Rik Kabel schrieb am 16.10.2024 um 23:18:
Hello Hans and developers,

I have been trying to convert some two- and three-step macros (as shown below) to single-step macros using the LMTX syntax given in the low-level macros manual. I have succeeded in many cases, but failed when the macro follows one particular group of patterns.

The group of patterns is similar to this macro to process

    \MyMacro[optional]{Required}{Required}{Optional}

In this the number of arguments can be 2, 3, or 4.

A three-step solution might be as follows, which I use for a list of persons:

    \defineregister[Bindex]
    \setupregister [Bindex][n=1,
                             balance=no,
                             method=default, % or New follows Newton!
                             compress=no, % yes if not note number+q
                             expansion=yes,
                             pagecommand=\gobbleoneargument
                            ]

    \starttexdefinition unexpanded Bi
       \dosingleempty\doBindex
    \stoptexdefinition

    \starttexdefinition unexpanded doBindex [#SORTAS]#INDEXED
       \def\SortAs{#SORTAS}%
       \def\Indexed{#INDEXED}%
       \dodoublegroupempty\doBindexFull
    \stoptexdefinition

    \starttexdefinition doBindexFull #BD#MORE
       \doifemptyelse{#MORE}
         {\Bindex[\SortAs]{\Indexed\ #BD}}
         {\Bindex[\SortAs]{\Indexed\ #BD\\ #MORE}}
    \stoptexdefinition

with input like:

    \Bi{Rumble, Walker}{1938|–|}%
    \Bi{Runia, David Theunis}{1951|–|}{Classicist}%
    \Bi{Rutherford, Ernest (Baron Rutherford of
    Nelson)}{1871|–|1937}{Physicist}%
    \Bi{Saenger, Paul}{1945|–|}%
    \Bi{Saldarini, Anthony J.}{1941|–|2001}%
    \Bi{Salter, William M.}{1853|–|1931}%
    \Bi[Saint-Exupery]{de Saint-Exupéry, Antoine}{1900|–|1944}%
    \Bi{Santayana, George}{1863|–|1952}%
    \Bi{Sapir, Edward}{1884|–|1939}{Linguist}%
    \Bi[Schrodinger]{Schrödinger, Erwin}{1887|–|1961}{Physicist}%
    \Bi[Spinoza]{de Spinoza, Baruch (Benedict de Spinoza, Bento de
    Espinosa)}{1632|–|1677}%

The best I can get with the newer syntax is a two-step:


    \starttexdefinition unexpanded Bi
       \dosingleempty\doBindex
    \stoptexdefinition
    \tolerant\def\doBindex [#1]#=#=#=%
       {\doifemptyelse{#4}
         {\Bindex[#1]{#2\ #3}}%
         {\Bindex[#1]{#2\ #3\\ #4}}%
       }

In the low-level macros manual, near the end of chapter 2, it says that some day there may be a use for #?, #!, #<, or #>. If I am not missing something in the manual about how to provide that first optional argument as an empty value, I think I have one. Could [#?] always return a value (perhaps empty)? That would allow something like:

    \tolerant\def\doBindex [#?]#=#=#=%
       {\doifemptyelse{#4}
         {\Bindex[#1]{#2\ #3}}%
         {\Bindex[#1]{#2\ #3\\ #4}}%
       }


When you have argument after square brackets you have to use #: to continues scanning for arguments of the command. For the mandatory argument you should just use #2 and keep #= for the optional arguments which are only used when text enclosed in curly braces appears. The #* between the third and fourth argument allows spaces between them.

%%%% begin example
\tolerant\protected\def\Bi[#1]#:#2#*#=#*#=%
  {(1=#1)%
   (2=#2)%
   (3=#3)%
   (4=#4)}

\starttext

[\Bi[one]{two}{three}{four}]

[\Bi [one] {two} {three} {four}]

[\Bi [one] {two} {three}]

[\Bi [one] {two}]

[\Bi {two}]

[\Bi [one] {two}]

\stoptext
%%%% end example

To check whether a argument is empty or not you can use the \ifparameter command with the parameter to check (i.e. #1) as argument (don't forget the \or) but \doifempty etc. work as well.

%%%% begin example
\tolerant\protected\def\Bi[#1]#:#2#*#=#*#=%
  {\ifparameter#1\or
     First argument is used.
   \else
     First argument is missing or empty.
   \fi}

\starttext

\Bi {bar}

\Bi [] {bar}

\Bi [foo] {bar}

\stoptext
%%%% end example

Wolfgang
___________________________________________________________________________________
If your question is of interest to others as well, please add an entry to the 
Wiki!

maillist : ntg-context@ntg.nl / 
https://mailman.ntg.nl/mailman3/lists/ntg-context.ntg.nl
webpage  : https://www.pragma-ade.nl / https://context.aanhet.net (mirror)
archive  : https://github.com/contextgarden/context
wiki     : https://wiki.contextgarden.net
___________________________________________________________________________________

Reply via email to