Raster3D to PostScript label conversion

SYNOPSIS

The conversion of Raster3D label records (object types 10, 11, 12), into PostScript is performed by the render program under control of the -labels command line option. In this case render produces two output files: one containing the rendered image and another containing the PostScript label descriptions. In earlier versions of Raster3D this function was performed by a separate program r3dtops, which is now obsolete. The PostScript file can be converted into a raster image by ghostscript and then re-combined with the molecular graphics image to yield a final composite image with both rendered objects and labels. This sequence of operations can be done manually, but is generally done automatically by the label3d script.

OPTIONS (to the render program)

-fontscale: It is problematic to interpret the font sizes requested in the font descriptor records so that they produce the desired size on the eventual output device or printer. By default the r3dtops program assumes that the eventual output device is approximately 100 dpi. The -fontscale option allows you to scale this up or down as necessary. The default scaling is multiplied by the parameter xx.
-labels [filename]: Process labels (object types 10,11,12) and create a PostScript output file in addition to the rendered image. If no filename is given, the output file is named label3d.ps.

SPECIAL CHARACTERS

A small number of escaped characters are allowed in the label text string. These may be useful for tweaking the position of your labels:

	\n	new line
	\b	backspace
	\v	vertical tab (move up 1/2 line)
	\A	Angstrom symbol

T_EX-LIKE SYNTAX

Certain conventions from the text-setting program T_EX are supported by the Raster3D label processing code. In particular the character `_' introduces a subscript, while the character `^' introduces a superscript. If more than one character is to be sub- or super-scripted, the entire string can be enclosed in curly brackets. Greek characters and other symbols can be referred to by name if they are prefixed with a backslash.

EXAMPLE

Example 7 in the Raster3D distribution /examples subdirectory illustrates the PostScript label processing (see figure at right). Here are the commands that produced the title:

# Use absolute picture coordinates
15
# First character is big, and uses a fancy font
10
"ZapfChancery-MediumItalic" 20. "Left-align"
#
11
-0.45 0.40 0.0     1.0 1.0 1.0
R
# The remaining characters are smaller, but follow on the same line
10
"Palatino-BoldItalic" 12. "Offset"
11
0.0 0.0 0.0        1.0 1.0 1.0
aster3D now does labels!
#

Here are some examples of T_EX-like label syntax:

label text	appears in final image as
N^{\epsilon2}-O^{\delta1} = 2.7Å
3\sigma [F_o - F_c]
data \infty - 2.0\A

Note that the Angstrom symbol may either be entered directly as 'Å' [character 197 (octal 305)] or as the escape sequence '\A'.

BUGS

If a label contains T_EX-like escape sequences it is always processed as "Left-align", since the program doesn't know enough about the eventual string width to center it properly.

Labels always appear on top of the molecular graphics image, even labels which should be occluded by a foreground object.

AUTHORS

Ethan A Merritt.

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