Re: the "xdesc" module

[Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl>]

At 10:19 PM 7/17/2001 +0200, Giuseppe Bilotta wrote:
>Hi,
>
>I'm going quite deep in this xdesc module, as posted in the
>mailing list --maybe I'll change its name again to "objects",
>since it's all about objects and properties.

i will look into it later and see in what extend we can merge the ideas ; i 
have both a simple database handler and sorted things available [use them 
for adresses base and previous sorted biblio module] so there are some 
frameworks already.

>But, to implement the object listing and sorting capabilities I
>need some extended TeXUtil support. The reason for this is that I
>plan to support listing of objects with multiple sorting keys. If
>it was going to be a single sort key, it could have been achieved
>hacking (overloading) the register feature, but that's too
>limiting.

there is something in texutil, but undocumented, had to to with abusing 
sorted lists

>Since the "objects" code could be used as a base for lots of
>things, among which epigraphs and bibliographies, in a
>"consistent" and highly customizable way (see the template
>feature), I think that core support for it can be taken in
>consideration :-)

sure, but then more xml based; this is something i'm working on

>Now, what am I exactly thinking about? The .tui file would contain
>entries of this kind:
>
>o d {objname} {keyname} {keyname} ... {keyname}
>
>[o d = object define]
>
>which would inform TeXUtil of the order of the keys of the object
>{objname}. Then we would have entries in the form
>
>o e {objname} {tag} {keyval} {keyval} ... {keyval} {pagenumber}
>{realpage}

since we want predicatibility:

{keyval,keyval,keyval}

and not pagenumber/realpagenumber, but the full location stamp [including 
chapter and so, so that we can select!

also, this may be combined with indexes -)

>[o e = object entry]
>
>produced by the \get<object>[objref] commands, (I still have to
>think of a "nice" way to allow sanitized keyvals) and finally
>entries in the form
>
>o s {objname} {keyname} {keyname} {keyname} ... {keyname}
>
>[o s = object sort]

there is already sort key support

>Can we discuss the implementation of this feature?

sure, but keep in mind that i have to work to finish, machines to install, 
etc -)

Hans
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