Re: GNU Emacs/ AucTeX configuration for ConTeXt

[Johan Sandblom <jsandblom@gmail.com>]

2005/12/2, Renaud AUBIN <aubin@nibua-r.org>:
>
> Hi all,
>
> Is there someone using GNU Emacs with ConTeXt. After some googlelyzing, I've
> learnt :
> 1. ConTeXt mode from Berend de Boer is now included in AucTeX
> 2. Some people use Emacs with ConTeXt and METAPOST, but with special .el
> files that seems not really up-to-date
>
> I didn't found usefull information to configure properly AucTeX in order to
> work well with ConTeXt and METAPOST, even in the auctex mailing list.
> It's ok for the menu (apparently managed by site) but I don't have syntax
> highlighting except for comment and indenting doesn't work well.
> So, my questions are:
> 1. Since there is a ConTeXt mode, I suppose there is some advanced features
> like syntax highlighting and indentation rules. Am I right ?

Yes, although the highlighting is rather sparse, mainly it seems to
color anything after \ in gray, and the indentation rules somewhat
finicky, requiring you to adhere to a structure it can parse.

> 2. If I'm right, how to configure it ?

Some of the things are available as defcustoms but most of it I think
requires hacking the functions.

> 3. I will use METAPOST in my .tex files, how to manage this within Emacs ?

There is a metapost.el that is distributed with GNU Emacs (but not
with XEmacs, works there too though). I sometimes just change to that
major mode in the middle of the file, and this should be possible to
automate using mmm, but I never tried.

> 4. You know advanded features I must know ? ;-)

There is TeX debugging just as for LaTeX, automatically locating the
error in the source and explaining it.

I think possibly that the reason for the sparse syntax highlighting is
the higher frequency of inline definitions in ConTeXt, making it
impossible to keep up with it. I think it should be parsable, but
requires emacs-lisp skills way beyond mine.

>
> I'm sorry but I'm addicted to Emacs and don't want to use Scite even if it
> seems ConTeXt-friendly. I'm aware of the fact that this mail is more
> Emacs/AucTeX related but since I didn't succeed in finding answers yet I
> submit this issue to the ConTeXt community.
>
> Best regards,
>
>
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>

Regards,

--
Johan Sandblom  N8, MRC, Karolinska sjh
t +46851776108  17176 Stockholm
m +46735521477  Sweden
"What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the
will to find out, which is the exact opposite"
- Bertrand Russell