Re: [Maxima-discuss] cairolatex terminals for draw package

[Atri B. <bad...@op...>]

On Thu, 2025-11-27 at 14:07 -0800, Robert Dodier wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 27, 2025 at 10:37 AM Leo Butler <Leo...@um...>
> wrote:
> 
> > my git repo and then failed to push it. I started using the tikz
> > terminal after many years of using cairlatex pdf and I just forgot
> > about
> > the stashed patch. Thanks for resurrecting it.
> 
> What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of cairolatex vis a
> vis
> tikz? I don't really know much about it, I'm just curious.
> 

`cairolatex` pushes the text bits (e.g. labels for axes and tics) of a
plot off to a LaTeX file, whilst producing a standalone pdf/png/eps
file for the graphics (plot curves, surfaces and the like) to use with,
say, `\includegraphics`. Very much like how one would use the
`epslatex` terminal but with cairo backend for the graphics, and with
outputs possible to pdf and png as well. This is especially useful for
plots involving complex 2D graphics and surfaces which may be somewhat
slow to render using tikz. In addition, I also find that the cairo
backed rendering in these cases is a tad smoother and better looking
than tikz's, but this is obviously subjective.

My patch only implements a `cairolatex_pdf` output using `set terminal
cairolatex pdf`, but we could have something similar for
`cairolatex_png` as well. However, Leo's suggestion for improving how
maxima sends gnuplot the terminal options would be a big improvement
over implementing separate copies of `cairolatex_pdf`,
`cairolatex_png`, `cairolatex_eps` and their stand-alone versions.

Thanks and best wishes,
--
Atri