Bug or feature? Strange counter behaviour in macro

Bug or feature? Strange counter behaviour in macro

[Carsten Fechtmann]

Hello everyone,

first off: I am new to ConTeXt (even if not so new to LaTeX)
and would like to transfer some of my old macros to ConTeXt...

I am well aware, that this means re-programming (most) of them.
So be it.

Furthermore, I am not sure if this is really the right way (read  
ConTeXt Way) to do it.
It just looked like a good idea at the time ...

However, I just hit a snuff with the following:

If one places \NewIssue[Some Time] somewhere in the text, it should  
result in a new (issue / timestamp) to be generated, which can then  
placed in a list of issues / changes.

I also want to be able to make use of the last value Issue to be  
placed in the header, same goes for the last timestamp

Now this is how I went out to do this in ConTeXt (maybe wrongly so?)
following the manual and some examples on contextwiki

%---------------  code below  -----------------------
\definesynonyms[Issue][issues][\IssueText][\IssueDate]
\setupsynonyms[Issue][criterium=all]

\newcounter\IssueCounter

\definenumber[IssueNumber]

\def\TempIssueText{%			
%% This was the (seemingly) only way to get any value beside 0
%% 	from \getnumber within doAddIssue
%% Original place for
\incrementnumber[IssueNumber]
	Issue~\getnumber[IssueNumber]:
}
\def\NewIssue{\dosingleargument\doNewIssue}
\def\doNewIssue[#1]{%
	\increment\IssueCounter  % This one works correctly.
%% Alternative place for
%\incrementnumber[IssueNumber]

%% if placed here instead of in \TempIssueText
%% a DIFFERENT, but still wrong result comes out
%% that is: Debug shows the right progression,
%% but ALL "Issue x" Numbers are set to the last one
	Debug: \IssueCounter / \getnumber[IssueNumber]%
%% but alas I can't seem to make this work with the following lines :-(
	\doifempty{#1}{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{\TempIssueText}{\currentdate}}
	\doifnotempty{#1}{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{\TempIssueText}{#1}}
%% Note: Using \dofiemptyelse gives the same result,
%% I just wanted to make sure here that I am /really/ not calling it  
twice,
%% somehow, by being able to disable each case, separately and  
definitely.
	-- \IssueCounter / \getnumber[IssueNumber]
	\crlf
}
% -- -- -- -- -- --
\starttext
\NewIssue[January 9, 2008]
\NewIssue[January 10, 2008]
\NewIssue 			% January 11, 2008

List of issue \# and dates:

\placelistofissues \blank

\IssueDate{\IssueCounter} % produces correct result in either case

\stoptext
%---------------  code above  -----------------------

  Result as printed out by original version
----------------------------------------------
  Debug: 1/ 0 – 1/ 0
  Debug: 2/ 0 – 2/ 0
  Debug: 3/ 0 – 3/ 0

  List of issue # and dates:
  Issue 2: January 9, 2008
  Issue 4: January 10, 2008
  Issue 6: January 11, 2008

  January 11, 2008
------------------------------
So while \IssueCounter is updated correctly and used with the right  
values,
\getnumber[IssueNumber] always sees / reports the original value
However, the value in \placelistofissues are twice what they should be?!

This is changed if one places \incrementnumber[IssueNumber] INSIDE of  
\doAddIssue
Here, \getnumber[IssueNumber] does report the right value (same as  
IssueCounter)
However, in that case the result looks like this:

  Result as printed out by alternative version
----------------------------------------------
Debug: 1/ 1 – 1/ 1
Debug: 2/ 2 – 2/ 2
Debug: 3/ 3 – 3/ 3

List of issue # and dates:

Issue 3: January 9, 2008
Issue 3: January 10, 2008
Issue 3: January 11, 2008

January 11, 2008
------------------------
In short, while now the value of \getnumber[IssueNumber] is correct  
before and after,
its value in \placelistofissues is always the last value, i.e. equal  
to the total number of issues.

And this does NOT even change, when one replaces
	Issue~\getnumber[IssueNumber]:
	Issue~\IssueCounter:
in \TempIssueText

So for some reason, \TempIssueText is called twice ? How? Where?

Unfortunately, my ConTeXt.foo is not yet good enough to make it over  
the TeX.bar here
as I haven't found a way to make this work (preferably with  
\IssueCounter
as all this \XXXnumber stuff does not seem to work the way I think it  
should, anyway...)

And yes, ANY help with this is very welcome by now

Sincerely
Carsten

P.S: Context version is 2007.01.12 15:56 / TeXlive / OS X

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___________________________________________________________________________________

Re: Bug or feature? Strange counter behaviour in macro

[Aditya Mahajan]

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Hi Carsten,

On Fri, 11 Jan 2008, Carsten Fechtmann wrote:

> first off: I am new to ConTeXt (even if not so new to LaTeX)
> and would like to transfer some of my old macros to ConTeXt...
>
> I am well aware, that this means re-programming (most) of them.
> So be it.

Have you looked at enumerations? They provide a way to something very 
similar to what you want.

> If one places \NewIssue[Some Time] somewhere in the text, it should
> result in a new (issue / timestamp) to be generated, which can then
> placed in a list of issues / changes.

\defineenuemration[Issue][title=yes]

\Issue[one]{January 9, 2008} blah blah blah

\Issue[two]{January 10, 2008} more blah blah blah

In issue \in[one] we wrote what we did on \about[one]

> I also want to be able to make use of the last value Issue to be
> placed in the header, same goes for the last timestamp

Another option may to think of issue as a section (or subsection)

\definehead[Issue][section]

\Issue {Jan 9, 2008} What we did at that time.

\Issue {Jan 10, 2008} something else

\stoptext

Then you can use \setupheadertexts[issue] to get the current issue in the 
header.

> Now this is how I went out to do this in ConTeXt (maybe wrongly so?)
> following the manual and some examples on contextwiki

I haven't looked at your code below. First check if one the in-built 
stuctural environments of ConTeXt do what you want.

Aditya

> %---------------  code below  -----------------------
> \definesynonyms[Issue][issues][\IssueText][\IssueDate]
> \setupsynonyms[Issue][criterium=all]
>
> \newcounter\IssueCounter
>
> \definenumber[IssueNumber]
>
> \def\TempIssueText{%
> %% This was the (seemingly) only way to get any value beside 0
> %% 	from \getnumber within doAddIssue
> %% Original place for
> \incrementnumber[IssueNumber]
> 	Issue~\getnumber[IssueNumber]:
> }
> \def\NewIssue{\dosingleargument\doNewIssue}
> \def\doNewIssue[#1]{%
> 	\increment\IssueCounter  % This one works correctly.
> %% Alternative place for
> %\incrementnumber[IssueNumber]
>
> %% if placed here instead of in \TempIssueText
> %% a DIFFERENT, but still wrong result comes out
> %% that is: Debug shows the right progression,
> %% but ALL "Issue x" Numbers are set to the last one
> 	Debug: \IssueCounter / \getnumber[IssueNumber]%
> %% but alas I can't seem to make this work with the following lines :-(
> 	\doifempty{#1}{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{\TempIssueText}{\currentdate}}
> 	\doifnotempty{#1}{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{\TempIssueText}{#1}}
> %% Note: Using \dofiemptyelse gives the same result,
> %% I just wanted to make sure here that I am /really/ not calling it
> twice,
> %% somehow, by being able to disable each case, separately and
> definitely.
> 	-- \IssueCounter / \getnumber[IssueNumber]
> 	\crlf
> }
> % -- -- -- -- -- --
> \starttext
> \NewIssue[January 9, 2008]
> \NewIssue[January 10, 2008]
> \NewIssue 			% January 11, 2008
>
> List of issue \# and dates:
>
> \placelistofissues \blank
>
> \IssueDate{\IssueCounter} % produces correct result in either case
>
> \stoptext
> %---------------  code above  -----------------------
>
>  Result as printed out by original version
> ----------------------------------------------
>  Debug: 1/ 0 – 1/ 0
>  Debug: 2/ 0 – 2/ 0
>  Debug: 3/ 0 – 3/ 0
>
>  List of issue # and dates:
>  Issue 2: January 9, 2008
>  Issue 4: January 10, 2008
>  Issue 6: January 11, 2008
>
>  January 11, 2008
> ------------------------------
> So while \IssueCounter is updated correctly and used with the right
> values,
> \getnumber[IssueNumber] always sees / reports the original value
> However, the value in \placelistofissues are twice what they should be?!
>
> This is changed if one places \incrementnumber[IssueNumber] INSIDE of
> \doAddIssue
> Here, \getnumber[IssueNumber] does report the right value (same as
> IssueCounter)
> However, in that case the result looks like this:
>
>  Result as printed out by alternative version
> ----------------------------------------------
> Debug: 1/ 1 – 1/ 1
> Debug: 2/ 2 – 2/ 2
> Debug: 3/ 3 – 3/ 3
>
> List of issue # and dates:
>
> Issue 3: January 9, 2008
> Issue 3: January 10, 2008
> Issue 3: January 11, 2008
>
> January 11, 2008
> ------------------------
> In short, while now the value of \getnumber[IssueNumber] is correct
> before and after,
> its value in \placelistofissues is always the last value, i.e. equal
> to the total number of issues.
>
> And this does NOT even change, when one replaces
> 	Issue~\getnumber[IssueNumber]:
> 	Issue~\IssueCounter:
> in \TempIssueText
>
> So for some reason, \TempIssueText is called twice ? How? Where?
>
> Unfortunately, my ConTeXt.foo is not yet good enough to make it over
> the TeX.bar here
> as I haven't found a way to make this work (preferably with
> \IssueCounter
> as all this \XXXnumber stuff does not seem to work the way I think it
> should, anyway...)
>
> And yes, ANY help with this is very welcome by now
>
> Sincerely
> Carsten
> 
P.S: Context version is 2007.01.12 15:56 / TeXlive / OS X
>
> ___________________________________________________________________________________
> If your question is of interest to others as well, please add an entry to the Wiki!
>
> maillist : ntg-context@ntg.nl / http://www.ntg.nl/mailman/listinfo/ntg-context
> webpage  : http://www.pragma-ade.nl / http://tex.aanhet.net
> archive  : https://foundry.supelec.fr/projects/contextrev/
> wiki     : http://contextgarden.net
> ___________________________________________________________________________________
>
>
>

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___________________________________________________________________________________

Re: Bug or feature? Strange counter behaviour in macro

[Carsten Fechtmann]

Hi Aditya,

thanks for taking the time to answer this. And yes, I looked at what  
ConTeXt has already built in.

On 12.01.2008 at 18:44 wrote Aditya Mahajan:

> I haven't looked at your code below. First check if one the in-built  
> stuctural environments of ConTeXt do what you want.

As a matter of fact, I am using the following for all the heavy stuff  
(implementing that in LaTeX is/was a REAL pain)

\definesynonyms[Issue][issues][\IssueText][\IssueDate]
\setupsynonyms[Issue][criterium=all]

\Issue[1]{Issue 1:}{Some Date}
\Issue[2]{Issue 2:}{\currentdate}

and if I just put the values in by hand, it works like a champ. Sorted  
list and all.   ;-D

Took me less than 5 minutes to implement (read: find in the manual).  
Just gonna _love_ ConTeXt for that!

Now, with such a nice success (and because I have much more "counter"  
stuff on the way)
I was feeling lucky ...
and spent the next 5 hours figuring out / searching on the web / going  
over the source
how to have the "number" for each issue placed automatically, every  
time a new issue date is set.

Yes, sure, I could just _write_ that in, but then I would have to  
check myself,
which number is exactly the one I need, and not have the computer do  
it for me.
But, hey where is the fun in that? ;-)

What this all burns down is, that I /really/ would like to understand,  
how I can pass a value from a counter as (constant) argument to a self- 
defined function. As that seems to be the core of the matter/problem  
here.

Any suggestions?

Cheers
Carsten


>
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___________________________________________________________________________________

Re: Bug or feature? Strange counter behaviour in macro

[Aditya Mahajan]

Hi Carsten,

On Sat, 12 Jan 2008, Carsten Fechtmann wrote:

> What this all burns down is, that I /really/ would like to understand,
> how I can pass a value from a counter as (constant) argument to a self-
> defined function. As that seems to be the core of the matter/problem
> here.

You need to understand how synonyms work. It writes enteries to the tuo 
file, and then uses that in the second pass to sort things. One way to 
make sure that you have the correct entry in the tuo file is to use 
expanded:

\definesynonyms[Issue][issues][\IssueText][\IssueDate]
\setupsynonyms[Issue][criterium=all]

\newcounter\IssueCounter

\def\NewIssue{\dosingleargument\doNewIssue}

\def\doNewIssue[#1]%
   {\increment\IssueCounter
     %Debug: \IssueCounter / \getnumber[IssueNumber]%
     \doifelsenothing{#1}
       {\expanded{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{\IssueCounter}{\currentdate}}}
       {\expanded{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{\IssueCounter}{#1}}}}

% Compare the tuo file with and without expanded and you will know what is 
% happening.

\starttext
\NewIssue[January 9, 2008]
\NewIssue[January 10, 2008]
\NewIssue                       % January 11, 2008

List of issue \# and dates:

\placelistofissues \blank

\IssueDate{\IssueCounter} % produces correct result in either case

\stoptext

Aditya
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___________________________________________________________________________________

Re: Bug or feature? Strange counter behaviour in macro

[Carsten Fechtmann]

Hi Aditya,

yes, looking at the .tuo did the trick. :-D

I had tried things with expanded already, but at that time I still had
> {\expanded{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{Issue~\IssueCounter:}{\currentdate}}}
as command. Which does NOT work (due to the tilde ~ resulting in an  
error message then)
The rest was actually fine. Now, without it (i.e. "~") it works!
...
{\expanded{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{Issue: \IssueCounter:}{\currentdate}}}
...

Thanks a lot, that had me seriously baffled ;-)
Carsten

On 12.01.2008 at 23:29 wrote Aditya Mahajan:

> Hi Carsten,
>
> On Sat, 12 Jan 2008, Carsten Fechtmann wrote:
>
>> What this all burns down is, that I /really/ would like to  
>> understand,
>> how I can pass a value from a counter as (constant) argument to a  
>> self-
>> defined function. As that seems to be the core of the matter/problem
>> here.
>
> You need to understand how synonyms work. It writes enteries to the  
> tuo
> file, and then uses that in the second pass to sort things. One way to
> make sure that you have the correct entry in the tuo file is to use
> expanded:
>
> \definesynonyms[Issue][issues][\IssueText][\IssueDate]
> \setupsynonyms[Issue][criterium=all]
>
> \newcounter\IssueCounter
>
> \def\NewIssue{\dosingleargument\doNewIssue}
>
> \def\doNewIssue[#1]%
>   {\increment\IssueCounter
>     %Debug: \IssueCounter / \getnumber[IssueNumber]%
>     \doifelsenothing{#1}
>       {\expanded{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{\IssueCounter}{\currentdate}}}
>       {\expanded{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{\IssueCounter}{#1}}}}
>
> % Compare the tuo file with and without expanded and you will know  
> what is
> % happening.
>
> \starttext
> \NewIssue[January 9, 2008]
> \NewIssue[January 10, 2008]
> \NewIssue                       % January 11, 2008
>
> List of issue \# and dates:
>
> \placelistofissues \blank
>
> \IssueDate{\IssueCounter} % produces correct result in either case
>
> \stoptext
>
> Aditya
> ___________________________________________________________________________________
> If your question is of interest to others as well, please add an  
> entry to the Wiki!
>
> maillist : ntg-context@ntg.nl / http://www.ntg.nl/mailman/listinfo/ntg-context
> webpage  : http://www.pragma-ade.nl / http://tex.aanhet.net
> archive  : https://foundry.supelec.fr/projects/contextrev/
> wiki     : http://contextgarden.net
> ___________________________________________________________________________________

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If your question is of interest to others as well, please add an entry to the Wiki!

maillist : ntg-context@ntg.nl / http://www.ntg.nl/mailman/listinfo/ntg-context
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wiki     : http://contextgarden.net
___________________________________________________________________________________

Re: Bug or feature? Strange counter behaviour in macro

[Aditya Mahajan]

On Sun, 13 Jan 2008, Carsten Fechtmann wrote:

> Hi Aditya,
>
> yes, looking at the .tuo did the trick. :-D
>
> I had tried things with expanded already, but at that time I still had
>> {\expanded{\Issue[\IssueCounter]{Issue~\IssueCounter:}{\currentdate}}}
> as command. Which does NOT work (due to the tilde ~ resulting in an
> error message then)

\nonbreakablespace works instead of ~.

Aditya
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___________________________________________________________________________________