Provided by: tcllib_1.19-dfsg-2_all 
NAME
doctools_lang_cmdref - doctools language command reference
SYNOPSIS
arg text
arg_def type name ?mode?
bullet
call args
category text
class text
cmd text
cmd_def command
comment plaintext
const text
copyright text
def text
description
enum
emph text
example text
example_begin
example_end
file text
fun text
image name ?label?
include filename
item
keywords args
lb
list_begin what
list_end
lst_item text
manpage_begin command section version
manpage_end
method text
moddesc text
namespace text
nl
opt text
opt_def name ?arg?
option text
package text
para
rb
require package ?version?
section name
sectref id ?text?
sectref-external text
see_also args
strong text
subsection name
syscmd text
term text
titledesc desc
tkoption_def name dbname dbclass
type text
uri text ?text?
usage args
var text
vset varname value
vset varname
widget text
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
DESCRIPTION
This document specifies both names and syntax of all the commands which together are the
doctools markup language, version 1. As this document is intended to be a reference the
commands are listed in alphabetical order, and the descriptions are relatively short. A
beginner should read the much more informally written doctools language introduction
first.
COMMANDS
arg text
Text markup. The argument text is marked up as the argument of a command. Main uses
are the highlighting of command arguments in free-form text, and for the argument
parameters of the markup commands call and usage.
arg_def type name ?mode?
Text structure. List element. Argument list. Automatically closes the previous list
element. Specifies the data-type of the described argument of a command, its name
and its i/o-mode. The latter is optional.
bullet Deprecated. Text structure. List element. Itemized list. See item for the canonical
command to open a list item in an itemized list.
call args
Text structure. List element. Definition list. Automatically closes the previous
list element. Defines the term as a command and its arguments. The first argument
is the name of the command described by the following free-form text, and all
arguments coming after that are descriptions of the command's arguments. It is
expected that the arguments are marked up with arg, method, option etc., as is
appropriate, and that the command itself is marked up with cmd. It is expected
that the formatted term is not only printed in place, but also in the table of
contents of the document, or synopsis, depending on the output format.
category text
Document information. Anywhere. This command registers its plain text arguments as
the category this document belongs to. If this command is used multiple times the
last value specified is used.
class text
Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a class. The text may have
other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of class names in
free-form text.
cmd text
Text markup. The argument text is marked up as the name of a Tcl command. The text
may have other markup already applied to it. Main uses are the highlighting of
commands in free-form text, and for the command parameters of the markup commands
call and usage.
cmd_def command
Text structure. List element. Command list. Automatically closes the previous list
element. The argument specifies the name of the Tcl command to be described by the
list element. Expected to be marked up in the output as if it had been formatted
with cmd.
comment plaintext
Text markup. The argument text is marked up as a comment standing outside of the
actual text of the document. Main use is in free-form text.
const text
Text markup. The argument is marked up as a constant value. The text may have other
markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of constants in free-
form text.
copyright text
Document information. Anywhere. The command registers the plain text argument as a
copyright assignment for the manpage. When invoked more than once the assignments
are accumulated.
def text
Text structure. List element. Definition list. Automatically closes the previous
list element. The argument text is the term defined by the new list element. Text
markup can be applied to it.
description
Document structure. This command separates the header from the document body.
Implicitly starts a section named "DESCRIPTION" (See command section).
enum Text structure. List element. Enumerated list. Automatically closes the previous
list element.
emph text
Text markup. The argument text is marked up as emphasized. Main use is for general
highlighting of pieces of free-form text without attaching special meaning to the
pieces.
example text
Text structure, Text markup. This command marks its argument up as an example. Main
use is the simple embedding of examples in free-form text. It should be used if the
example does not need special markup of its own. Otherwise use a sequence of
example_begin ... example_end.
example_begin
Text structure. This commands starts an example. All text until the next
example_end belongs to the example. Line breaks, spaces, and tabs have to be
preserved literally. Examples cannot be nested.
example_end
Text structure. This command closes the example started by the last example_begin.
file text
Text markup. The argument is marked up as a file or directory, i.e. in general a
path. The text may have other markup already applied to it. Main use is the
highlighting of paths in free-form text.
fun text
Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a function. The text may have
other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of function names
in free-form text.
image name ?label?
Text markup. The argument is the symbolic name of an image and replaced with the
image itself, if a suitable variant is found by the backend. The second argument,
should it be present, will be interpreted the human-readable description of the
image, and put into the output in a suitable position, if such is supported by the
format. The HTML format, for example, can place it into the alt attribute of image
references.
include filename
Templating. The contents of the named file are interpreted as text written in the
doctools markup and processed in the place of the include command. The markup in
the file has to be self-contained. It is not possible for a markup command to cross
the file boundaries.
item Text structure. List element. Itemized list. Automatically closes the previous list
element.
keywords args
Document information. Anywhere. This command registers all its plain text arguments
as keywords applying to this document. Each argument is a single keyword. If this
command is used multiple times all the arguments accumulate.
lb Text. The command is replaced with a left bracket. Use in free-form text. Required
to avoid interpretation of a left bracket as the start of a markup command.
list_begin what
Text structure. This command starts a list. The exact nature of the list is
determined by the argument what of the command. This further determines which
commands are have to be used to start the list elements. Lists can be nested, i.e.
it is allowed to start a new list within a list element.
The allowed types (and their associated item commands) are:
arguments
arg_def.
commands
cmd_def.
definitions
def and call.
enumerated
enum
itemized
item
options
opt_def
tkoptions
tkoption_def
Additionally the following names are recognized as shortcuts for some of the regular
types:
args Short for arguments.
cmds Short for commands.
enum Short for enumerated.
item Short for itemized.
opts Short for options.
At last the following names are still recognized for backward compatibility, but are
otherwise considered to be deprecated.
arg Deprecated. See arguments.
bullet Deprecated. See itemized.
cmd Deprecated. See commands.
opt Deprecated. See options.
tkoption
Deprecated. See tkoptions.
list_end
Text structure. This command closes the list opened by the last list_begin command
coming before it.
lst_item text
Deprecated. Text structure. List element. Definition list. See def for the
canonical command to open a general list item in a definition list.
manpage_begin command section version
Document structure. The command to start a manpage. The arguments are the name of
the command described by the manpage, the section of the manpages this manpage
resides in, and the version of the module containing the command. All arguments
have to be plain text, without markup.
manpage_end
Document structure. Command to end a manpage/document. Anything in the document
coming after this command is in error.
method text
Text markup. The argument text is marked up as the name of an object method, i.e.
subcommand of a Tcl command. The text may have other markup already applied to it.
Main uses are the highlighting of method names in free-form text, and for the
command parameters of the markup commands call and usage.
moddesc text
Document information. Header. Registers the plain text argument as a short
description of the module the manpage resides in.
namespace text
Text markup. The argument text is marked up as a namespace name. The text may have
other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of namespace names
in free-form text.
nl Deprecated. Text structure. See para for the canonical command to insert paragraph
breaks into the text.
opt text
Text markup. The argument text is marked up as optional. The text may have other
markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of optional arguments,
see the command arg arg.
opt_def name ?arg?
Text structure. List element. Option list. Automatically closes the previous list
element. Specifies name and arguments of the option described by the list element.
It is expected that the name is marked up using option.
option text
Text markup. The argument is marked up as option. The text may have other markup
already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of options, also known as
command-switches, in either free-form text, or the arguments of the call and usage
commands.
package text
Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a package. The text may have
other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of package names
in free-form text.
para Text structure. This command breaks free-form text into paragraphs. Each command
closes the paragraph coming before it and starts a new paragraph for the text
coming after it. Higher-level forms of structure are sections and subsections.
rb Text. The command is replaced with a right bracket. Use in free-form text.
Required to avoid interpretation of a right bracket as the end of a markup command.
require package ?version?
Document information. Header. This command registers its argument package as the
name of a package or application required by the described package or application.
A minimum version can be provided as well. This argument can be marked up. The
usual markup is opt.
section name
Text structure. This command starts a new named document section. The argument has
to be plain text. Implicitly closes the last paragraph coming before it and also
implicitly opens the first paragraph of the new section.
sectref id ?text?
Text markup. Formats a reference to the section identified by id. If no text is
specified the title of the referenced section is used in the output, otherwise text
is used.
sectref-external text
Text markup. Like sectref, except that the section is assumed to be in a different
document and therefore doesn't need to be identified, nor are any checks for
existence made. Only the text to format is needed.
see_also args
Document information. Anywhere. The command defines direct cross-references to
other documents. Each argument is a plain text label identifying the referenced
document. If this command is used multiple times all the arguments accumulate.
strong text
Deprecated. Text markup. See emph for the canonical command to emphasize text.
subsection name
Text structure. This command starts a new named subsection of a section. The
argument has to be plain text. Implicitly closes the last paragraph coming before
it and also implicitly opens the first paragraph of the new subsection.
syscmd text
Text markup. The argument text is marked up as the name of an external command. The
text may have other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of
external commands in free-form text.
term text
Text markup. The argument is marked up as unspecific terminology. The text may
have other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of important
terms and concepts in free-form text.
titledesc desc
Document information. Header. Optional. Registers the plain text argument as the
title of the manpage. Defaults to the value registered by moddesc.
tkoption_def name dbname dbclass
Text structure. List element. Widget option list. Automatically closes the previous
list element. Specifies the name of the option as used in scripts, the name used by
the option database (dbname), and its class (dbclass), i.e. its type. It is
expected that the name is marked up using option.
type text
Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a data type. The text may
have other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of data types
in free-form text.
uri text ?text?
Text markup. The argument is marked up as an uri (i.e. a uniform resource
identifier. The text may have other markup already applied to it. Main use is the
highlighting of uris in free-form text. The second argument, should it be present,
will be interpreted the human-readable description of the uri. In other words, as
its label. Without an explicit label the uri will be its own label.
usage args
Text markup. See call for the full description, this command is syntactically
identical, as it is in its expectations for the markup of its arguments. In
contrast to call it is however not allowed to generate output where this command
occurs in the text. The command is silent. The formatted text may only appear in a
different section of the output, for example a table of contents, or synopsis,
depending on the output format.
var text
Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a variable. The text may have
other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of variables in
free-form text.
vset varname value
Templating. In this form the command sets the named document variable to the
specified value. It does not generate output. I.e. the command is replaced by the
empty string.
vset varname
Templating. In this form the command is replaced by the value of the named document
variable
widget text
Text markup. The argument is marked up as the name of a widget. The text may have
other markup already applied to it. Main use is the highlighting of widget names in
free-form text.
BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK
This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other
problems. Please report such in the category doctools of the Tcllib Trackers
[http://core.tcl.tk/tcllib/reportlist]. Please also report any ideas for enhancements you
may have for either package and/or documentation.
When proposing code changes, please provide unified diffs, i.e the output of diff -u.
Note further that attachments are strongly preferred over inlined patches. Attachments can
be made by going to the Edit form of the ticket immediately after its creation, and then
using the left-most button in the secondary navigation bar.
SEE ALSO
doctools_intro, doctools_lang_faq, doctools_lang_intro, doctools_lang_syntax
KEYWORDS
doctools commands, doctools language, doctools markup, markup, semantic markup
CATEGORY
Documentation tools
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (c) 2007-2010 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>