[metapost] paucity of i/o files

[Larry Siebenmann]

Hi all,

I point out another small but annoying misfeature in the
compilation of metapost for OzTeX on Macintosh.

One can write a maximum of four files.  Hence it seems more or
less impossible to write a text file to accompany each of many
figure files produced.  I would find that desirable for
convenient postprocessing.

The problem is that the reading and writing of text files was an
afterthought  -- is it now as prominently documented as it should
be?

The closing of text files after writing is not supported. The
OzTeX limit of four simultaneous write channels might be
tolerable if at least closing were (is?) supported.

It is a bit surprising that TeX's more adequate file handling
was not shunted straight into mp.  

Since mp is a fairly "narrow" graphics application, good i/o
seems a vital compensation.

Is the situation different for other mp implementations?

Is an update of mp documentation planned?

What about other mp implementations?
Related desiderata?

Cheers

Laurent Siebenmann