[Groff] Typesetting Markup Language (TML) - a Superset of Groff

[Yves Cloutier]

Hello Groffers,

I would like to introduce a project I have been working in collaboration
with Peter Schaffter: the Typesetting Markup Language (TML).

TML is a markup that generates Groff code.

The project on github: https://github.com/cloutiy/tml
Extensive documentation on its wiki: https://github.com/cloutiy/tml/wiki

TML began with the frustration of the limited typesetting tools currently
available. *TeX and Groff are a couple of options available, but lets be
honest, these resemble more programming languages than anything else.
Newbies are confronted with scary symbols and unfamiliar territory and
impediments to their writing process.. "Why is this so complicated? All I
want to do is write!"

Peter and I began with the question: "What would our ideal typesetting
language look like?  Could we build a clean, simple and intuitive syntax
that is a pleasure to use?

Here is a sample of TML syntax:

[chapter 3] The City Takes
header-title: The City
toc-title: The City

Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere
cubilia Curae; Ut at lacinia sem. Maecenas efficitur urna a pharetra
ultricies. Suspendisse sagittis a arcu ut tristique. Duis eros dolor,
iaculis vel leo ut, dictum convallis mi. Vestibulum[*] sit amet mi sit amet
ex sollicitudin iaculis. Duis eget nisi vel nunc congue condimentum vel
quis nulla.

[footnote]
Vestibulum is a kind of vestibule I imagine.  Who knows.
[end]

Maecenas efficitur urna a pharetra ultricies. Suspendisse sagittis a arcu
ut tristique. Duis eros dolor, iaculis vel leo ut, dictum convallis mi.

[blockquote]
Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere
cubilia Curae; Ut at lacinia sem. Maecenas efficitur urna a pharetra
ultricies. Suspendisse sagittis a arcu ut tristique.
[end]

[list 1.]
@ item 1
@ item 2
  [list (a)]
  indent: 18p
     @subitem
     @subitem 2
   [end]
[end]

[h1] TML Inline Formatting

Inline formatting has a nice clean syntax that resembles HTML, but much
cleaner - you just need 1 closing tag.

Below are some examples of how to do inline formatting in TML:

[h2] Bold, Italic, Small Caps

Here is some <b<bold text>.
Here is some <i<italic text>.
Here is some <smallcaps<small cap text>.

[h2] Multiple Inline formatting Commands

Here is <bold, size +2<bold and larger text>


This is just a small taste of TML syntax. The intersting stuff when we
start dealing with styling options.  for example, lets set the style for
how quotes are going to look like:

{quotes}
family: times
font:    italic
size:    14
quad:  right

You'll be happy to know TML generates Groff code under the hood, so you can
even include Groff code if you want - the parser just lets it pass through.

This is a proof of concept, but highly usable as it is.  Please have a
look, try it out and send your feedback.  You can even submit comments,
request, bugs on github.

If you see value and the vision for TML, you are more than welcome to
contribute and help improve on it.  My programming skills are very limited
any any offers to help with development are very welcome.

Regards, and enjoy!

yves