Re: [Groff] .URL, .TAG interaction for non-Thtml

[Dorai Sitaram]

Yes, having .TAG <label>  define a  TAG-<label> would be useful.  

I would suggest defining TAG-<label> as a string rather than as a macro, so 
people can easily refer to it "in-line".   

Also, in the first pass, \*[TAG-<label>] will successfully refer to TAG's 
second argument (or page number, if second arg missing) for backward 
references, and will only say "(see below)" for forward references.  There 
should be no need for a "(see above)".  It can be left to the user to effect a 
second pass where the "(see below)" is replaced by a more specific text.  (This 
is easy enough to do, as in some macros described in the URL below.)

--d

http://www.ccs.neu.edu/~dorai/troff2page
 




----- Original Message ----
From: Werner LEMBERG <address@hidden>
To: address@hidden
Cc: address@hidden
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 12:28:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Groff] .URL, .TAG interaction for non-Thtml


> The .URL and .TAG macros defined in www.tmac have the following
> behavior when processed by a device other than -Thtml.
> 
> .TAG label
> 
> .URL #label foo
> 
> produces
> 
> foo <#label>
> 
> The text <#label> isn't informative because the printed document has
> no #label that the reader can determine.  Would it not be better if
> instead of the text <#label> we have the number of the page where
> the .TAG was called?

Nice idea; however, this would need a two-pass run to properly resolve
tags which follow the references.  Additionally, what to do if you
convert to a large text file without page numbers?

> Furthermore, .TAG could take an optional second argument which could
> take place of the page number.
> 
> Just a suggestion.  Right now, URL #label produces text in non-Thtml
> that doesn't carry information.

Hmm.  I could imagine to replace `<#label>' with `(see above)' and
`(see below)'; something like this is easy to code -- a call to
`.TAG <label>' defines a macro, say, `TAG-<label>'.  A call to
`.URL #<label>' then checks whether the string `TAG-<label>' is
defined.


    Werner


      
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