NAME¶
docidx_lang_intro - docidx language introduction
DESCRIPTION¶
This document is an informal introduction to version 1 of the docidx 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
docidx language syntax specification and the
docidx language command
reference.
FUNDAMENTALS¶
While the
docidx markup language is quite similar to the
doctools
markup language, in the broadest terms possible, there is one key
difference. An index consists essentially only of markup commands, with no
plain text interspersed between them, except for whitespace.
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
apply with regard to word quotation, nested commands, continuation lines, etc.
I.e.
... [key {markup language}] ...
... [manpage thefile \\
{file description}] ...
BASIC STRUCTURE¶
The most simple document which can be written in docidx is
[index_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
[index_end]
Not very useful, but valid. This also shows us that all docidx documents consist
of only one part where we will list all keys and their references.
A more useful index will contain at least keywords, or short 'keys', i.e. the
phrases which were indexed. So:
[index_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
[ key markup]
[ key {semantic markup}]]
[ key {docidx markup}]
[ key {docidx language}]
[ key {docidx commands}]
[index_end]
In the above example the command
key is used to declare the keyword
phrases we wish to be part of the index.
However a truly useful index does not only list the keyword phrases, but will
also contain references to documents associated with the keywords. Here is a
made-up index for all the manpages in the module
base64:
[index_begin tcllib/base64 {De- & Encoding}]
[key base64]
[ manpage base64]
[key encoding]
[ manpage base64]
[ manpage uuencode]
[ manpage yencode]
[key uuencode]
[ manpage uuencode]
[key yEnc]
[ manpage yencode]
[key ydecode]
[ manpage yencode]
[key yencode]
[ manpage yencode]
[index_end]
In the above example the command
manpage is used to insert references to
documents, using symbolic file names, with each command belonging to the last
key command coming before it.
The other command to insert references is
url. In contrast to
manpage it uses explicit (possibly format-specific) urls to describe
the location of the referenced document. As such this command is intended for
the creation of references to external documents which could not be handled in
any other way.
ADVANCED STRUCTURE¶
In all previous examples we fudged a bit regarding the markup actually allowed
to be used before the
index_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
configuration settings relevant to the table of contents. I.e. it is possible
to write
[ include FILE]
[ vset VAR VALUE]
[index_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
...
[index_end]
Even more important, these two commands are allowed anywhere where a markup
command is allowed, without regard for any other structure.
[index_begin GROUPTITLE TITLE]
[ include FILE]
[ vset VAR VALUE]
...
[index_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
index_begin may contain only the templating commands
vset and
include, a file included after a key may contain only
manape or url references, and other keys, etc.
ESCAPES¶
Beyond the 6 commands shown so far we have two more available. However their
function is not the marking up of index structure, but the insertion of
characters, namely
[ and
]. These commands,
lb and
rb respectively, are required because our use of [ and ] to bracket
markup commands 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
understand the formal
docidx language syntax specification as well.
From here on out the
docidx 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 recommended to
familiarize oneself with Tclapps' ultra-configurable
dtp.
On the other hand, docidx is perfectly suited for the automatic generation from
doctools documents, and this is the route Tcllib's easy and simple
dtplite goes, creating an index for a set of documents behind the
scenes, without the writer having to do so on their own.
BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK¶
This document, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems. Please report
such in the category
doctools of the
Tcllib SF Trackers
[
http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=12883]. Please also report any ideas
for enhancements you may have.
SEE ALSO¶
docidx_intro, docidx_lang_cmdref, docidx_lang_syntax
KEYWORDS¶
docidx commands, docidx language, docidx markup, docidx syntax, markup, semantic
markup
CATEGORY¶
Documentation tools
COPYRIGHT¶
Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>