[OS X TeX] pdftex paper size

[Ross Moore]

Hi again Bruno,

On 19/05/2006, at 5:25 PM, Bruno Voisin wrote:

>> Looks like a bug in the color package, don't you think ?
>
> No, it's just a consequence of the way the color and graphics/ 
> graphicx packages work (and a demonstration of the blunder made in  
> pdfLaTeX when deciding not to set \pdfpagewidth and \pdfpageheight  
> to \pagewidth and \pageheight, respectively, automatically).

But it does do this, at least on my setup.

This coding comes from  pdftex.def  (maybe not the latest version)

\ProvidesFile{pdftex.def}[2001/11/29 v0.03i graphics/color for pdftex]

...
% Are we running under PDFTeX?
\ifx\pdfpageheight\@undefined
   \PackageWarningNoLine{%
     \@ifundefined{@currname}{pdftex.def}{\@currname}%
   }{%
     pdftex option does not work with standard TeX%
   }%
\else
   \ifx\paperwidth\@undefined
   \else
     \ifdim\paperheight=0pt\relax
     \else
       \pdfpageheight\paperheight
     \fi
     \ifdim\paperwidth=0pt\relax
     \else
       \pdfpagewidth\paperwidth
     \fi
   \fi
   \pdfoutput=1
\fi


In my previous message, I didn't mention that
\usepackage{graphicx} was in my test document.
The \pdfpage... sizes had been set once this
package had been loaded. So the reference to
   \begin{document}  was a red-herring.
Sorry for the mis-information.

\usepackage{color}  would have the same effect.


> Specifically, LaTeX by default is set for US Letter paper. Using  
> the [a4paper] option changes this setting to A4 paper. However,  
> this only affects \pageheight and \pagewidth. For pdfLaTeX,  
> \pdfpageheight and \pdfpagewidth are set completely independently,  
> in the file pdftexconfig.tex (namely, to A4 paper for you owing to  
> the choice made when installing the TeX i-Package).
>
> Now, the color, graphics and graphicx packages include some code to  
> set \pdfpageheight and \pdfpagewidth to \pageheight and \pagewidth,  
> respectively. The geometry package does the same.

Yep. As above.

>
> Accordingly, here's what your tests should yield:
>
>> I have made some trials :
>>
>> ==1==
>> \documentclass{book}
> -> \pageheight and \pagewidth for US Letter
>> \usepackage{color}
> -> \pdfpageheight and \pdfpagewidth to \pageheight and \pagewidth - 
> > US Letter
>> \begin{document}
>> Essai
>> \end{document}

Agreed. See above.


>> =====
>>
>> yields (using Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional, French, to find out  
>> the properties of the output)
>>
>> Propriétés du document... (cmd-D)
>>           Format de page : 215,9 x 279,4 mm
> means \pdfpagewidth and \pdfpageheight set for US Letter (8.5 in x  
> 11 in)
>> Imprimer... (cmd-P)
>>           Document : 215,9 x 279,4 mm
> means the same
>>           Papier : 209,9 x 297,0 mm
> independent, corresponds to the OS X Page Setup ("Format  
> d'impression") setting
>>
>> ==2==
>> \documentclass[a4paper]{book}
> -> \pageheight and \pagewidth for A4
>> \usepackage{color}
> -> \pdfpageheight and \pdfpagewidth to \pageheight and \pagewidth - 
> > A4
>> \begin{document}
>> Essai
>> \end{document}
>> =====,
>>
>> ==3==
>> \documentclass{book}
> -> \pageheight and \pagewidth for US Letter
>> %%%%%\usepackage{color}
> -> \pdfpageheight and \pdfpagewidth as defined in pdftexconfig.tex - 
> > A4

Yes. This happens when there is no driver file loaded
for pdftex-specific stuff  (e.g.  color or graphics)


>> \begin{document}
>> Essai
>> \end{document}
>> ===== and
>>
>> ==4==
>> \documentclass{book}
> -> \pageheight and \pagewidth for US Letter
>> \usepackage{color}
> -> \pdfpageheight and \pdfpagewidth to \pageheight and \pagewidth - 
> > US Letter
>> \input pdftexconfig
> -> \pdfpageheight and \pdfpagewidth as defined in pdftexconfig.tex - 
> > A4

Ouch.
Now LaTeX and pdfTeX can have a different idea about what
is the page/paper-size for this document.


>> \begin{document}
>> Essai
>> \end{document}
>> =====
>>
>> all three yields the expected result:
>>
>> Propriétés du document... (cmd-D)
>>           Format de page : 210 x 297 mm
> means \pdfpagewidth and \pdfpageheight set for A4 (21 cm x 29.7 cm)
>> Imprimer... (cmd-P)
>>           Document : 209,9 x 296,7 mm
> means more or less the same
>>           Papier : 209,9 x 297,0 mm
> means Page Setup set in OS X to A4
>
> Hope this makes sense,
>
> Bruno Voisin


Hope this helps,
   (and sorry for my earlier mistake)

Cheers,

		Ross

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ross Moore                                         ross at maths.mq.edu.au
Mathematics Department                             office: E7A-419
Macquarie University                               tel: +61 +2 9850 8955
Sydney, Australia  2109                            fax: +61 +2 9850 8114
------------------------------------------------------------------------


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