Set global page size to size required for largest chunk of text

Question

I have several chunks of verbatim text, each of which should be placed on a separate page (and nothing else). The page size should be determined to tightly fit the largest of the chunks, while all the other chunks should just as usual start in the top-left corner and go as far as they go. The chunks can vary in their vertical and horizontal sizes and their number, and I don't know which one is the largest.

Is there a way to automatically set the required page size from within Latex?

As I'm assuming that this is NOT possible - are there any suggestions on how to do that from outside? I'm generating the chunks in Java, so I could also create a Latex header for the correct page dimensions. But what would be a good way to do that (which document class/packages would suit best (something with geometry, probably...))? The size itself should be easy to claculate as the font in Latex has fixed character size.

(I know the requirement is a little strange, but that's exactly what I need. I'd obviously prefer a Latex-only solution if there is one...)

Answer 1

Use the maxpage environment for cut and pasting text. Use \maxpageinput to handle chunks of text in other files. Use wrapper for each page to keep standalone happy.

\documentclass[multi=wrapper]{standalone}
\usepackage{listings}
\lstset{aboveskip=0pt,belowskip=0pt}
\newlength{\maxheight}
\newlength{\maxwidth}

\newcommand{\setpagesize}[2]{\global\maxwidth=#1\relax \global\maxheight=#2\relax}% executed with aux file read

\makeatletter
\AtEndDocument{\immediate\write\@auxout{\string\setpagesize{\the\maxwidth}{\the\maxheight}}}
\makeatother

\newenvironment{wrapper}{}{}

\newcommand{\maxpageinput}[1]% #1 = fliename
{\setbox0=\hbox{\lstinputlisting{#1}}%
  \dimen0=\ht0
  \advance\dimen0 by \dp0
  \ifdim\dimen0>\maxheight \global\maxheight=\dimen0\fi
  \ifdim\wd0>\maxwidth \global\maxwidth=\wd0\fi
  \parbox[c][\maxheight][t]{\maxwidth}{\usebox0}%
}

\lstnewenvironment{maxpage}{\setbox0=\hbox\bgroup}%
 {\egroup
  \dimen0=\ht0
  \advance\dimen0 by \dp0
  \ifdim\dimen0>\maxheight \global\maxheight=\dimen0\fi
  \ifdim\wd0>\maxwidth \global\maxwidth=\wd0\fi
  \parbox[c][\maxheight][t]{\maxwidth}{\usebox0}%
}

\begin{document}
\begin{wrapper}
\begin{maxpage}
This is a test. 
\textbullet $\sin x^2$
And it has more than one line.
In fact, it goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on until it extends quite far.
\end{maxpage}
\end{wrapper}

\begin{wrapper}
\maxpageinput{test5.tex}
\end{wrapper}
\end{document}

Answer 2

Here is TeX-only solution. Use pdftex document to create the PDF (no LaTeX).

\pdfhorigin=0pt \pdfvorigin=0pt
\newdimen\tmpdim
\newdimen\cwidth \newdimen\cheight

\newread\testin  \newwrite\outfile
\def\softinput #1 {\let\next=\relax \openin\testin=#1
   \ifeof\testin \message{Warning: the file #1 does not exist, TeX me again}
   \else \closein\testin \def\next{\input #1 }\fi
   \next}  
\def\bye{\immediate\openout\outfile=\jobname.dat
   \immediate\write\outfile{%
      \string\pdfpagewidth=\the\cwidth \space
      \string\pdfpageheight=\the\cheight}
   \end
}
\pdfpagewidth=0pt \pdfpageheight=0pt
\softinput \jobname.dat

\def\chunk{\afterassignment\chunkA\setbox0=\hbox}
\def\chunkA{\aftergroup\chunkB}
\def\chunkB{
   \tmpdim=\ht0 \advance\tmpdim by\dp0
   \ifdim\pdfpagewidth<\wd0 \pdfpagewidth=\wd0 \fi
   \ifdim\pdfpageheight<\tmpdim \pdfpageheight=\tmpdim \fi
   \ifdim\cwidth<\wd0 \cwidth=\wd0 \fi
   \ifdim\cheight<\tmpdim \cheight=\tmpdim \fi
   \shipout\box0
   \advance\pageno by1
}

\chunk{first}
\chunk{Second joj}
\chunk{third}

\bye

The external file \jobname.dat is used. When TeX is run firstly then this file does not exist, so the PDF page dimensions grow from page to page. The maximum of such dimensions is saved to the .dat file when \bye macro is expanded. If TeX is run secondly (or more) then the .dat file is read and the maximal dimensions are used now form first page.