Re: [Groff] groff data structures

[Chuck Robey]

Werner LEMBERG wrote:

>> I got a reply from Tadziu Hoffman who gave me an idea of making a
>> real stack,
> 
> As I mentioned in a previous mail, this works fine for arguments
> without spaces only.

Well, my requirements actually allow me to fit inside that limitation.

> 
>> OK, off to your 2nd email, saying roughly that you didn't think I
>> should want to use your www.tmac code to implement anything to fix
>> the mm code, but you were only too happy, anyways, to accept patches
>> to the www.tmac code.
> 
> This is bad wording from my side:

I might have read more into your comments than  you intended.

 I was talking about the high-level
> API as given in www.tmac.  There are two different approaches how to
> have HTML support w.r.t. lists in mm.  The first one is to use mm list
> macros to get the right output with grohtml.  The second one is to use
> extended HTML features, not covered by mm macros at all.  To implement
> the former you should do it similar to the ms package, this is, using
> the low-level macros from www.tmac only.  Everything for the latter
> should go into www.tmac.
> 
>> It left me a bit confused ... I would *think* that a bit of extra
>> code to the mm macros so that they referenced your www.tmac in case
>> of html output would be a good idea.
> 
> Yes.  Sorry for being imprecise.
> 
>> I wouldn't mind changing things to do it, but the fixes are not
>> exactly minor:
> 
> I don't mind large changes.  However, before you start, please present
> your ideas here on the list (even if pseudocode only).  Additionally,
> I need a copyright disclaimer before I can apply non-trivial patches
> to groff (this is, patches longer than about 20 changed code lines);
> it takes a few weeks until this has been processed by the FSF, then I
> can proceed.

Well, it seems in my misunderstanding your comments, I've done a complete (now)
set of metalanguage changes to mm, but if you want me to implement things by
using your www.tmac code, then I think I should only retrofit the mm macro
changes (in the list macros excepting .LB), so that if -Thtml is active, then
the present code in mm is replaced by smallish stubs that call the correct
macros in www.tmac.  Darn, just when I completely finished figuring out those mm
stack calls (and I even retrofitted them with nice lines of comments).  Now, I
need to figure out your www-push and www-pop-li things, I've not yet figured out
how they work, or if what you're saving is near to what I figure I need.

Let me see if I can change all my mm metalanguage things to fit back into
www.tmac, and when I get near that done, I'll come back.  I DO see some things
that currently I don't understand (like HTML "</ul>", or www:paraspace) but they
look very interesting.  So, don't expect me back today, but soon.

And as long as your kind offer of review stands, I'll try real hard not to grab
for more.

> 
>> I got the idea that you wanted me not to embroil you further,
> 
> Well, I'll always try to give advice and check code, but please don't
> expect more.
> 
> 
>     Werner