xdvipsk-support package bundle

LaTeX package bundle to support xdvipsk (extension of dvips) binary.

info

xdvipsk binary info:

man xdvipsk

xdvipsk development sources:

https://github.com/vtex-soft/xdvipsk.git

usage

\RequirePackage{xdvipsk-support}
\documentclass{...}

Option noOpenType disables OpenType font support.

luaotfload configuration (luaotfload.conf)

Use this luaotfload configuration for proper use of xdvipsk with OpenType fonts:

[run]
  default-dvi-driver = xdvipsk

–shell-escape

Enable creating a .xdvipsk catalog in the output directory. It’s used in OpenType font management.

bitmap inclusion

The xdvipsk extension for bitmap images doesn’t require changes to the user-level syntax. The \includegraphics command should work as described in the graphics and graphicx package documentation.

Declared BMP, JPEG, PCX, PNG, and TIFF image formats in the xdvipsk.def driver file as graphic inclusion rules.

    \@namedef{Gin@rule@.tif}#1{{bmp}{.tif.bb}{#1}}
    \@namedef{Gin@rule@.tiff}#1{{bmp}{.tiff.bb}{#1}}
    \@namedef{Gin@rule@.jpeg}#1{{bmp}{.jpeg.bb}{#1}}
    \@namedef{Gin@rule@.jpg}#1{{bmp}{.jpg.bb}{#1}}
    \@namedef{Gin@rule@.png}#1{{bmp}{.png.bb}{#1}}

Bitmaps can have various color models: BW, gray, RGB, CMYK, and indexed RGB.

Bitmap image file names are included in DVI files inside arguments of \special commands with prefix em: graph (originating from the EmTeX distribution).

dvi specials: mapfile and mapline

    *mapfile* reads a font map file with one or more lines. The name of the map file 
    is given with an optional leading modifier character (+). The *mapline* special 
    scans single map lines. Its argument syntax matches map lines from a map file. 
    Both specials can be used concurrently. An optional modifier character (+) selects 
    the operation mode. It defines how individual map lines are handled and how 
    a collision between registered and newer entries is resolved. If a modifier is given, 
    a later entry is ignored with a warning. If no modifier is given, an existing entry 
    is replaced. Here are examples:
 
    \special{mapfile: +myfont.map}
    \special{mapline: +ptmri8r Times-Italic <8r.enc <ptmri8a.pfb}

     or 

    \special{mapfile: myfont.map}
    \special{mapline: ptmri8r Times-Italic <8r.enc <ptmri8a.pfb}

Notes

It’s the first steps. More information will be provided later.

v1.0 2026-02-11 (ST)