Thesis Plans
April 10, 1984
Research Topics
· Algorithm for laying out complex composition
· Framework for specifying layout and style
· Demonstrate interactive tool for table layout
Thesis Outline
· Survey previous composition tools
TEX, Troff/TBL, Scribe, Type
Specification of layout and style
environments, parameters, dimensions
traps, diversions, figure placement, footnotes
· Extension to graphical style
describe graphical rendering attributes
note missing positioning and sizing relations
· The table formatting problem
microcosm of range of layout problems
survey complexities: alignments, spanning, text flowing, rules, decorations, footnotes
· Algorithm and framework for laying out tables
framework based on grid systems, generalized boxes
table layout as a constraint problem
algorithm to search for feasible solutions
· Extensions of the algorithm
in the large: page composition
in the small: mathematical notation
Table Formatter
· Appendix of Data Structures Project
hierarchial table structure
interactive editing of structure
Tioga tree representation of table entries
· Tables are more complex than trees
summary entries span columns
specification is awkward
· Tables as tiled grids
Grid Systems
· Concentrate on boundaries, not line lengths
· Grid specifies boundaries
· Table is collection of tiles
· Layout and alignment specified as constraints
· Table layout = constraint satisfaction
· Algorithm to search for feasible solutions
table fits page width: set glue as is or stretch to fit page
table too wide:
take up row slack
break table across facing pages
table too long:
take up column slack
break table across following pages
transpose rows and columns
Arranging Table Entries
· Paragraphing boxes of text
conjecture:
(width,depth) of paragraph follows a convex curve
if true, then search strategy possible along monotonic curve
· TEX Paragraphing Experiment
use line breaking algorithm in place
sample line widths; observe paragraph depths