1docidx_lang_intro(n) Documentation tools docidx_lang_intro(n)
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8 docidx_lang_intro - docidx language introduction
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11 This document is an informal introduction to version 1 of the docidx
12 markup language based on a multitude of examples. After reading this a
13 writer should be ready to understand the two parts of the formal speci‐
14 fication, i.e. the docidx language syntax specification and the docidx
15 language command reference.
16 FUNDAMENTALS
18 While the docidx markup language is quite similar to the doctools
19 markup language, in the broadest terms possible, there is one key dif‐
20 ference. An index consists essentially only of markup commands, with no
21 plain text interspersed between them, except for whitespace.
22 Each markup command is a Tcl command surrounded by a matching pair of [
24 and ]. Inside of these delimiters the usual rules for a Tcl command
25 apply with regard to word quotation, nested commands, continuation
26 lines, etc. I.e.
27 ... [key {markup language}] ...
29 ... [manpage thefile \\
32 {file description}] ...
33 BASIC STRUCTURE
36 The most simple document which can be written in docidx is
37 [index_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
39 [index_end]
40 Not very useful, but valid. This also shows us that all docidx docu‐
43 ments consist of only one part where we will list alll keys and their
44 references.
45 A more useful index will contain at least keywords, or short 'keys',
47 i.e. the phrases which were indexed. So:
48 [index_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
50 [key markup]
51 [key {semantic markup}]]
52 [key {docidx markup}]
53 [key {docidx language}]
54 [key {docidx commands}]
55 [index_end]
56 In the above example the command key is used to declare the keyword
59 phrases we wish to be part of the index.
60 However a truly useful index does not only list the keyword phrases,
62 but will also contain references to documents associated with the key‐
63 words. Here is a made-up index for all the manpages in the module
64 base64:
65 [index_begin tcllib/base64 {De- & Encoding}]
67 [key base64]
68 [manpage base64]
69 [key encoding]
70 [manpage base64]
71 [manpage uuencode]
72 [manpage yencode]
73 [key uuencode]
74 [manpage uuencode]
75 [key yEnc]
76 [manpage yencode]
77 [key ydecode]
78 [manpage yencode]
79 [key yencode]
80 [manpage yencode]
81 [index_end]
82 In the above example the command manpage is used inserts references to
85 documents, using symbolic file names, with each command belonging to
86 the last key command coming before it.
87 The other command to insert references is url. In contrast to manpage
89 it uses explicit (possibly format-specific) urls to describe the loca‐
90 tion of the referenced document. As such this command is intended for
91 the creation of references to external documents which could not be
92 handled in any other way.
93 ADVANCED STRUCTURE
95 In all previous examples we fudged a bit regarding the markup actually
96 allowed to be used before the index_begin command opening the document.
97 Instead of only whitespace the two templating commands include and vset
99 are also allowed, to enable the writer to either set and/or import con‐
100 figuration settings relevant to the table of contents. I.e. it is pos‐
101 sible to write
102 [include FILE]
104 [vset VAR VALUE]
105 [index_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
106 [index_end]
107 Even more important, these two commands are allowed anywhere where a
109 markup command is allowed, without regard for any other structure.
110 [index_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
112 [include FILE]
113 [vset VAR VALUE]
114 [index_end]
115 The only restriction include has to obey is that the contents of the
117 included file must be valid at the place of the inclusion. I.e. a file
118 included before index_begin may contain only the templating commands
119 vset and include, a file included after a key may contain only manape
120 or url references, and other keys, etc.
121 ESCAPES
123 Beyond the 6 commands shown so far we have two more available. However
124 their function is not the marking up of index structure, but the inser‐
125 tion of characters, namely [ and ]. These commands, lb and rb respec‐
126 tively, are required because our use of [ and ] to bracket markup com‐
127 mands makes it impossible to directly use [ and ] within the text.
128 Our example of their use are the sources of the last sentence in the
130 previous paragraph, with some highlighting added.
131 ...
133 These commands, [cmd lb] and [cmd lb] respectively, are required
134 because our use of [lb] and [rb] to bracket markup commands makes it
135 impossible to directly use [lb] and [rb] within the text.
136 ...
137
140 Now that this document has been digested the reader, assumed to be a
141 writer of documentation should be fortified enough to be able to under‐
142 stand the formal docidx language syntax specification as well. From
143 here on out the docidx language command reference will also serve as
144 the detailed specification and cheat sheet for all available commands
145 and their syntax.
146 To be able to validate a document while writing it, it is also recom‐
148 mended to familiarize oneself with Tclapps' ultra-configurable dtp.
149 On the other hand, docidx is perfectly suited for the automatic genera‐
151 tion from doctools documents, and this is the route Tcllib's easy and
152 simple dtplite goes, creating an index for a set of documents behind
153 the scenes, without the writer having to do so on their own.
154
156 This document, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems.
157 Please report such in the category doctools of the Tcllib SF Trackers
158 [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=12883]. Please also report
159 any ideas for enhancements you may have.
160
162 docidx_intro, docidx_lang_cmdref, docidx_lang_syntax
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165 docidx commands, docidx language, docidx markup, docidx syntax, markup,
166 semantic markup
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169 Copyright (c) 2007 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>
170doctools 1.0 docidx_lang_intro(n)