[texhax] controlling pdf reader (was Re: beamer and "Read out loud")

[Tom Schneider]

James:

> Linux AR9.x now provides a reload functionality, key short-cut Ctrl-R,
> which basically does what you want. But I don't think it has made it
> into either the Windows or OSX versions. 

Not quite - as I mentioned in the previous posting, I want it hands
(mouse) free.  Oh, the atchange program is at;

http://alum.mit.edu/www/toms/atchange.html

> > Maybe you have an idea?
> 
> The lack of a reload has never bothered me, because of the way I work. For 
> instance, if you check out the bookmarks panel in the above, tts-sync.pdf, 
> and click on ``mk_sync'' under ``Document Source'' you'll activate
> a swf-powered browser that shows how the document is generated.
> Or at least it will for Windows AR and Linux AR, OSX AR is broken!
> 
> Anyhow, I basically write a program that writes a LaTeX file, and the 
> program takes care of invoking pdflatex to process the resultant LaTeX and 
> it will also invoke AR as needed. And in the case of a document
> such as:
> 
>    http://www.amrita-ebook.org/draft/jjq-on-4th-Paradigm.pdf
> 
> which involves much tinkering with a single page, the programming model
> includes a ``coldstart'' construct that will automatically invoke
> the JavaScript needed to get the page state I'm currently working on,
> which is more involved than just jumping to a page; it involves
> traversing a tree of /Widgets and excuting event handlers.
> 
> Of course none of this will help you, owing to the peculiarities
> of what I do; Quirk by name and quirk by nature.

I wonder if what you are doing can be generalized and packaged to
automate the external control of a PDF reader?

> But from your email address it seems you might be reasonably close
> by. So if you ever find yourself near Old Town Alexandria, VA. Drop
> me an e-mail and I'll show you what your options might be.

Indeed, I'm more or less close ...

Tom

  Thomas D. Schneider, Ph.D.
  National Institutes of Health
  schneidt at mail.nih.gov
  toms at alum.mit.edu (permanent)
  http://alum.mit.edu/www/toms (permanent)