Re: DOCBOOK-APPS: RE: DOCBOOK: Problems creating pdf file of tdg

[Bob Stayton <bobs@caldera.com>]

On Fri, Feb 08, 2002 at 05:49:52PM +0100, Kraa de Simon wrote:
> I tried an evaluation version XEP from RenderX and it did a very good job
> converting XSL FO to PDF.
> 
> It's a bit too expensive for me ($5000 for single CPU) so I'm looking for
> another good XSL FO to PDF engine.
> 
> Any suggestions? (already tried FOP)

You should try PassiveTex:
http://www.hcu.ox.ac.uk/TEI/Software/passivetex/
I find it works better than FOP.

But getting it working can be a bear.
I've never gotten PassiveTex working over an existing
TeX installation.  There were always fatal errors,
of a type that didn't make enough sense to me to fix.

I have gotten PassiveTex working on both Win2K and Linux
by doing the following:

1.  Download the TexLive CD image and cut a CD.

2.  Install the entire TeX distribution
from the TexLive CD.

3.  Follow Sebastian Rahtz's directions from the
above webpage *to the letter* to install PassiveTex
in the new TeX installation.

Like FOP, it isn't perfect, but it is useful.

Bob Stayton                                 400 Encinal Street
Publications Architect                      Santa Cruz, CA  95060
Technical Publications                      voice: (831) 427-7796
Caldera International, Inc.                 fax:   (831) 429-1887
                                            email: bobs@caldera.com