EXAMPLE of plate definition

1- layout 1a and size 3

Its definition file is named by convention 1a-03.def

Remember :

1- the data file produced by the database contains a first line asking for such a combination of format/size :

FILE=lbin1a3.lab        ID=1    LAYOUT=1a       SIZE=3  ( 91 x  58 / A=6.0 B=5.0)

19391595-       Begoniaceae     BEGONIA         #`PRESIDENT CARNOT'  .......

2- The four fields of the <PLATE> line (see the following table) are :

1a-03 is the layout-size name, needed to find the correct definition file
10 is the default X offset for the boxes
88 is the default X span for the boxes
0.85 is the scaling from the generic definitions of symbols and fonts

File : 1a-03.def

<PLATE> 1a-03    10      88      0.85

#  no further redefinition

This format promotes the inclusion in cascade of generic.def and its main definition file [1.def] before its interpretation.

2- layout 1a and size 6

(named by convention 1a-06.def) :

Just a 'one-line' file is needed, the remaining definitions are included in cascade from generic.def and from its main definition file [1.def] before its interpretation.

File : 1a-06.def

<PLATE> 1a-06 10 88 1.23

3- layout 1a and size 10

(named by convention 1a-10.def) :

A little more is needed than a 'one-line' file, to cancel the standard hole (the plate will be glued)

For the remaining operations, the other definitions are included in cascade from generic.def and from its main definition file [1.def] before its interpretation.

File : 1-10.def

<PLATE> 1a-10 10 88 2.00
# ---------redefinition ---------------------------------
# REM: block 2 is redefined as a synonym of block 0, to cancel the standard hole
# it is a simple patch, but it works !
<BLK> 2 - 4 - 20 std l OTH\carnpb

Summary of the definition files for all the variants used at the National Botanic Garden of Belgium.

Many files are 'single-liners', or simply a symbolic link to a master definition, because the size information is well decoupled from the format one,.

3.def and 3a.def differ by their field content, but their size information for the variants 3-05.def and 3a-05.def are identical; it is explicitely stated by the fact that the second is a symbolic link to the first one. As a result, if the first variant is amended, the second one (no a copy but a sinple link) is changed as well.

-rw-r--r--   1 root     root           23 Dec 17 10:28      3-05.def

-rw-r--r--   1 root     root          571 Jan 19 16:30      3.def

lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root            8 Dec 16 12:40      3a-05.def -> 3-05.def

-rw-r--r--   1 root     root          586 Jan 19 16:30      3a.def

List of the definition files :

1-01.def
1-02.def
1-03.def
1-04.def
1-05.def
1-06.def
1-07.def
1-10.def
1.def

1a-01.def
1a-02.def
1a-03.def
1a-04.def
1a-05.def
1a-06.def
1a-07.def
1a-10.def
1a.def

1b-01.def
1b-02.def
1b-03.def
1b-04.def
1b-05.def
1b-06.def
1b-07.def
1b-10.def
1b.def

2-05.def
2.def

2a-05.def
2a.def

2b-05.def
2b.def

3-05.def
3.def

3a-05.def
3a.def

4-08.def
4-09.def
4.def

5-08.def
5-09.def
5.def

5a-08.def
5a-09.def
5a.def

5b-08.def
5b-09.def
5b.def

generic.def

Annex

DESCRIPTION OF THE GENERIC FILES

File: generic.def

# Generic part; the characters will be scaled later

<FLD>   carnpb  famnam  gennam  plname  plsyno  plrema  comdut  comfre  georan ...

<MAC>   AUT     /Helvetica-Condensed 40 0

<MAC>   BAR     0

<MAC>   COM     /Helvetica 50 0

<MAC>   CR      zcr

<MAC>   GEO     /Times-Italic 40 0

<MAC>   HOLE    0.5 10

<MAC>   LIFE    1.5 2

<MAC>   LINEW   0 2 0 0

<MAC>   OTH     /Helvetica 40 0

<MAC>   PHA     /Helvetica-Condensed 55 0

<MAC>   SEX     1 2

<MAC>   PHA2    /Helvetica-Condensed 55 1 0.2 3

<MAC>   SYMB    1.5 2

<MAC>   TAX     /Helvetica-Bold 60 0

<MAC>   REMA    /Helvetica 60 0

<MAC>   WLD     /Helvetica-Bold 45 0

File : 1a.def

# Generic part of the form # 1; the characters will be scaled later

# ==========================================================================

#       Block definitions  (allow redefinition)

# ==========================================================================

# Rem: in %, use - for xoff and xspan for default offset and span; cf <PLATE>

#(in %) id      xoff    yoff    xspan   yspan   exec    justif  format_string

<BLK>   0       -       5       -       20      std     l       OTH\carnpb

<BLK>   1       -       5       -       20      std     r       OTH\famnam

<BLK>   2       50      8       10      10      symb    c       HOLE\dummy

<BLK>   3       +1      16      10      10      symb    l       SEX\sexcod

<BLK>   4       -       15      -       65      hbox    c       TAX\gennam|CR|TA

<BLK>   5       -       90      -       10      std     c       GEO\georan

<BLK>   6       0       0       7       100     frame   -       LINEW\dummy

<BLK>   7       1       25      5       50      vbar    -       BAR\carnpb

# ---------------------------------------------