doctools_lang_syntax(n)       Documentation tools      doctools_lang_syntax(n)



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NAME
       doctools_lang_syntax - doctools language syntax

DESCRIPTION
       This document contains the formal specification of the syntax of the
       doctools markup language, version 1 in Backus-Naur-Form. This document
       is intended to be a reference, complementing the doctools language
       command reference.  A beginner should read the much more informally
       written doctools language introduction first before trying to
       understand either this document or the command reference.

FUNDAMENTALS
       In the broadest terms possible the doctools markup language is LaTeX-
       like, instead of like SGML and similar languages. A document written in
       this language consists primarily of text, with markup commands embedded
       into it.

       Each markup command is a just Tcl command surrounded by a matching pair
       of [ and ]. Which commands are available, and their arguments, i.e.
       syntax is specified in the doctools language command reference.

       In this document we specify first the lexeme, and then the syntax, i.e.
       how we can mix text and markup commands with each other.

LEXICAL DEFINITIONS
       In the syntax rules listed in the next section

       [1]    <TEXT> stands for all text except markup commands.

       [2]    Any XXX stands for the markup command [xxx] including its
              arguments. Each markup command is a Tcl command surrounded by a
              matching pair of [ and ]. Inside of these delimiters the usual
              rules for a Tcl command apply with regard to word quotation,
              nested commands, continuation lines, etc.

       [3]    <WHITE> stands for all text consisting only of spaces, newlines,
              tabulators and the comment markup command.

SYNTAX
       The rules listed here specify only the syntax of doctools documents.
       The lexical level of the language was covered in the previous section.

       Regarding the syntax of the (E)BNF itself

       [1]    The construct { X } stands for zero or more occurrences of X.

       [2]    The construct [ X ] stands for zero or one occurrence of X.

       [3]    The construct LIST_BEGIN<X> stands for the markup command
              list_begin with X as its type argument.

       The syntax:

              manpage = defs
                        MANPAGE_BEGIN
                        header
                        DESCRIPTION
                        body
                        MANPAGE_END
                        { <WHITE> }

              defs    = { INCLUDE | VSET | <WHITE> }

              header  = { TITLEDESC | MODDESC | COPYRIGHT | REQUIRE | defs | xref }

              xref    = KEYWORDS | SEE_ALSO | CATEGORY

              body    = paras { SECTION    sbody  }
              sbody   = paras { SUBSECTION ssbody }
              ssbody  = paras

              paras   = tblock { (PARA | NL) tblock }

              tblock  = { <TEXT> | defs | markup | xref | an_example | a_list }

              markup  = ARG     | CLASS | CMD     | CONST     | EMPH   | FILE
                      | FUN     | LB    | METHOD  | NAMESPACE | OPT    | OPTION
                      | PACKAGE | RB    | SECTREF | STRONG    | SYSCMD | TERM
                      | TYPE    | URI   | USAGE   | VAR       | WIDGET

              example = EXAMPLE
                      | EXAMPLE_BEGIN extext EXAMPLE_END

              extext  = { <TEXT> | defs | markup }

              a_list  = LIST_BEGIN<arguments>   argd_list   LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<commands>    cmdd_list   LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<definitions> def_list    LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<enumerated>  enum_list   LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<itemized>    item_list   LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<options>     optd_list   LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<tkoptions>   tkoptd_list LIST_END

              argd_list   = [ <WHITE> ] { ARG_DEF      paras }
              cmdd_list   = [ <WHITE> ] { CMD_DEF      paras }
              def_list    = [ <WHITE> ] { (DEF|CALL)   paras }
              enum_list   = [ <WHITE> ] { ENUM         paras }
              item_list   = [ <WHITE> ] { ITEM         paras }
              optd_list   = [ <WHITE> ] { OPT_DEF      paras }
              tkoptd_list = [ <WHITE> ] { TKOPTION_DEF paras }


BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK
       This document, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems.
       Please report such in the category doctools of the Tcllib SF Trackers
       [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=12883].  Please also report
       any ideas for enhancements you may have.

SEE ALSO
       doctools_intro, doctools_lang_cmdref, doctools_lang_faq,
       doctools_lang_intro

KEYWORDS
       doctools commands, doctools language, doctools markup, doctools syntax,
       markup, semantic markup

CATEGORY
       Documentation tools

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (c) 2007 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>




doctools                              1.0              doctools_lang_syntax(n)
