Buffers vs. \def

Buffers vs. \def

[Procházka Lukáš Ing. - Pontex s. r. o.]

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Hello,

a question - I'm just curious:

What is advantage (or maybe intension) of using buffers over \def?

Compare:

----
\def\BufA{This is buffer A.}

\startbuffer[BufB]
   This is buffer B.
\stopbuffer

\starttext
   \BufA
   \getbuffer[BufB]

   \ifx\BufC\undefined No buffer C.\else\BufC\fi
\stoptext
----

Both ways give the required effect.

Moreover, when using \def, I can also test its existence (maybe it's also possible with buffers, but I don't know how).

Best regards,

Lukas


-- 
Ing. Lukáš Procházka [mailto:LPr@pontex.cz]
Pontex s. r. o.      [mailto:pontex@pontex.cz] [http://www.pontex.cz]
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\def\BufA{This is buffer A.}
\startbuffer[BufB]
  This is buffer B.
\stopbuffer

\starttext
  \BufA
  \getbuffer[BufB]

  \ifx\BufC\undefined No buffer C.\fi
\stoptext

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Re: Buffers vs. \def

[Hans Hagen]

On 18-4-2012 11:48, Procházka Lukáš Ing. - Pontex s. r. o. wrote:
> Hello,
>
> a question - I'm just curious:
>
> What is advantage (or maybe intension) of using buffers over \def?

better test with

\startlines
test
test
\stoplines

also, bufferes can be flushed verbatim, as tex, as ... while macros are 
sort of frozen.

Hans

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Re: Buffers vs. \def

[Wolfgang Schuster]

Am 18.04.2012 um 11:48 schrieb Procházka Lukáš Ing. - Pontex s. r. o.:

> Hello,
> 
> a question - I'm just curious:
> 
> What is advantage (or maybe intension) of using buffers over \def?
> 
> Compare:
> 
> ----
> \def\BufA{This is buffer A.}
> 
> \startbuffer[BufB]
>  This is buffer B.
> \stopbuffer
> 
> \starttext
>  \BufA
>  \getbuffer[BufB]
> 
>  \ifx\BufC\undefined No buffer C.\else\BufC\fi

\ifdefined\BufC … \else … \fi

Sometimes \setvariables is a better method to store texts in a document.

> \stoptext
> ----
> 
> Both ways give the required effect.
> 
> Moreover, when using \def, I can also test its existence (maybe it's also possible with buffers, but I don't know how).

You can use \doifelsebuffer{<buffer name>}{…}{…}.

Wolfgang
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