Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!rutgers!seismo!mcvax!ukc!warwick!cudcv From: cudcv@warwick.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.text Subject: Poor line breaks from TeX Message-ID: <329@sol.warwick.ac.uk> Date: Thu, 19-Feb-87 14:16:33 EST Article-I.D.: sol.329 Posted: Thu Feb 19 14:16:33 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 22-Feb-87 01:43:45 EST Reply-To: cudcv@sol.warwick.ac.uk (Rob McMahon) Organization: Computing Services, Warwick University, UK Lines: 47 Some time ago I posted an article complaining about poor line breaks from TeX (actually LaTeX) when the line length was short (table entries with p{1.7in}). I received a couple of suggestions, and one offer of help from a who I never managed to get mail back to (thanks for the offer anyway). Grovelling through the TeXbook has found me a solution - it seems you have to make the space in paragraphs more stretchy to save the demerits hitting the magic 10000 mark when it completely gives up and sets one line badly with and 'Underfull hbox' message. Here's my solution \renewcommand{\sloppy}{ \tolerance=10000 \spaceskip=3.3333pt plus 16.667pt minus 1.1111pt \hfuzz=.5pt \vfuzz=.5pt } LaTeX uses \sloppy when setting such paragraphs, \sloppy normally sets the \tolerance, \hfuzz, and \vfuzz. The \spaceskip makes the interword spaces stretchier than normal. This turns into Main production bottle- Main production bottle- necks caused by lack of necks caused by lack pro- of processing power and cessing power and queues queues for laserprinter for laserprinter (serious at (serious at busy periods). busy periods). Commands em- Commands embedded in bedded in text; processing text; processing needed to and printing needed to see see the results. results. Can anyone improve on this, and how can I make it more general - i.e., I'd like to say "increase stretchability by 15 times" rather than the built-in constants above ? Rob -- UUCP: ...!mcvax!ukc!warwick!cudcv PHONE: +44 203 523037 JANET: cudcv@uk.ac.warwick.daisy ARPA: cudcv@daisy.warwick.ac.uk Rob McMahon, Computing Services, Warwick University, Coventry CV4 7AL, England