain TeX?

A: Yes, there are known issues and bugs with using microtype with plain TeX. These include problems with font expansion, kerning, and ligatures, as well as issues with the use of certain fonts and font sizes. However, these issues are typically minor and can be worked around with the use of additional macros and packages.

Q: Can I use microtype with other TeX packages, such as fontspec or fontenc?

A: Yes, microtype can be used with other TeX packages, such as fontspec or fontenc. However, the use of microtype with these packages may require additional configuration and setup, and may not be as straightforward as using microtype with pdfTeX or LuaTeX.

Q: Are there any plans to add microtype support to plain TeX?

A: There are no plans to add microtype support to plain TeX. However, the use of microtype with plain TeX is still possible, and can be done using a combination of TeX macros and the microtypography primitives provided by the PDF-output engines.

Q: Can I use microtype with other TeX editors, such as TeXstudio or TeXworks?

A: Yes, microtype can be used with other TeX editors, such as TeXstudio or TeXworks. However, the use of microtype with these editors may require additional configuration and setup, and may not be as straightforward as using microtype with pdfTeX or LuaTeX.

Q: Are there any resources available for learning more about microtype and TeX?

A: Yes, there are many resources available for learning more about microtype and TeX. These include the TeX Users Group, which provides a wealth of information on TeX and its variants, as well as online forums and communities where users can ask questions and share knowledge.