doctoc_lang_intro(n)          Documentation tools         doctoc_lang_intro(n)



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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
       specification, 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
       difference. A table of contents 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.

                  ... [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
       mapping 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
              arguments, 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
              format.

       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
       configuration settings relevant to the table of contents. I.e. it is
       possible 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
       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 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
       recommended to familiarize oneself with Tclapps' ultra-configurable
       dtp.

       On the other hand, doctoc is perfectly suited for the automatic
       generation from doctools documents, and this is the route Tcllib's easy
       and simple dtplite goes, creating a table of contents 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
       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>




doctools                              1.0                 doctoc_lang_intro(n)
