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diff --git a/doc/context/sources/general/manuals/cld/cld-introduction.tex b/doc/context/sources/general/manuals/cld/cld-introduction.tex new file mode 100644 index 000000000..82fcb8007 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/context/sources/general/manuals/cld/cld-introduction.tex @@ -0,0 +1,55 @@ +% language=uk + +\startcomponent cld-introduction + +\environment cld-environment + +\startchapter[title=Introduction] + +Sometimes you hear folks complain about the \TEX\ input language, i.e.\ the +backslashed commands that determine your output. Of course, when alternatives are +being discussed every one has a favourite programming language. In practice +coding a document in each of them triggers similar sentiments with regards to +coding as \TEX\ itself does. + +So, just for fun, I added a couple of commands to \CONTEXT\ \MKIV\ that permit +coding a document in \LUA. In retrospect it has been surprisingly easy to +implement a feature like this using metatables. Of course it's a bit slower than +using \TEX\ as input language but sometimes the \LUA\ interface is more readable +given the problem at hand. + +After a while I decided to use that interface in non|-|critical core \CONTEXT\ +code and in styles (modules) and solutions for projects. Using the \LUA\ approach +is sometimes more convenient, especially if the code mostly manipulates data. For +instance, if you process \XML\ files of database output you can use the interface +that is available at the \TEX\ end, or you can use \LUA\ code to do the work, or +you can use a combination. So, from now on, in \CONTEXT\ you can code your style +and document source in (a mixture of) \TEX, \XML, \METAPOST\ and in \LUA. + +In the following chapters I will introduce typesetting in \LUA, but as we rely on +\CONTEXT\ it is unavoidable that some regular \CONTEXT\ code shows up. The fact +that you can ignore backslashes does not mean that you can do without knowledge +of the underlying system. I expect that the user is somewhat familiar with this +macro package. Some chapters are follow ups on articles or earlier publications. + +Some information (and mechanism) show up in more than one chapter. This is a side +effect of \LUA\ being integrated in many places, so an isolated discussion is a +bit hard. + +In the meantime most of the code is rather stable and proven. However, this +manual will never be complete. You can find examples all over the code base, and +duplicating everything here makes no sense. If you find errors, please let me +know. If you think that something is missing, you can try to convince me to add +it. It's hard to keep up with what gets added so input is welcome. + +\blank[2*big] + +\startlines +Hans Hagen +Hasselt NL +2009 \emdash\ 2016 +\stoplines + +\stopchapter + +\stopcomponent |