Re: Extraneous spaces in XML documents

[robbieinsel@freeuk.com (Robbie Pickering )]

Simon Pepping wrote:
>On Mon, Feb 10, 2003 at 02:58:25AM +0000, Robbie Pickering wrote:
>> 
>> I'm typesetting some XML text with comments in and for the working
>> version the comments are to go in the margin. For the final version the
>> comments are simply to be ignored.
>> 
>> In the end result there is a noticeably larger space between the words
>> where the comma had been. Apparently more than one space is reaching
>> TeX's stomach, though it's beyond me to work out how.
>> 
>> \defineXMLargument [comment] \gobble
>
>You should use \ignorespaces in the end tag. Unfortunately,
>\defineXMLargument does not allow you to define the action for the end
>tag. This would work:
>
>\defineXMLenvironmentsave [comment] {} {\ignorespaces}
>
>The save action gobbles the content as well.
>
>Regards, Simon
>

Thanks.
Is this conceptually different to writing

\def\gobble#1{\ignorespaces}
\defineXMLargument [comment] \gobble

?


It seems to have the effect of also devouring the necessary space after
a full stop, if the comment tag comes directly after it in the source:

Makes complicated pages by starting.<comment>This is not a proper
sentence.</comment> With simple ...

The space after the comment, before "With" should get into the final
document, but doesn't make it. (on the other hand, this also happens
when the comments are shown with

\defineXMLargument [comment] \inmargin



cheers, robbie