Re: Problem with macros in displays

[Laurence Finston]

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004, Stepan Kasal wrote:

>
> yes, the @macro support is somewhat kludgy.  In specialized environments,
> like @example, it tends to break.
>

Okay, then I'll just use some (slightly) low-level TeX code,
if I can't get the macros to work they way I want.

> And @display is like @example, only with the regular font instead of \tt.
>
> Did you know that you are using \obeylines?  (I mean the text is printed
> line-by-line, not as paragraphs?)
>

No, it but makes sense.  The problem is lots of erroneous line breaks.
However, they aren't just at the ends of input lines.

> > I don't want inter-paragraph spacing to be reduced, so I
> > don't really want to use address@hidden'. [...]
> > I'm using the up-to-date `texinfo.tex'.
>
> @quotation doesn't change \parskip.

This is a quotation from the Texinfo manual:

   The text of a quotation is processed normally
   (regular font, text is filled) except that:

   [...]

   * in the printed output, interparagraph spacing is reduced.

>
> Well, as far as your request ``make @macros work in @display's'' is
> concerned, it's hard to accomplish and I beleive it's not the right way.

I would never be so blunt.

>
> I believe that we have to pull the other end of the rope: what's wrong
> with @quotation?

The text in question isn't a quotation, and I'd like it to be in a display.

>
> Could you prepare an example why we would see what you are trying to
> accomplish?

What's the policy of these lists on attachments?
I can attach a gzipped dvi file, if you want to see it.
I want to display the syntax rules for the 3DLDF language
in the Texinfo manual for GNU 3DLDF.  The rules are quite similar to
those of the Metafont language and I want to format them in a
similar way, taking due account of the difference in design between
Texinfo manuals and Knuth's _Computers and Typesetting_ volumes.

By the way, which is the appropriate list for this discussion,
`bug-texinfo' or `help-texinfo'?

If macro support is kludgy, I can manage a bit of simple
TeX hackery on my own.  If you want to see what I come up with
for any reason, I'll be happy to post it to one or both of these lists,
but there's no need for you to do the work for me.

Thanks for your help.

Laurence