Tips and Tricks

This document gives a few practical tips and tricks for using JaxoDraw.

List of issues

  • Postscript files produced by Export - EPS are considerably larger in size than the same files generated via LaTeX -> dvips. This is due to the way how Java handles the postscript printing internally. Keep this in mind if you want to include a bunch of small figures in your document: it is then probably preferable to use the LaTeX output.
  • It is a good idea to use the refresh button from time to time, especially if there are a lot of objects on the screen and if you are using antialising.
  • Instead of producing EPS figures and including them into your document, you may as well cut-and-paste the LaTeX output of JaxoDraw into your own LaTeX source code. Like that you may avoid the proliferation of numerous postscript file to be distributed with your source code. Note however that you will have to include axodraw in the header of your LaTeX file (put \usepackage{axodraw} somewhere before \begin{document} and you will probably have to distribute the axodraw.sty file along with your source code because it is not part of any standard LaTeX distribution.
  • To add multiple arrows to objects (such as loops, for example), or to draw arrows on objects that do not support them (such as gluon and photon objects), use fermion lines with a very small length (5 points should do the job). Use the edit menu to give the arrow the inclination you need and then move it over the object.
  • For Mac OS X users: note that there are some Mac specific quirks (mostly due to Apple's Java implementation), please see the MACOSX README document for further information.