[OS X TeX] microtype

[Adam M. Goldstein]

George G asks about how he might speed up typesetting documents using the microtype package (see below). He reports a sixfold increase (approximately) in time to typeset his book with mt loaded vs with it not loaded. 

My suggestions, just conjectures:

-see if there is an option to the mt package you can turn on or off that might speed up typesetting. Ditto with pdftex. Check the docs...

-tinker with TeX memory, other settings?

-see if your machine's memory is holding you back. The only way I know of to check this is using the "top" utility from the terminal. You want to see if there are lots of "pageouts" when you typeset, assuming memory is mostly full. 

Sorry about the top posting but the iPhone doesn't make it easy to bottom-post, and I report the main points of George's post below.

I wouldn't think a solid state disk would make much of a difference because (I don't think) that there's much reading from disk there.

Adam 

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Adam M. Goldstein PhD, MSLIS
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On Aug 9, 2010, at 13:06, George Gratzer <gratzer at me.com> wrote:

> A  while ago, this group called my attention to the microtype package. 
> I tried it out on the book I am completing, and I find the result stunning.
> 
> Problem: my book (about 600 pages) typesets in under 4 secs, 
> with microtype about 30 secs.
> 
> To get the book ready for printing, I estimate that the last stage consists of
> about 1,200 typesettings.
> 
> I have a 4 core iMac with four Core i7 processors. 
> I could get the new one with 8 processors and a solid state disk.
> 
> Would these contribute to speeder typesettings with microtype?
> 
> GG
> 
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