[NTG-context] cont-new.mkiv and \everymathematics

[NTG-context] cont-new.mkiv and \everymathematics

[Rogers, Michael K]

Hi all,

In writing class notes, I frequently make one-letter macros for formatted symbols, such \v and \w for vectors. Generally speaking, one-letter names for function/macros/variables is frowned upon in programming, but I find this localized use very convenient.

In cont-new.mkiv, one finds definitions of \t and \w (via \let) appended to \everymathematics, which overwrites my definition of \w every time TeX enters math mode. I can fix this by appending my definition to \everymathematics. The inefficiency seems minor, and I can live with it. I have a question and a couple of points:

1. Is there a better way than adding the definition to \everymathematics?

2. I don’t think these definitions should be in ConTeXt. Let users add them if they wish. Or add a ‘useshortcuts’ option to \setupmathematics.

3. \t and \w are undocumented, \mathword is undocumented, and it took me a while to track down the bug it created for me. In particular, they overwrote my definition only in math mode, and “\show\w” did not work in math mode. Frustrating.  I could add a wikipage, I suppose, but I’m not proud of the extent of my knowledge: “\mathword{word} typesets “word” in math mode in a normal text font, somewhat like \text{word}, and \w is an abbreviation of it that is added to \everymathematics on startup.” 

Thank you very much,

Michael

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[NTG-context] Re: cont-new.mkiv and \everymathematics

[Hans Hagen via ntg-context]

On 1/20/2024 7:49 PM, Rogers, Michael K wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> In writing class notes, I frequently make one-letter macros for formatted symbols, such \v and \w for vectors. Generally speaking, one-letter names for function/macros/variables is frowned upon in programming, but I find this localized use very convenient.
> 
> In cont-new.mkiv, one finds definitions of \t and \w (via \let) appended to \everymathematics, which overwrites my definition of \w every time TeX enters math mode. I can fix this by appending my definition to \everymathematics. The inefficiency seems minor, and I can live with it. I have a question and a couple of points:
> 
> 1. Is there a better way than adding the definition to \everymathematics?
> 
> 2. I don’t think these definitions should be in ConTeXt. Let users add them if they wish. Or add a ‘useshortcuts’ option to \setupmathematics.
> 
> 3. \t and \w are undocumented, \mathword is undocumented, and it took me a while to track down the bug it created for me. In particular, they overwrote my definition only in math mode, and “\show\w” did not work in math mode. Frustrating.  I could add a wikipage, I suppose, but I’m not proud of the extent of my knowledge: “\mathword{word} typesets “word” in math mode in a normal text font, somewhat like \text{word}, and \w is an abbreviation of it that is added to \everymathematics on startup.”
adding to \everymathematics can work fine as long as you're the last one 
adding

when you overload built in commands,

\enabledirectives[overloadmode=error] % or warning

can give you some protection

Hans

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