the closing bracket (structuring syntax)

the closing bracket (structuring syntax)

[Steffen Wolfrum]

Hi,

in XML and alike there is a concept of dedicated start/stop in  
formatting:

<begin heading> ... <end heading >
<begin footnote> ... <end footnote >
<begin italic> ... <end italic>

But in ConTeXt/TeX we have always the same closing syntax "}". That  
makes reading the code not easier.

Is there a workaround to define the closing more precisely (like the  
examples above),
so that finding a "}" in a ConTeXt source lets me distinguish what  
it's about?

But in such a way that the file still can be processed as a regular  
ConTeXt file?

Steffen

Re: the closing bracket (structuring syntax)

[Hans Hagen]

Steffen Wolfrum wrote:
> Hi,
>
> in XML and alike there is a concept of dedicated start/stop in  
> formatting:
>
> <begin heading> ... <end heading >
> <begin footnote> ... <end footnote >
> <begin italic> ... <end italic>
>
> But in ConTeXt/TeX we have always the same closing syntax "}". That  
> makes reading the code not easier.
>
> Is there a workaround to define the closing more precisely (like the  
> examples above),
> so that finding a "}" in a ConTeXt source lets me distinguish what  
> it's about?
>
> But in such a way that the file still can be processed as a regular  
> ConTeXt file?
>   
its' no problem to define most commands as start/stop, however keep in 
mind that some start/stop constructs (like tables) pick up pieces in 
order to store them

so, if some commands need start/stop variants ... just make me a list 
and we'll see what we can do about it

Hans


-----------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
              Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands
     tel: 038 477 53 69 | fax: 038 477 53 74 | www.pragma-ade.com
                                             | www.pragma-pod.nl
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Re: the closing bracket (structuring syntax)

[Steffen Wolfrum]

Thank you.

\footnote
\index
\chapter	\section ...
\it	\bf	\sc	\mr	\cap
\language[...]

That would be quite a good start.

Steffen




Am 10.08.2006 um 22:44 schrieb Hans Hagen:

> Steffen Wolfrum wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> in XML and alike there is a concept of dedicated start/stop in
>> formatting:
>>
>> <begin heading> ... <end heading >
>> <begin footnote> ... <end footnote >
>> <begin italic> ... <end italic>
>>
>> But in ConTeXt/TeX we have always the same closing syntax "}". That
>> makes reading the code not easier.
>>
>> Is there a workaround to define the closing more precisely (like the
>> examples above),
>> so that finding a "}" in a ConTeXt source lets me distinguish what
>> it's about?
>>
>> But in such a way that the file still can be processed as a regular
>> ConTeXt file?
>>
> its' no problem to define most commands as start/stop, however keep in
> mind that some start/stop constructs (like tables) pick up pieces in
> order to store them
>
> so, if some commands need start/stop variants ... just make me a list
> and we'll see what we can do about it
>
> Hans
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>                                           Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE
>               Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands
>      tel: 038 477 53 69 | fax: 038 477 53 74 | www.pragma-ade.com
>                                              | www.pragma-pod.nl
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>
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> ntg-context mailing list
> ntg-context@ntg.nl
> http://www.ntg.nl/mailman/listinfo/ntg-context
>

Re: the closing bracket (structuring syntax)

[Aditya Mahajan]

On Thu, 10 Aug 2006, Steffen Wolfrum wrote:

> Hi,
>
> in XML and alike there is a concept of dedicated start/stop in
> formatting:
>
> <begin heading> ... <end heading >
> <begin footnote> ... <end footnote >
> <begin italic> ... <end italic>
>
> But in ConTeXt/TeX we have always the same closing syntax "}". That
> makes reading the code not easier.


You can always define your own startstop.

\definestartstop[italic][before={\bgroup \it},after={\egroup}]

and then do

\startitalic
  This is italic
\stopitalic

When a command takes an optional agrument, you can do use something like 
this

\def\startfootnote%
    {\unskip\dosingleempty\dostartfootnote}

\def\dostartfootnote[#1]#2\stopfootnote%
   {\footnote[#1]{#2}}


You can make such definitions of all your frequently used environments 
(or, if you prefer, write in XML and let ConTeXt handle XML).

> Is there a workaround to define the closing more precisely (like the
> examples above),
> so that finding a "}" in a ConTeXt source lets me distinguish what
> it's about?

There are \bgroup...\egroup which is same as {...} for all practical 
purposes.

Aditya

Re: the closing bracket (structuring syntax)

[Steffen Wolfrum]

Am 10.08.2006 um 22:47 schrieb Aditya Mahajan:

> You can always define your own startstop.
>
> \definestartstop[italic][before={\bgroup \it},after={\egroup}]
>
> and then do
>
> \startitalic
>   This is italic
> \stopitalic
>
> When a command takes an optional agrument, you can do use something  
> like
> this
>
> \def\startfootnote%
>     {\unskip\dosingleempty\dostartfootnote}
>
> \def\dostartfootnote[#1]#2\stopfootnote%
>    {\footnote[#1]{#2}}


And what would be the opposite?

For example \startquote ... \stopquote
to something like {MyQuote ... }

Steffen

Re: the closing bracket (structuring syntax)

[Steffen Wolfrum]

Am 13.08.2006 um 15:29 schrieb Steffen Wolfrum:

> And what would be the opposite?
>
> For example \startquote ... \stopquote
> to something like {MyQuote ... }
>
> Steffen


\def\MyQuote#1{\startquote#1\stopquote}

\MyQuote{something to be quoted}


... should work OK, right?


Steffen

Re: the closing bracket (structuring syntax)

[Aditya Mahajan]

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006, Steffen Wolfrum wrote:

>
> Am 13.08.2006 um 15:29 schrieb Steffen Wolfrum:
>
>> And what would be the opposite?
>>
>> For example \startquote ... \stopquote
>> to something like {MyQuote ... }
>>
>> Steffen
>
>
> \def\MyQuote#1{\startquote#1\stopquote}
>
> \MyQuote{something to be quoted}
>
>
> ... should work OK, right?

Yes, there is also

\def\MyQuote{\groupedcommand{\startquote}{\stopquote}}

which does not read the argument and is better in some cases.

Aditya

Re: the closing bracket (structuring syntax)

[Aditya Mahajan]

> And what would be the opposite?
>
> For example \startquote ... \stopquote
> to something like {\MyQuote ... }

AFAIK, there is no easy way to do this.

Aditya

Re: the closing bracket (structuring syntax)

[Aditya Mahajan]

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006, Aditya Mahajan wrote:

>> And what would be the opposite?
>>
>> For example \startquote ... \stopquote
>> to something like {\MyQuote ... }
>
> AFAIK, there is no easy way to do this.

One can use \aftergroup trickery.

\def\MyQuote{\symbol[leftquote]\aftergroup\endMyQuote}
\def\endMyQuote{\symbol[rightquote]}

\starttext
{\MyQuote This is a test}

\mainlanguage[fr]
{\MyQuote This is a test}
\stoptext

Aditya