METAPOST
E437480
METAPOST is a programming language and system for creating vector graphics, especially technical illustrations, by producing PostScript output using a syntax similar to METAFONT.
All labels observed (2)
How this entity was disambiguated
This entity first appeared as the object of triple T4416347 — resolving that mention is where its identity was fixed. The disambiguator weighed these candidate entities and picked the highlighted one (or “None”, minting a new entity). This is how homonymy is resolved: the same surface form can point to different entities.
NED1
Entity disambiguation (via context triple)
gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07
Target entity: METAPOST Context triple: [METAFONT, influenced, METAPOST]
-
A.
METAFONT
METAFONT is a font description and rasterization system created by Donald Knuth for designing and generating bitmap fonts, particularly for use with the TeX typesetting system.
-
B.
PostScript
PostScript is a page description and programming language widely used in desktop publishing and printing to precisely define the layout and appearance of text and graphics.
-
C.
pTeX
pTeX is a Japanese-localized extension of the TeX typesetting system designed to handle vertical writing and complex Japanese typography.
-
D.
XeTeX
XeTeX is an extension of the TeX typesetting system that natively supports Unicode and modern font technologies like OpenType, enabling high-quality multilingual and typographically advanced document production.
-
E.
pdfTeX
pdfTeX is an extended version of Knuth’s TeX engine that can directly generate PDF output and offers advanced typographic and microtypographic features.
- F. None of above. chosen
- G. Unsure - the case is ambiguous/there is not enough information to decide.
NED2
Entity disambiguation (via description)
gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07
Target entity: METAPOST Target entity description: METAPOST is a programming language and system for creating vector graphics, especially technical illustrations, by producing PostScript output using a syntax similar to METAFONT.
-
A.
METAFONT
METAFONT is a font description and rasterization system created by Donald Knuth for designing and generating bitmap fonts, particularly for use with the TeX typesetting system.
-
B.
PostScript
PostScript is a page description and programming language widely used in desktop publishing and printing to precisely define the layout and appearance of text and graphics.
-
C.
pTeX
pTeX is a Japanese-localized extension of the TeX typesetting system designed to handle vertical writing and complex Japanese typography.
-
D.
XeTeX
XeTeX is an extension of the TeX typesetting system that natively supports Unicode and modern font technologies like OpenType, enabling high-quality multilingual and typographically advanced document production.
-
E.
pdfTeX
pdfTeX is an extended version of Knuth’s TeX engine that can directly generate PDF output and offers advanced typographic and microtypographic features.
- F. None of above. chosen
Statements (50)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
graphics system
ⓘ
programming language ⓘ vector graphics language ⓘ |
| basedOn | METAFONT concepts ⓘ |
| canBeIntegratedWith |
ConTeXt
ⓘ
LaTeX ⓘ TeX ⓘ
linked to:
Knuthian TeX
|
| canGenerate |
graphics for inclusion in TeX documents
ⓘ
standalone EPS files ⓘ |
| category |
graphics programming language
ⓘ
technical illustration tool ⓘ |
| designedFor |
diagrams
ⓘ
technical illustrations ⓘ |
| hasDataType |
numeric
ⓘ
pair ⓘ path ⓘ picture ⓘ |
| hasFeature |
automatic label positioning
ⓘ
equation-based layout ⓘ exact geometric computation ⓘ resolution independence ⓘ |
| implementationLanguage |
Pascal (via WEB)
ⓘ
linked to:
Pascal
|
| implementedIn | WEB ⓘ |
| license | free software ⓘ |
| outputFormat | PostScript ⓘ |
| outputType | device-independent PostScript graphics ⓘ |
| primaryDomain | vector graphics ⓘ |
| relatedTo |
Asymptote
ⓘ
METAFONT ⓘ PGF/TikZ ⓘ
linked to:
TikZ
|
| supports |
Bezier curves
ⓘ
arithmetic with real numbers ⓘ labels and text placement ⓘ loops and conditionals ⓘ macros ⓘ mathematical graphics ⓘ parametric curves ⓘ programmatic drawing ⓘ |
| supportsTextFrom |
TeX
ⓘ
linked to:
Knuthian TeX
|
| syntaxSimilarTo | METAFONT ⓘ |
| targetUsers |
engineers
ⓘ
scientists ⓘ technical illustrators ⓘ |
| typicalUse |
figures for scientific publications
ⓘ
technical diagrams in TeX documents ⓘ |
| uses |
Cartesian coordinates
ⓘ
equations to define graphics ⓘ paths to represent curves ⓘ pen shapes for strokes ⓘ |
| usesCoordinateSystem | 2D ⓘ |
How these facts were elicited
The pipeline generated the facts above by prompting gpt-5.1 with this entity's name + description and the instruction below.
Instruction
You are a knowledge base construction expert. Given a subject entity and a description of it, return factual statements that you know for the subject as a JSON list of dictionaries(triples), where keys must be "subject", "predicate" and "object". The number of facts may be very high, between 25 to 50 or more, for very popular subjects. For less popular subjects, the number of facts can be very low, like 5 or 10. # Requirements - If you don't know the subject at all, return an empty list. - If the subject is not a named entity, return an empty list. - Include at least one triple where predicate is "instanceOf". - Do not get too wordy. - Separate several objects into multiple triples with one object.
Input
Subject: METAPOST Description of subject: METAPOST is a programming language and system for creating vector graphics, especially technical illustrations, by producing PostScript output using a syntax similar to METAFONT.
Referenced by (4)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.