[tex-k] The dvitype utility can't dump XDV files

[Peter Breitenlohner]

On Wed, 13 Oct 2010, Peter Dyballa wrote:

> The disdvi utility can dump the contents of XDV files from XeTeX, although 
> not in that detail one might wish. When I try to use dvitype ('dvitype 
> File.xdv' or 'dvitype File.xdv.dvi' using either the hard link or the 
> modified copy) it complains:
>
> 	This is DVItype, Version 3.6 (TeX Live 2010)
> 	Options selected:
> 	  Starting page = *
> 	  Maximum number of pages = 1000000
> 	  Output level = 4 (the works)
> 	  Resolution = 300.00000000 pixels per inch
> 	identification in byte 1 should be 2!

Hi Peter,

this line could be misleading

> 	numerator/denominator=25400000/473628672
> 	magnification=1000;       0.00006334 pixels per DVI unit
> 	' XeTeX output 2007.12.22:1710'
> 	Bad DVI file: ID byte is 5!
> 	Exit 1

this msg probably comes from the postamble!

> although I changed the second byte in the XDV file from 5 (^E) to 2 (^B):

did you also change the id_byte at the end, i.e.in the postamble?

> Could dvitype learn to "officially" support XDV files in order to be able to 
> debug them or compare the output from different XeTeX versions?

Possibly, probably as a separate program similar to pdvitype for japanese
dvi file as produced by pTeX.  As a prerequisite one would need a very
precise description of the XDV format.

Regards
Peter Breitenlohner <peb at mppmu.mpg.de>