Hi Aditya,

> You can create a p= rivate module with the definitions that you need. If
> these are gene= ral enough, then you can also release it as a third party
> module fo= r others to use. I don't see the value of adding (and
> maintaini= ng!) a module that provides LaTeX compatibility as part of the
> core= .

I began to learn ConTeXt since april and begin to write real
Co= nTeXt documents (mostly presentations) since june.
Please don't ask = me too much.

My main request is not to provide LaTeX compatibility b= ut
to provide not only one command of matrix but full set of commandsfor various kind of matrices if possible.
Personally, it is true that I= think LaTeX compatibility is useful
but it is not main issue.

Be= st regards,
Atsuhito Kohda

2019=E5=B9=B47=E6=9C=885=E6=97=A5(=E9= =87=91) 0:18 Aditya Mahajan <aditya= m@umich.edu>:

On Thu, 4 Jul 2019, Atsuhito Kohda wrote:

> Hi Henri,
> Thanks for your suggestions, they are very instructive.
> However, my request is not a smart way of displaying matrices
> but to know why \bmatrix and \vmatrix are not provided
> in core part of ConTeXt although \pmatrix is provided already
> in math-pln.mkiv

Henri has already answered this.

[ ... ]

> One might say ConTeXt is flexible but I've an impression
> that ConTeXt is in a state of confusion/disorder.
>
> I think it is better if a standard command is provided
> by core ConTeXt or by a module etc.
>
> Or is it ConTeXt way that each user defines his/her own commands
> in setup area and uses them in text area?
> I'm afraid consistency and/or portability is lost in such scenario= .

Let me provide an alternative point of view. The commands that you are
suggesting are encode the _visual_ meaning: pmatrix is a matrix with
parenthesis, bmatrix is a matrix with brackets, vmatrix is a matrix with vertical bars, and so on. One could also use _semantic_ commands: in my documents, I define a command called MATRIX for typesetting matrices, and <= br> DET for determinant of a matrix. So, I simply type

\MATRIX{1, 2; 5, 6} and \DET{1, 2; 5, 6}, etc.

Now, depending on the audience, I sometimes map \MATRIX to pmatrix and
sometimes to bmatrix. I can simply copy paste the code without worrying about notation.

If you take this view, then the predefined matrix:parentheses,
matrix:brackets, and matrix:bars are sufficient.

> BTW, I constantly convert Beamer documents into ConTeXt's
> simpleslide documents recently and it is very convenient
> if I can use \pmatrix{a&b\cr c&d\cr} style because it is simil= ar
> to LaTeX documents.

You can create a private module with the definitions that you need. If
these are general enough, then you can also release it as a third party module for others to use. I don't see the value of adding (and
maintaining!) a module that provides LaTeX compatibility as part of the core.

Aditya

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