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# The GMT Documentation Project

Starting with GMT version 3.2, all GMT documentation was converted from Microsoft Word to LATEX files. This step was taken for a number of reasons:

1.
  Having all the documentation source available in ASCII format makes it easier to access by several GMT developers working on different platforms in different countries.

2.
  GMT scripts can now be included directly into the text so that the documentation is automatically up-to-date when scripts are modified.

3.
  All figures are generated on the fly and included as GMT EPS files which thus are always up-to-date.

4.
  It is easy to convert the LATEX files to other formats, such as HTML, SGML, and PostScript.

5.
  The whole task of assembling the pieces, be it generating figures or extracting text portions from the master archive under SCCS control, is automated by a simple cshell script.

6.
  Only free software are used to maintain the GMT Documentation.

Because this transition was undertaken by a complete LATEX novice it is likely that the layout will change with time. It is also likely that errors have crept into the document. Please send email to gmt@soest.hawaii.edu if you find any.

Next: A Reminder Up: The Generic Mapping Tools Previous: Acknowledgments