Re: Source Text Tools

[Michael van Acken <mvacken@t-online.de>]

> > 2. Description is formatted for texinfo
> texInfo is not that powerfull. Exspecially placing link everywhere you
> like like you can do in HTML is ugly. Links cannot be place correctly
> everywhere in free floating text. Don't exspect teXInfo syntax to be
> easily convertable to TeXInfo everytime.

Texinfo is powerful enough.  You might check out the printed version
of the OOC Reference Manual.  Or the info version.  Or the HTML
version.

> I don't like the idea of explicit formatter, exspecially for links. I
> propose the above mentioned idea of automatic link generation. I
> already use a tool at work wich does explizit linking. I has been found
> out that this takes a lot of time and does not work well. We are
> searching for a tool that does implicit linking. We are sure that this
> be great time saver. Automatic linking will give the formatter also
> more freedom for formats not implementing links or only a restricted
> set. Howver automatic linking needs more CPU time. 

Suggestion: Implement a tool to convert an unmarked text into one with
explicit meta information.  Then we coule simply use it as a
pre-processor for all the other programs dealing with doc comments.
 
> I also propose a more
> restricted and implicit formatting set. I'm not sure about this, but it
> may be an alternative. Since formatting of O2 stuff will be done
> automatically you no "@var{}"-stuff and that like. As result the
> standard formatters known from the internet "*bold*, /italic/ and
> _underline_ are only necessary. Also list can be detected by putting a
> "-" before it. You can use "*" for numbered and "-" for unnummbered
> list. Section will be deteced by special keywords. Simple tabe will
> work similar, complex ones of course not.

Using explicit type setting commands would be a _huge_ step backwards.
The Texinfo commands provide meta information which is turned into
suitable formatting for various output devices.  Going back to the
type setting level would discard all the benefits of HTML or Texinfo.
Besides, you can't build proper Texinfo files from such low-level kind
of text.

-- mva