m4cmpy
The M4 Circuit Macros (M4CM) Python automation package simplifies to process to create standalone EPS, PDF, PNG, JPG and
SVG pictures from Circuit Macros source, see also peter.randewijk.dk/m4cmpy for examples.
Version 4 needs only Python and a TeX distribution (MiKTeX or TeX Live):
GNU m4, dpic and ImageMagick are no longer required.
| Package | Replaces | Role |
|---|
| pym4 | GNU m4 | m4 → pic |
| pppic | dpic -p | pic → PSTricks |
| m4cmpy | m4cm.py 3.3 | m4 → PDF / PNG / JPG / SVG / EPS |
Install
pip install m4cmpy
m4cm --get-cm
m4cm --get-cm downloads the latest Circuit Macros
from CTAN into your user cache folder. Alternatively set M4PATH, pass -I DIR,
or rely on the copy in your TeX tree (found with kpsewhich libcct.m4).
The TeX tools come from MiKTeX or TeX Live: latex, dvips, Ghostscript
(mgs in MiKTeX, gs elsewhere), epstopdf for PDF and dvisvgm for SVG.
MiKTeX does not have to be on PATH; use --tex-bin DIR for other locations.
Use
m4cm -p -n -s ex0.m4cm # PDF, PNG and SVG (plus EPS)
m4cm -p -d *.m4cm # PDF only, for every .m4cm file in the folder
m4cm -n -r 192 -o web ex0.m4cm # 192 dpi PNG in the folder "web"
| Option | Meaning |
|---|
-e | EPS (always made, default) |
-p / -n / -j / -s | PDF / PNG (transparent) / JPG / SVG |
--svg-fonts | SVG with embedded WOFF2 fonts instead of outlines |
-d | delete the EPS afterwards |
-r DPI | PNG/JPG resolution (default 600) |
-b L B R T | bounding-box offset in points (default 1 1 1 1) |
-a TEXT | append TEXT to the output file names |
-o DIR | output folder |
-t FILE | LaTeX template (default default.ltx) |
-I DIR | extra m4 include folder, e.g. for your own macro libraries |
-q / -Q | quiet / silent |
The LaTeX template is looked up in the current folder, then next to the input;
without one, a built-in template is used. Templates must contain a line with
%dpic_pstricks_output_here%; see Examples/default.ltx.
Repository
| Folder | Contents |
|---|
| src/m4cmpy | the m4cm command |
| tests | unit, toolchain and end-to-end tests: python -m unittest discover -s tests -v |
| Examples | example .m4cm files and template |
| Sansserif Math LaTeX Style Files | sansserifmath.sty, used by the example template |
| Syntax Highlighting | VS Code (.vsix), Notepad++, Kate and Programmer's Notepad definitions |
| Additional Scripts | animation helper, and m4cm_defines.py, which regenerates the syntax highlighting from a Circuit Macros release |
| legacy/m4cm.py | the classic script (version 3.3), which still uses m4, dpic and ImageMagick |
CI runs the tests on Windows, macOS and Linux against the latest pym4 and
pppic, and builds the example with TeX Live (the figures are kept as a build artifact).
Licence
GPL-3.0-or-later; see LICENSE. Circuit Macros and dpic are by
J. D. Aplevich.
