Re: "LaTeX compatibility module" (was: Non breaking small space)

[Taco <taco@elvenkind.com>]

Informational: here is the \newcommand definition from m-bib.tex

%D \subonderwerp{\LATEX\ support}
%D
%D \macros{newcommand}

%D Just about all databases define something that uses
%D \type{\newcommand}. This fake version does not cover
%D everything \type{\newcommand} does, but it should be
%D enough for simple definitions like the ones found in
%D \BIBTEX\ files.
%D
%D It would be cleaner to move this command
%D to some sort of \type{supp-ltx} file somewhere in
%D the future.

\def\@star@or@long#1%
   {\doifnextcharelse*{\afterassignment#1\let\next=}{#1}}

\def\newcommand{\@star@or@long\new@command}

\def\new@command#1{\@testopt{\@newcommand#1}0}

\def\@newcommand#1[#2]%
   {\doifnextcharelse[{\@xargdef#1[#2]}{\@argdef#1[#2]}}

\long\def\@argdef#1[#2]#3{\@yargdef#1\@ne{#2}{#3}}

\long\def\@xargdef#1[#2][#3]#4%
    {\@EA\def\@EA#1\@EA{%
          \@EA \do@testopt \@EA#1%
          \csname\string#1\endcsname {#3}}%
     \@EA\@yargdef
          \csname\string#1\endcsname
          \tw@ {#2}{#4}}

\def\@testopt#1#2{\doifnextcharelse[{#1}{#1[#2]}}

\def\do@testopt#1{\expandafter\@testopt }

\long\def\@yargdef#1#2#3%
 {\!!counta#3\relax
  \advance \!!counta \@ne
  \let\@hash@\relax
  \edef\!!tempa{\ifx#2\tw@ [\@hash@1]\fi}%
  \!!countb #2%
  \loop\ifnum\!!countb <\!!counta
         \edef\!!tempa{\!!tempa\@hash@\the\!!countb}%
         \advance\!!countb \@ne
  \repeat
  \let\@hash@##%
  \long\@EA\def\@EA#1\!!tempa}

\long\def\@reargdef#1[#2]{\@yargdef#1\@ne{#2}}