modules/doctools/doctools_lang_cmdref.man

[comment {-*- tcl -*- doctools manpage}]
[manpage_begin doctools_lang_cmdref n 1.0]
[copyright {2007-2010 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>}]
[moddesc   {Documentation tools}]
[titledesc {doctools language command reference}]
[category  {Documentation tools}]
[description]
[para]

This document specifies both names and syntax of all the commands
which together are the doctools markup language, version 1.

As this document is intended to be a reference the commands are listed
in alphabetical order, and the descriptions are relatively short.

A beginner should read the much more informally written
[term {doctools language introduction}] first.


[section Commands]
[list_begin definitions]

[call [cmd arg] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument text is marked up as the [term argument] of
a command. Main uses are the highlighting of command arguments in
free-form text, and for the argument parameters of the markup commands
[cmd call] and [cmd usage].

[call [cmd arg_def] [arg type] [arg name] [opt [arg mode]]]

Text structure. List element. Argument list. Automatically closes the
previous list element. Specifies the data-[arg type] of the described
argument of a command, its [arg name] and its i/o-[arg mode]. The
latter is optional.

[call [cmd bullet]]

[emph Deprecated]. Text structure. List element. Itemized list. See
[cmd item] for the canonical command to open a list item in an
itemized list.

[call [cmd call] [arg args]]

Text structure. List element. Definition list. Automatically closes
the previous list element. Defines the term as a command and its
arguments.

The first argument is the name of the command described by the
following free-form text, and all arguments coming after that are
descriptions of the command's arguments.

It is expected that the arguments are marked up with [cmd arg],
[cmd method], [cmd option] etc., as is appropriate, and that the
command itself is marked up with [cmd cmd].

It is expected that the formatted term is not only printed in place,
but also in the table of contents of the document, or synopsis,
depending on the output format.


[call [cmd category] [arg text]]

Document information. Anywhere. This command registers its plain text
arguments as the category this document belongs to. If this command is
used multiple times the last value specified is used.


[call [cmd class] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a
[term class]. The text may have other markup already applied to
it. Main use is the highlighting of class names in free-form text.

[call [cmd cmd] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument text is marked up as the name of a
[term {Tcl command}]. The text may have other markup already applied
to it. Main uses are the highlighting of commands in free-form text,
and for the command parameters of the markup commands [cmd call] and
[cmd usage].

[call [cmd cmd_def] [arg command]]

Text structure. List element. Command list. Automatically closes the
previous list element. The argument specifies the name of the
[term {Tcl command}] to be described by the list element. Expected to
be marked up in the output as if it had been formatted with [cmd cmd].

[call [cmd comment] [arg plaintext]]

Text markup. The argument text is marked up as a comment standing
outside of the actual text of the document. Main use is in free-form
text.

[call [cmd const] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as a [term constant] value. The
text may have other markup already applied to it. Main use is the
highlighting of constants in free-form text.

[call [cmd copyright] [arg text]]

Document information. Anywhere. The command registers the plain text
argument as a copyright assignment for the manpage. When invoked more
than once the assignments are accumulated.

[call [cmd def] [arg text]]

Text structure. List element. Definition list. Automatically closes
the previous list element. The argument text is the term defined by
the new list element. Text markup can be applied to it.

[call [cmd description]]

Document structure. This command separates the header from the
document body.  Implicitly starts a section named "DESCRIPTION" (See
command [cmd section]).

[call [cmd enum]]

Text structure. List element. Enumerated list. Automatically closes
the previous list element.

[call [cmd emph] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument text is marked up as emphasized. Main use is
for general highlighting of pieces of free-form text without attaching
special meaning to the pieces.

[call [cmd example] [arg text]]

Text structure, Text markup. This command marks its argument up as an
[term example]. Main use is the simple embedding of examples in
free-form text. It should be used if the example does [emph not] need
special markup of its own. Otherwise use a sequence of
[cmd example_begin] ... [cmd example_end].

[call [cmd example_begin]]

Text structure. This commands starts an example. All text until the
next [cmd example_end] belongs to the example. Line breaks, spaces,
and tabs have to be preserved literally. Examples cannot be nested.

[call [cmd example_end]]

Text structure. This command closes the example started by the last
[cmd example_begin].

[call [cmd file] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as a [term file] or
[term directory], i.e. in general a [term path]. The text may have
other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of
paths in free-form text.

[call [cmd fun] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a
[term function]. The text may have other markup already applied to
it. Main use is the highlighting of function names in free-form text.

[call [cmd image] [arg name] [opt [arg label]]]

Text markup. The argument is the symbolic name of an [term image]
and replaced with the image itself, if a suitable variant is found
by the backend. The second argument, should it be present, will be
interpreted the human-readable description of the image, and put
into the output in a suitable position, if such is supported by the
format. The HTML format, for example, can place it into the [term alt]
attribute of image references.

[call [cmd include] [arg filename]]

Templating. The contents of the named file are interpreted as text
written in the doctools markup and processed in the place of the
include command. The markup in the file has to be self-contained. It
is not possible for a markup command to cross the file boundaries.

[call [cmd item]]

Text structure. List element. Itemized list. Automatically closes the
previous list element.

[call [cmd keywords] [arg args]]

Document information. Anywhere. This command registers all its plain text
arguments as keywords applying to this document. Each argument is a single
keyword. If this command is used multiple times all the arguments accumulate.

[call [cmd lb]]

Text. The command is replaced with a left bracket. Use in free-form text.
Required to avoid interpretation of a left bracket as the start of a markup
command.

[call [cmd list_begin] [arg what]]

Text structure. This command starts a list. The exact nature of the
list is determined by the argument [arg what] of the command. This
further determines which commands are have to be used to start the
list elements. Lists can be nested, i.e. it is allowed to start a new
list within a list element.

[para]
The allowed types (and their associated item commands) are:

[list_begin definitions]
[def [const arguments]]   [cmd arg_def].
[def [const commands]]    [cmd cmd_def].
[def [const definitions]] [cmd def] and [cmd call].
[def [const enumerated]]  [cmd enum]
[def [const itemized]]    [cmd item]
[def [const options]]     [cmd opt_def]
[def [const tkoptions]]   [cmd tkoption_def]
[list_end]
[para]

Additionally the following names are recognized as shortcuts for some
of the regular types:

[list_begin definitions]
[def [const args]]        Short for [const arguments].
[def [const cmds]]        Short for [const commands].
[def [const enum]]        Short for [const enumerated].
[def [const item]]        Short for [const itemized].
[def [const opts]]        Short for [const options].
[list_end]
[para]

At last the following names are still recognized for backward
compatibility, but are otherwise considered to be [emph deprecated].

[list_begin definitions]
[def [const arg]]         [emph Deprecated]. See [const arguments].
[def [const bullet]]      [emph Deprecated]. See [const itemized].
[def [const cmd]]         [emph Deprecated]. See [const commands].
[def [const opt]]         [emph Deprecated]. See [const options].
[def [const tkoption]]    [emph Deprecated]. See [const tkoptions].
[list_end]

[para]

[call [cmd list_end]]

Text structure. This command closes the list opened by the last
[cmd list_begin] command coming before it.

[call [cmd lst_item] [arg text]]

[emph Deprecated]. Text structure. List element. Definition list. See
[cmd def] for the canonical command to open a general list item in a
definition list.

[call [cmd manpage_begin] [arg command] [arg section] [arg version]]

Document structure. The command to start a manpage. The arguments are
the name of the [arg command] described by the manpage, the
[arg section] of the manpages this manpage resides in, and the
[arg version] of the module containing the command. All arguments have
to be plain text, without markup.

[call [cmd manpage_end]]

Document structure. Command to end a manpage/document. Anything in the document
coming after this command is in error.

[call [cmd method] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument text is marked up as the name of an
[term object] [term method], i.e. subcommand of a Tcl command. The
text may have other markup already applied to it. Main uses are the
highlighting of method names in free-form text, and for the command
parameters of the markup commands [cmd call] and [cmd usage].

[call [cmd moddesc] [arg text]]

Document information. Header. Registers the plain text argument as a short
description of the module the manpage resides in.

[call [cmd namespace] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument text is marked up as a namespace name. The
text may have other markup already applied to it. Main use is the
highlighting of namespace names in free-form text.

[call [cmd nl]]

[emph Deprecated]. Text structure. See [cmd para] for the canonical
command to insert paragraph breaks into the text.

[call [cmd opt] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument text is marked up as [term optional]. The text may
have other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of
optional arguments, see the command arg [cmd arg].

[call [cmd opt_def] [arg name] [opt [arg arg]]]

Text structure. List element. Option list. Automatically closes the
previous list element. Specifies [arg name] and arguments of the
[term option] described by the list element. It is expected that the
name is marked up using [cmd option].

[call [cmd option] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as [term option]. The text may
have other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting
of options, also known as command-switches, in either free-form text,
or the arguments of the [cmd call] and [cmd usage] commands.

[call [cmd package] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a
[term package]. The text may have other markup already applied to
it. Main use is the highlighting of package names in free-form text.

[call [cmd para]]

Text structure. This command breaks free-form text into
paragraphs. Each command closes the paragraph coming before it and
starts a new paragraph for the text coming after it. Higher-level
forms of structure are sections and subsections.

[call [cmd rb]]

Text. The command is replaced with a right bracket. Use in free-form text.
Required to avoid interpretation of a right bracket as the end of a markup
command.

[call [cmd require] [arg package] [opt [arg version]]]

Document information. Header. This command registers its argument
[arg package] as the name of a package or application required by the
described package or application. A minimum version can be provided as
well. This argument can be marked up. The usual markup is [cmd opt].

[call [cmd section] [arg name]]

Text structure. This command starts a new named document section. The
argument has to be plain text. Implicitly closes the last paragraph
coming before it and also implicitly opens the first paragraph of the
new section.

[call [cmd sectref] [arg id] [opt [arg text]]]

Text markup. Formats a reference to the section identified by [arg id].
If no [arg text] is specified the title of the referenced section is
used in the output, otherwise [arg text] is used.

[call [cmd sectref-external] [arg text]]

Text markup. Like [cmd sectref], except that the section is assumed to
be in a different document and therefore doesn't need to be identified,
nor are any checks for existence made. Only the text to format is needed.


[call [cmd see_also] [arg args]]

Document information. Anywhere. The command defines direct cross-references
to other documents. Each argument is a plain text label identifying the
referenced document. If this command is used multiple times all the arguments
accumulate.

[call [cmd strong] [arg text]]

[emph Deprecated]. Text markup. See [cmd emph] for the canonical
command to emphasize text.

[call [cmd subsection] [arg name]]

Text structure. This command starts a new named subsection of a
section. The argument has to be plain text. Implicitly closes the last
paragraph coming before it and also implicitly opens the first
paragraph of the new subsection.

[call [cmd syscmd] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument text is marked up as the name of an external
command. The text may have other markup already applied to it. Main
use is the highlighting of external commands in free-form text.

[call [cmd term] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as unspecific terminology.  The
text may have other markup already applied to it. Main use is the
highlighting of important terms and concepts in free-form text.

[call [cmd titledesc] [arg desc]]

Document information. Header. Optional. Registers the plain text
argument as the title of the manpage. Defaults to the value registered
by [cmd moddesc].

[call [cmd tkoption_def] [arg name] [arg dbname] [arg dbclass]]

Text structure. List element. Widget option list. Automatically closes
the previous list element. Specifies the [arg name] of the option as
used in scripts, the name used by the option database ([arg dbname]),
and its class ([arg dbclass]), i.e. its type. It is expected that the
name is marked up using [cmd option].

[call [cmd type] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a
[term {data type}]. The text may have other markup already applied to
it. Main use is the highlighting of data types in free-form text.

[call [cmd uri] [arg text] [opt [arg text]]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as an [term uri] (i.e. a
[term {uniform resource identifier}]. The text may have other markup
already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of uris in
free-form text. The second argument, should it be present, will be
interpreted the human-readable description of the uri. In other words,
as its label. Without an explicit label the uri will be its own label.

[call [cmd usage] [arg args]]

Text markup. See [cmd call] for the full description, this command is
syntactically identical, as it is in its expectations for the markup
of its arguments.

In contrast to [cmd call] it is however not allowed to generate output
where this command occurs in the text. The command is [term silent].
The formatted text may only appear in a different section of the
output, for example a table of contents, or synopsis, depending on the
output format.

[call [cmd var] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a
[term variable]. The text may have other markup already applied to
it. Main use is the highlighting of variables in free-form text.

[call [cmd vset] [arg varname] [arg value] ]

Templating. In this form the command sets the named document variable
to the specified [arg value]. It does not generate output. I.e. the
command is replaced by the empty string.

[call [cmd vset] [arg varname]]

Templating. In this form the command is replaced by the value of the
named document variable

[call [cmd widget] [arg text]]

Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a
[term widget]. The text may have other markup already applied to
it. Main use is the highlighting of widget names in free-form text.

[list_end]

[section {BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK}]

This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain
bugs and other problems.

Please report such in the category [emph doctools] of the
[uri {http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=12883} {Tcllib SF Trackers}].

Please also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either
package and/or documentation.

[see_also doctools_intro]
[see_also doctools_lang_intro]
[see_also doctools_lang_syntax]
[see_also doctools_lang_faq]
[keywords markup {semantic markup}]
[keywords {doctools markup} {doctools language} {doctools commands}]
[manpage_end]