NAME

       "LaTeXML::Common::Object" - abstract base class for most LaTeXML objects.

DESCRIPTION

       "LaTeXML::Common::Object" serves as an abstract base class for all other objects (both the data objects
       and control objects).  It provides for common methods for stringification and comparison operations to
       simplify coding and to beautify error reporting.

   Generic functions
       "$string = Stringify($object);"
           Returns a string identifying $object, for debugging.  Works on any values and objects, but invokes
           the stringify method on blessed objects.  More informative than the default perl conversion to a
           string.

       "$string = ToString($object);"
           Converts $object to string attempting, when possible, to generate straight text without TeX markup.
           This is most useful for converting Tokens or Boxes to document content or attribute values, or values
           to be used for pathnames, keywords, etc.   Generally, however, it is not possible to convert Whatsits
           generated by Constructors into clean strings, without TeX markup.  Works on any values and objects,
           but invokes the toString method on blessed objects.

       "$boolean = Equals($x,$y);"
           Compares the two objects for equality.  Works on any values and objects, but invokes the equals
           method on blessed objects, which does a deep comparison of the two objects.

       "$tokens = Revert($object);"
           Returns a Tokens list containing the TeX that would create $object.  Note that this is not
           necessarily the original TeX code; expansions or other substitutions may have taken place.

   Methods
       "$string = $object->stringify;"
           Returns a readable representation of $object, useful for debugging.

       "$string = $object->toString;"
           Returns the string content of $object; most useful for extracting a clean, usable, Unicode string
           from tokens or boxes that might representing a filename or such.  To the extent possible, this should
           provide a string that can be used as XML content, or attribute values, or for filenames or whatever.
           However, control sequences defined as Constructors may leave TeX code in the value.

       "$boole = $object->equals($other);"
           Returns whether $object and $other are equal.  Should perform a deep comparison, but the default
           implementation just compares for object identity.

       "$boole = $object->isaToken;"
           Returns whether $object is an LaTeXML::Core::Token.

       "$boole = $object->isaBox;"
           Returns whether $object is an LaTeXML::Core::Box.

       "$boole = $object->isaDefinition;"
           Returns whether $object is an LaTeXML::Core::Definition.

       "$digested = $object->beDigested;"
           Does whatever is needed to digest the object, and return the digested representation.  Tokens would
           be digested into boxes; Some objects, such as numbers can just return themselves.

       "$object->beAbsorbed($document);"
           Do whatever is needed to absorb the $object into the $document, typically by invoking appropriate
           methods on the $document.

AUTHOR

       Bruce Miller <bruce.miller@nist.gov>

COPYRIGHT

       Public domain software, produced as part of work done by the United States Government & not subject to
       copyright in the US.