doctoc_lang_intro(3tcl) Documentation tools doctoc_lang_intro(3tcl)
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NAME
doctoc_lang_intro - doctoc language introduction
DESCRIPTION
This document is an informal introduction to version 1.1 of the doctoc
markup language based on a multitude of examples. After reading this a
writer should be ready to understand the two parts of the formal speci-
fication, i.e. the doctoc language syntax specification and the doctoc
language command reference.
FUNDAMENTALS
While the doctoc markup language is quite similar to the doctools
markup language, in the broadest terms possible, there is one key dif-
ference. A table of contents consists essentially only of markup com-
mands, with no plain text interspersed between them, except for white-
space.
Each markup command is a Tcl command surrounded by a matching pair of [
and ]. Inside of these delimiters the usual rules for a Tcl command ap-
ply with regard to word quotation, nested commands, continuation lines,
etc. I.e.
... [division_start {Appendix 1}] ...
... [item thefile \
label {file description}] ...
BASIC STRUCTURE
The most simple document which can be written in doctoc is
[toc_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
[toc_end]
This also shows us that all doctoc documents consist of only one part
where we will list items and divisions.
The user is free to mix these as she sees fit. This is a change from
version 1 of the language, which did not allow this mixing, but only
the use of either a series of items or a series of divisions.
We will discuss the commands for each of these two possibilities in the
next sections.
ITEMS
Use the command item to put an item into a table of contents. This is
essentially a reference to a section, subsection, etc. in the document,
or set of documents, the table of contents is for. The command takes
three arguments, a symbolic name for the file the item is for and two
text to label the item and describe the referenced section.
Symbolic names are used to preserve the convertibility of this format
to any output format. The actual name of any file will be inserted by
the chosen formatting engine when converting the input, based on a map-
ping from symbolic to actual names given to the engine.
Here a made up example for a table of contents of this document:
[toc_begin Doctoc {Language Introduction}]
[item 1 DESCRIPTION]
[item 1.1 {Basic structure}]
[item 1.2 Items]
[item 1.3 Divisions]
[item 2 {FURTHER READING}]
[toc_end]
DIVISIONS
One thing of notice in the last example in the previous section is that
the referenced sections actually had a nested structure, something
which was expressed in the item labels, by using a common prefix for
all the sections nested under section 1.
This kind of structure can be made more explicit in the doctoc language
by using divisions. Instead of using a series of plain items we use a
series of divisions for the major references, and then place the nested
items inside of these.
Of course, instead of the nested items we can again use divisions and
thus nest arbitrarily deep.
A division is marked by two commands instead of one, one to start it,
the other to close the last opened division. They are:
division_start
This command opens a new division. It takes one or two argu-
ments, the title of the division, and the symbolic name of the
file it refers to. The latter is optional. If the symbolic
filename is present then the section title should link to the
referenced document, if links are supported by the output for-
mat.
division_end
This command closes the last opened and not yet closed division.
Using this we can recast the last example like this
[toc_begin Doctoc {Language Introduction}]
[division_start DESCRIPTION]
[item 1 {Basic structure}]
[item 2 Items]
[item 3 Divisions]
[division_end]
[division_start {FURTHER READING}]
[division_end]
[toc_end]
Or, to demonstrate deeper nesting
[toc_begin Doctoc {Language Introduction}]
[division_start DESCRIPTION]
[division_start {Basic structure}]
[item 1 Do]
[item 2 Re]
[division_end]
[division_start Items]
[item a Fi]
[item b Fo]
[item c Fa]
[division_end]
[division_start Divisions]
[item 1 Sub]
[item 1 Zero]
[division_end]
[division_end]
[division_start {FURTHER READING}]
[division_end]
[toc_end]
And do not forget, it is possible to freely mix items and divisions,
and to have empty divisions.
[toc_begin Doctoc {Language Introduction}]
[item 1 Do]
[division_start DESCRIPTION]
[division_start {Basic structure}]
[item 2 Re]
[division_end]
[item a Fi]
[division_start Items]
[item b Fo]
[item c Fa]
[division_end]
[division_start Divisions]
[division_end]
[division_end]
[division_start {FURTHER READING}]
[division_end]
[toc_end]
ADVANCED STRUCTURE
In all previous examples we fudged a bit regarding the markup actually
allowed to be used before the toc_begin command opening the document.
Instead of only whitespace the two templating commands include and vset
are also allowed, to enable the writer to either set and/or import con-
figuration settings relevant to the table of contents. I.e. it is pos-
sible to write
[include FILE]
[vset VAR VALUE]
[toc_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
...
[toc_end]
Even more important, these two commands are allowed anywhere where a
markup command is allowed, without regard for any other structure.
[toc_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
[include FILE]
[vset VAR VALUE]
...
[toc_end]
The only restriction include has to obey is that the contents of the
included file must be valid at the place of the inclusion. I.e. a file
included before toc_begin may contain only the templating commands vset
and include, a file included in a division may contain only items or
divisions commands, etc.
ESCAPES
Beyond the 6 commands shown so far we have two more available. However
their function is not the marking up of toc structure, but the inser-
tion of characters, namely [ and ]. These commands, lb and rb respec-
tively, are required because our use of [ and ] to bracket markup com-
mands makes it impossible to directly use [ and ] within the text.
Our example of their use are the sources of the last sentence in the
previous paragraph, with some highlighting added.
...
These commands, [cmd lb] and [cmd lb] respectively, are required
because our use of [lb] and [rb] to bracket markup commands makes it
impossible to directly use [lb] and [rb] within the text.
...
FURTHER READING
Now that this document has been digested the reader, assumed to be a
writer of documentation should be fortified enough to be able to under-
stand the formal doctoc language syntax specification as well. From
here on out the doctoc language command reference will also serve as
the detailed specification and cheat sheet for all available commands
and their syntax.
To be able to validate a document while writing it, it is also recom-
mended to familiarize oneself with Tclapps' ultra-configurable dtp.
On the other hand, doctoc is perfectly suited for the automatic genera-
tion from doctools documents, and this is the route Tcllib's easy and
simple dtplite goes, creating a table of contents for a set of docu-
ments behind the scenes, without the writer having to do so on their
own.
BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK
This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain
bugs and other problems. Please report such in the category doctools
of the Tcllib Trackers [http://core.tcl.tk/tcllib/reportlist]. Please
also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package
and/or documentation.
When proposing code changes, please provide unified diffs, i.e the out-
put of diff -u.
Note further that attachments are strongly preferred over inlined
patches. Attachments can be made by going to the Edit form of the
ticket immediately after its creation, and then using the left-most
button in the secondary navigation bar.
SEE ALSO
doctoc_intro, doctoc_lang_cmdref, doctoc_lang_syntax
KEYWORDS
doctoc commands, doctoc language, doctoc markup, doctoc syntax, markup,
semantic markup
CATEGORY
Documentation tools
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (c) 2007 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>
tcllib 1.0 doctoc_lang_intro(3tcl)