Re: rethinking @def*

[Patrice Dumas]

On Wed, Aug 10, 2022 at 10:55:56AM +0100, Gavin Smith wrote:
> > Using \textrm doesn't work for code in @defn*, it does not make the font
> > upright, I guess, only roman.  The solution that matches better with TeX
> > is to use \textnormal{\textsl{...}} for @var + remove the code style to
> > get ligatures back, and \textnormal{\texttt{...}} for @code to remove
> > combination of fonts for those commands (or some similar constructs).  
> 
> I'd like to do this, but just on the @def line, nowhere else.

Ok.

> > Should be do that, which means never have combinations?  If we do that
> > for those commands, it would be logical to do it for other specific
> > indicatric @-commands, such as @option, @file, @env...?  Combinations
> > would only be possible within those commands, and for font commands such
> > as @slanted and similar.  That means that something like @var{@code{}}
> > or @code{@var{}} will always only apply the internal @-command
> > formatting.
> 
> This shouldn't be an issue as these other @-commands will not occur
> on definition lines very much.

I don't think that we should make such an assumption.  definition can be used
for command line commands, as far as I can tell, which means that most
of the indicating @-commands, except for @key/@kbd (and @dfn) could happen.
Also, we could imagine @file, @env and @option to be used on @def*
line in diverse contexts to mean a file, a command line option and an
environment variable.

-- 
Pat