modules/doctools/doctools_lang_intro.man

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

This document is an informal introduction to version 1 of the doctools
markup language based on a multitude of examples. After reading this a
writer should be ready to understand the two parts of the formal
specification, i.e. the [term {doctools language syntax}] specification
and the [term {doctools language command reference}].

[subsection Fundamentals]

In the broadest terms possible the [term {doctools markup language}]
is LaTeX-like, instead of like SGML and similar languages. A document
written in this language consists primarily of text, with markup
commands embedded into it.

[para]

Each markup command is a Tcl command surrounded by a matching pair of
[const [lb]] and [const [rb]]. Inside of these delimiters the usual
rules for a Tcl command apply with regard to word quotation, nested
commands, continuation lines, etc. I.e.

[para]
[example {
  ... [list_begin enumerated] ...
}]

[example {
  ... [call [cmd foo] \\
          [arg bar]] ...
}]

[example {
  ... [term {complex concept}] ...
}]

[example {
  ... [opt "[arg key] [arg value]"] ...
}]


[subsection {Basic structure}]

The most simple document which can be written in doctools is

[example {
    [manpage_begin NAME SECTION VERSION]
    [description]
    [manpage_end]
}]

This also shows us that all doctools documents are split into two
parts, the [term header] and the [term body]. Everything coming before
[lb][cmd description][rb] belongs to the header, and everything coming
after belongs to the body, with the whole document bracketed by the
two [cmd manpage_*] commands. Before and after these opening and
closing commands we have only [term whitespace].

[para]

In the remainder of this section we will discuss only the contents of
the header, the structure of the body will be discussed in the section
[sectref {Text structure}].

[para]

The header section can be empty, and otherwise may contain only an
arbitrary sequence of the four so-called [term header] commands, plus
[term whitespace]. These commands are

[list_begin commands]
[cmd_def titledesc]
[cmd_def moddesc]
[cmd_def require]
[cmd_def copyright]
[list_end]

They provide, through their arguments, additional information about
the document, like its title, the title of the larger group the
document belongs to (if applicable), the requirements of the
documented packages (if applicable), and copyright assignments. All of
them can occur multiple times, including none, and they can be used in
any order.

However for [cmd titledesc] and [cmd moddesc] only the last occurrence
is taken. For the other two the specified information is accumulated,
in the given order. Regular text is not allowed within the header.

[para]

Given the above a less minimal example of a document is

[example_begin]
[lb]manpage_begin NAME SECTION VERSION[rb]
[lb][cmd {copyright {YEAR AUTHOR}}][rb]
[lb][cmd {titledesc TITLE}][rb]
[lb][cmd {moddesc   MODULE_TITLE}][rb]
[lb][cmd {require   PACKAGE VERSION}][rb]
[lb][cmd {require   PACKAGE}][rb]
[lb]description[rb]
[lb]manpage_end[rb]
[example_end]

Remember that the whitespace is optional. The document

[example {
    [manpage_begin NAME SECTION VERSION]
    [copyright {YEAR AUTHOR}][titledesc TITLE][moddesc MODULE_TITLE]
    [require PACKAGE VERSION][require PACKAGE][description]
    [manpage_end]
}]

has the same meaning as the example before.

[para]

On the other hand, if [term whitespace] is present it consists not
only of any sequence of characters containing the space character,
horizontal and vertical tabs, carriage return, and newline, but it may
contain comment markup as well, in the form of the [cmd comment]
command.

[example_begin]
[lb][cmd {comment { ... }}][rb]
[lb]manpage_begin NAME SECTION VERSION[rb]
[lb]copyright {YEAR AUTHOR}[rb]
[lb]titledesc TITLE[rb]
[lb]moddesc   MODULE_TITLE[rb][lb][cmd {comment { ... }}][rb]
[lb]require   PACKAGE VERSION[rb]
[lb]require   PACKAGE[rb]
[lb]description[rb]
[lb]manpage_end[rb]
[lb][cmd {comment { ... }}][rb]
[example_end]


[subsection {Advanced structure}]

In the simple examples of the last section we fudged a bit regarding
the markup actually allowed to be used before the [cmd manpage_begin]
command opening the document.

[para]

Instead of only whitespace the two templating commands [cmd include]
and [cmd vset] are also allowed, to enable the writer to either set
and/or import configuration settings relevant to the document. I.e. it
is possible to write

[example_begin]
[lb][cmd {include FILE}][rb]
[lb][cmd {vset VAR VALUE}][rb]
[lb]manpage_begin NAME SECTION VERSION[rb]
[lb]description[rb]
[lb]manpage_end[rb]
[example_end]

Even more important, these two commands are allowed anywhere where a
markup command is allowed, without regard for any other
structure. I.e. for example in the header as well.

[example_begin]
[lb]manpage_begin NAME SECTION VERSION[rb]
[lb][cmd {include FILE}][rb]
[lb][cmd {vset VAR VALUE}][rb]
[lb]description[rb]
[lb]manpage_end[rb]
[example_end]

The only restriction [cmd 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 [cmd manpage_begin] may contain only the
templating commands [cmd vset] and [cmd include], a file included in
the header may contain only header commands, etc.


[subsection {Text structure}]

The body of the document consists mainly of text, possibly split into
sections, subsections, and paragraphs, with parts marked up to
highlight various semantic categories of text, and additional
structure through the use of examples and (nested) lists.

[para]

This section explains the high-level structural commands, with
everything else deferred to the following sections.

[para]

The simplest way of structuring the body is through the introduction
of paragraphs. The command for doing so is [cmd para]. Each occurrence
of this command closes the previous paragraph and automatically opens
the next. The first paragraph is automatically opened at the beginning
of the body, by [cmd description]. In the same manner the last
paragraph automatically ends at [cmd manpage_end].

[example_begin]
[lb]manpage_begin NAME SECTION VERSION[rb]
[lb]description[rb]
 ...
[lb][cmd para][rb]
 ...
[lb][cmd para][rb]
 ...
[lb]manpage_end[rb]
[example_end]

Empty paragraphs are ignored.

[para]

A structure coarser than paragraphs are sections, which allow the
writer to split a document into larger, and labeled, pieces. The
command for doing so is [cmd section]. Each occurrence of this command
closes the previous section and automatically opens the next,
including its first paragraph. The first section is automatically
opened at the beginning of the body, by [cmd description] (This
section is labeled "DESCRIPTION"). In the same manner the last section
automatically ends at [cmd manpage_end].

[para]

Empty sections are [emph not] ignored. We are free to (not) use
paragraphs within sections.

[example_begin]
[lb]manpage_begin NAME SECTION VERSION[rb]
[lb]description[rb]
 ...
[lb][cmd {section {Section A}}][rb]
 ...
[lb]para[rb]
 ...
[lb][cmd {section {Section B}}][rb]
 ...
[lb]manpage_end[rb]
[example_end]

Between sections and paragraphs we have subsections, to split sections.

The command for doing so is [cmd subsection]. Each occurrence of this
command closes the previous subsection and automatically opens the
next, including its first paragraph. A subsection is automatically
opened at the beginning of the body, by [cmd description], and at the
beginning of each section. In the same manner the last subsection
automatically ends at [cmd manpage_end].

[para]

Empty subsections are [emph not] ignored. We are free to (not) use
paragraphs within subsections.

[example_begin]
[lb]manpage_begin NAME SECTION VERSION[rb]
[lb]description[rb]
 ...
[lb]section {Section A}[rb]
 ...
[lb][cmd {subsection {Sub 1}}][rb]
 ...
[lb]para[rb]
 ...
[lb][cmd {subsection {Sub 2}}][rb]
 ...
[lb]section {Section B}[rb]
 ...
[lb]manpage_end[rb]
[example_end]


[subsection {Text markup}]

Having handled the overall structure a writer can impose on the
document we now take a closer at the text in a paragraph.

[para]

While most often this is just the unadorned content of the document we
do have situations where we wish to highlight parts of it as some type
of thing or other, like command arguments, command names, concepts,
uris, etc.

[para]

For this we have a series of markup commands which take the text to
highlight as their single argument. It should be noted that while
their predominant use is the highlighting of parts of a paragraph they
can also be used to mark up the arguments of list item commands, and
of other markup commands.

[para]

The commands available to us are

[list_begin commands]
[cmd_def arg]       Its argument is a the name of a command argument.
[cmd_def class]     Its argument is a class name.
[cmd_def cmd]       Its argument is a command name (Tcl command).
[cmd_def const]     Its argument is a constant.
[cmd_def emph]      General, non-semantic emphasis.
[cmd_def file]      Its argument is a filename / path.
[cmd_def fun]       Its argument is a function name.
[cmd_def method]    Its argument is a method name
[cmd_def namespace] Its argument is namespace name.
[cmd_def opt]       Its argument is some optional syntax element.
[cmd_def option]    Its argument is a command line switch / widget option.
[cmd_def package]   Its argument is a package name.
[cmd_def sectref]   Its argument is the title of a section or subsection,
                    i.e. a section reference.
[cmd_def syscmd]    Its argument is a command name (external, system command).
[cmd_def term]      Its argument is a concept, or general terminology.
[cmd_def type]      Its argument is a type name.
[cmd_def uri]       Its argument is a uniform resource identifier, i.e an
                    external reference. A second argument can be used
                    to specify an explicit label for the reference in
                    question.
[cmd_def usage]     The arguments describe the syntax of a Tcl command.
[cmd_def var]       Its argument is a variable.
[cmd_def widget]    Its argument is a widget name.
[list_end]

The example demonstrating the use of text markup is an excerpt from
the [term {doctools language command reference}], with some
highlighting added.

It shows their use within a block of text, as the arguments of a list
item command ([cmd call]), and our ability to nest them.

[example_begin]
  ...
  [lb]call [lb][cmd {cmd arg_def}][rb] [lb][cmd {arg type}][rb] [lb][cmd {arg name}][rb]] [lb][cmd opt] [lb][cmd {arg mode}][rb][rb][rb]

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


[subsection Escapes]

Beyond the 20 commands for simple markup shown in the previous section
we have two more available which are technically simple markup.

However their function is not the marking up of phrases as specific
types of things, but the insertion of characters, namely [const [lb]]
and [const [rb]].

These commands, [cmd lb] and [cmd rb] 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.

[para]

Our example of their use are the sources of the last sentence in the
previous paragraph, with some highlighting added.

[example_begin]
  ...
  These commands, [lb]cmd lb[rb] and [lb]cmd lb[rb] respectively, are required
  because our use of [lb][cmd lb][rb] and [lb][cmd rb][rb] to bracket markup commands makes it
  impossible to directly use [lb][cmd lb][rb] and [lb][cmd rb][rb] within the text.
  ...
[example_end]


[subsection Cross-references]

The last two commands we have to discuss are for the declaration of
cross-references between documents, explicit and implicit. They are
[cmd keywords] and [cmd see_also]. Both take an arbitrary number of
arguments, all of which have to be plain unmarked text. I.e. it is not
allowed to use markup on them. Both commands can be used multiple
times in a document. If that is done all arguments of all occurrences
of one of them are put together into a single set.

[list_begin definitions]
[def [cmd keywords]]

The arguments of this command are interpreted as keywords describing
the document. A processor can use this information to create an index
indirectly linking the containing document to all documents with the
same keywords.

[def [cmd see_also]]

The arguments of this command are interpreted as references to other
documents. A processor can format them as direct links to these
documents.

[list_end]

[para]

All the cross-reference commands can occur anywhere in the document
between [cmd manpage_begin] and [cmd manpage_end]. As such the writer
can choose whether she wants to have them at the beginning of the
body, or at its end, maybe near the place a keyword is actually
defined by the main content, or considers them as meta data which
should be in the header, etc.

[para]

Our example shows the sources for the cross-references of this
document, with some highlighting added. Incidentally they are found
at the end of the body.

[example_begin]
  ...
  [lb][cmd {see_also doctools_intro}][rb]
  [lb][cmd {see_also doctools_lang_syntax}][rb]
  [lb][cmd {see_also doctools_lang_cmdref}][rb]
  [lb][cmd {keywords markup {semantic markup}}][rb]
  [lb][cmd {keywords {doctools markup} {doctools language}}][rb]
  [lb][cmd {keywords {doctools syntax} {doctools commands}}][rb]
  [lb]manpage_end[rb]
[example_end]


[subsection Examples]

Where ever we can write plain text we can write examples too. For
simple examples we have the command [cmd example] which takes a single
argument, the text of the argument. The example text must not contain
markup. If we wish to have markup within an example we have to use the
2-command combination [cmd example_begin] / [cmd example_end] instead.

[para]

The first opens an example block, the other closes it, and in between
we can write plain text and use all the regular text markup commands.
Note that text structure commands are not allowed. This also means
that it is not possible to embed examples and lists within an example.
On the other hand, we [emph can] use templating commands within
example blocks to read their contents from a file (Remember section
[sectref {Advanced structure}]).

[para]

The source for the very first example in this document (see section
[sectref Fundamentals]), with some highlighting added, is

[example_begin]
  [lb][cmd example] {
    ... [lb]list_begin enumerated[rb] ...
  }[rb]
[example_end]

Using [cmd example_begin] / [cmd example_end] this would look like

[example_begin]
  [lb][cmd example_begin][rb]
    ... [lb]list_begin enumerated[rb] ...
  [lb][cmd example_end][rb]
[example_end]


[subsection Lists]

Where ever we can write plain text we can write lists too. The main
commands are [cmd list_begin] to start a list, and [cmd list_end] to
close one. The opening command takes an argument specifying the type
of list started it, and this in turn determines which of the eight
existing list item commands are allowed within the list to start list
items.

[para]

After the opening command only whitespace is allowed, until the first
list item command opens the first item of the list. Each item is a
regular series of paragraphs and is closed by either the next list
item command, or the end of the list. If closed by a list item command
this command automatically opens the next list item. A consequence of
a list item being a series of paragraphs is that all regular text
markup can be used within a list item, including examples and other
lists.

[para]

The list types recognized by [cmd list_begin] and their associated
list item commands are:

[list_begin definitions]
[def [const arguments]]

([cmd arg_def]) This opens an [term {argument (declaration) list}]. It
is a specialized form of a term definition list where the term is an
argument name, with its type and i/o-mode.

[def [const commands]]

([cmd cmd_def]) This opens a [term {command (declaration) list}]. It
is a specialized form of a term definition list where the term is a
command name.

[def [const definitions]]

([cmd def] and [cmd call]) This opens a general
[term {term definition list}]. The terms defined by the list items are
specified through the argument(s) of the list item commands, either
general terms, possibly with markup ([cmd def]), or Tcl commands with
their syntax ([cmd call]).

[def [const enumerated]]

([cmd enum]) This opens a general [term {enumerated list}].

[def [const itemized]]

([cmd item])
This opens a general [term {itemized list}].

[def [const options]]

([cmd opt_def]) This opens an [term {option (declaration) list}]. It
is a specialized form of a term definition list where the term is an
option name, possibly with the option's arguments.

[def [const tkoptions]]

([cmd tkoption_def]) This opens a
[term {widget option (declaration) list}]. It is a specialized form of
a term definition list where the term is the name of a configuration
option for a widget, with its name and class in the option database.

[list_end]

Our example is the source of the definition list in the previous
paragraph, with most of the content in the middle removed.

[example_begin]
  ...
  [lb][cmd list_begin] definitions[rb]
  [lb][cmd def] [lb]const arg[rb][rb]

  ([lb]cmd arg_def[rb]) This opens an argument (declaration) list. It is a
  specialized form of a definition list where the term is an argument
  name, with its type and i/o-mode.

  [lb][cmd def] [lb]const itemized[rb][rb]

  ([lb]cmd item[rb])
  This opens a general itemized list.

  ...
  [lb][cmd def] [lb]const tkoption[rb][rb]

  ([lb]cmd tkoption_def[rb]) This opens a widget option (declaration) list. It
  is a specialized form of a definition list where the term is the name
  of a configuration option for a widget, with its name and class in the
  option database.

  [lb][cmd list_end][rb]
  ...
[example_end]

Note that a list cannot begin in one (sub)section and end in
another. Differently said, (sub)section breaks are not allowed within
lists and list items. An example of this [emph illegal] construct is

[example_begin]
  ...
  [lb]list_begin itemized[rb]
  [lb]item[rb]
  ...
  [lb][cmd {section {ILLEGAL WITHIN THE LIST}}][rb]
  ...
  [lb]list_end[rb]
  ...
[example_end]


[section {FURTHER READING}]

Now that this document has been digested the reader, assumed to be a
[term writer] of documentation should be fortified enough to be able
to understand the formal [term {doctools language syntax}]
specification as well. From here on out the
[term {doctools language command reference}] will also serve as the
detailed specification and cheat sheet for all available commands and
their syntax.

[para]

To be able to validate a document while writing it, it is also
recommended to familiarize oneself with one of the applications for
the processing and conversion of doctools documents, i.e. either
Tcllib's easy and simple [syscmd dtplite], or Tclapps'
ultra-configurable [syscmd dtp].


[section {BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK}]

This document, 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.

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