Re: Can modes be used for content control?

["Idris Samawi Hamid ادريس سماوي حامد via ntg-context" <ntg-context@ntg.nl>]

Hi Aditya,

Many thanks; see below:

On Tue, 16 Nov 2021 17:23:59 -0700, Aditya Mahajan via ntg-context  
<ntg-context@ntg.nl> wrote:

> On Tue, 16 Nov 2021, Idris Samawi Hamid ادريس سماوي حامد via ntg-context  
> wrote:
>
>> Dear gang,
>>
>> For creating/authoring content in ConTeXt: Can modes or the like be used
>> for content control? For example, someone wants to write at least two
>> versions of a book managed from a single file. So, e.g., we may have
>>
>> a) abridged content
>> b) unabridged content - includes a)
>> c) abridged content + translation
>> d) unabridged content + translation
>> [:]
>>
>> One can author and organize this in XML - pre-ConteXt - but perhaps one
>> prefers to write in ConTeXt (take advantage of shortcuts etc.). So maybe
>>
>> \defineparagraphs[unabridged]
>> \defineparagraphs[abridged]
>> \defineparagraphs[translation]
>>
>> Then one authors the complete work in a single project, but you can
>> produce a variety of versions, depending on the mode chosen:
>>
>> \definemode[unabridged]
>> etc.
>>
>> Can one do this in context?
>
> Yes!
>
> This is what I do (for solutions in homework assignments):
>
> \definebuffer[solution][local=yes,nested=yes]
>
> \startmode[solution]
> \defineenumeration[solution][....fancy setup...]
> \stopmode
>
> Then, in the main tex file:
>
> ....
> \startsolution
> ...
> \stopsolution
> ....
>
> By default, gives the version without solution. Compile with  
> --mode=solution to get the version with solution. The same thing should  
> work in your case by defining two modes: unabridged and translation. And  
> then use --mode=unabridged,translate etc to get multiple modes.

Here's a working sample:

=======
% \definebuffer[unabridged]
% \definebuffer[abridged]

\setupwhitespace[big]

\starttext
\startmode[unabridged]
\input knuth

\startblockquote
\input ward
\stopblockquote

% \startmode[abridged]
% \input knuth
% \stopmode
\stopmode

\startmode[abridged]
\input knuth
\stopmode

% \startmode[abridged]
% \input zapf
% \stopmode
\stoptext
=======

Unfortunately - as pointed out on the wiki - modes cannot be nested.

Furthermore, each mode is unique and there is apparently no  
inheritance/continuance.

So using this method appears to be quite unwieldy for book-length  
projects. What is needed is something like this

\startmode[abridged]
\input knuth

\startmode[unabridged]
\startblockquote
\input ward
\stopblockquote
\stopmode

\input zapf
\stopmode

That is not supported, so need to find another method - assuming there  
even is one. Otherwise will have to consider XML authoring and process the  
selected tags in ConTeXt..

Best wishes
Idris
-- 
Idris Samawi Hamid, Professor
Department of Philosophy
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80512
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