How to create roller coaster text?

Question

I want to specify a curved base line (rising and falling like a roller coaster), then to have the text positioned such that it flows along that line. Is there a way to achieve this?

Answer 1

Example 1: Text along a graph plot

\documentclass[pstricks,border=12pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{pst-text,pstricks-add}

\begin{document}

\begin{pspicture*}(-3,-5)(3,2)
\pstextpath[c](0,-0.5)
    {\psplot[linecolor=red,algebraic]{-2.75}{2.75}{x^2-4}}
    {\color{blue}\bf The graph of $y=f(x)=x^2-4$}
\psaxes[mathLabel=false,labelFontSize=\tiny]{->}(0,0)(-2.75,-4.75)(2.75,1.75)[$x$,-90][$y$,225]
\end{pspicture*}

\end{document}

Example 2: Text along an arc

\documentclass[pstricks,border=12pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{pst-text}

\begin{document}

\begin{pspicture}(7,3.5)
\pstextpath[c](0,0.25)
    {\psarcn[linecolor=red](3.5,0){3}{180}{0}}
    {\color{blue}\bf Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2012}
\end{pspicture}

\end{document}

Example 3: Text along an arbitrary curve

\documentclass[pstricks,border=12pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{pst-text}

\begin{document}

\begin{pspicture}(7,3.5)
\pstextpath[c](0,0.15)
    {\pscurve[linecolor=red](0,0)(1.5,2.5)(3.5,2)(5.5,2.5)(7,0)}
    {\color{blue}\bf Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2012}
\end{pspicture}

\end{document}

Note:

Compile each of them with latex-dvips-ps2pdf sequence. Warning: xelatex cannot compile them correctly.