switching to Context

switching to Context

[Roger Mason]

Hello,

I'm thinking of making the switch from latex to context, indeed I'm
working on my first non-trivial document as a trial.  I have some
questions.

(1) Is it possible to do conditional compilation?  I wish to use
context to write lecture notes with embedded pictures.  I'd like to
compile the document into one form to hand out to the class (or make
available on the web) and another to be used as a presentation, much
like latex-beamer, with just the pictures.

(2) Is it possible to convert context into plain text (i.e. strip out
the formatting instructions)?  This may seem eccentric but it might,
with some programming, offer a means to put document content into a
relational database, perhaps in paragraph chunks.

Thanks,

Roger
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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
___________________________________________________________________________________

Re: switching to Context

[luigi scarso]

On Nov 29, 2007 1:17 PM, Roger Mason <rmason@esd.mun.ca> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm thinking of making the switch from latex to context
**WELCOME**
> (1) Is it possible to do conditional compilation?
yes, search in wiki for \startmode \stopmode
or start to see
http://wiki.contextgarden.net/Modes

> (2) Is it possible to convert context into plain text
hmm, with a bit of discipline, yes.
But you can also explore pdftotext (make pdf => convert to text)
or use \write<>  macros of TeX
or try luatex.

-- 
luigi
...
it's new .
it's powerful .
it's luatex .
http://www.luatex.org
___________________________________________________________________________________
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
___________________________________________________________________________________

Re: switching to Context

[Thomas A. Schmitz]

On Nov 29, 2007, at 1:17 PM, Roger Mason wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I'm thinking of making the switch from latex to context, indeed I'm
> working on my first non-trivial document as a trial.  I have some
> questions.
>
> (1) Is it possible to do conditional compilation?  I wish to use
> context to write lecture notes with embedded pictures.  I'd like to
> compile the document into one form to hand out to the class (or make
> available on the web) and another to be used as a presentation, much
> like latex-beamer, with just the pictures.

This is in fact quite easy with ConTeXt, you can use different modes.  
If you excuse the shameless plug, I wrote something in the PracTeX  
journal that may get you started:

http://www.tug.org/pracjourn/2006-2/schmitz/

>
>
> (2) Is it possible to convert context into plain text (i.e. strip out
> the formatting instructions)?  This may seem eccentric but it might,
> with some programming, offer a means to put document content into a
> relational database, perhaps in paragraph chunks.
>

I'm not aware of anything like that, but you can always use a tool  
such as pdftotext (part of xpdf, whch is available on any reasonable  
platform) on the pdf files that ConTeXt creates.

HTH

Thomas
___________________________________________________________________________________
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
___________________________________________________________________________________

Re: switching to Context

[Roger Mason]

 Luigi and Thomas,

Thank you both very much for your suggestions.  It appears that much
is possible beyond the simple inclusion/exclusion I had considered.

Just yesterday(!) I extracted from a pdf file the text to pass on to a
colleague.  Now why did I not think of that when I had the same need!

Many thanks,
Roger
___________________________________________________________________________________
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
___________________________________________________________________________________