NAME

       doctools_lang_syntax - doctools language syntax

DESCRIPTION

       This  document  contains  the  formal  specification  of the syntax of the doctools markup
       language, version 1 in Backus-Naur-Form. This document is  intended  to  be  a  reference,
       complementing  the  doctools  language command reference.  A beginner should read the much
       more informally written doctools language introduction first before trying  to  understand
       either this document or the command reference.

FUNDAMENTALS

       In the broadest terms possible the doctools markup language is LaTeX-like, instead of like
       SGML and similar languages. A document written in  this  language  consists  primarily  of
       text, with markup commands embedded into it.

       Each  markup command is a just Tcl command surrounded by a matching pair of [ and ]. Which
       commands are available, and their arguments, i.e. syntax  is  specified  in  the  doctools
       language command reference.

       In  this  document  we  specify first the lexeme, and then the syntax, i.e. how we can mix
       text and markup commands with each other.

LEXICAL DEFINITIONS

       In the syntax rules listed in the next section

       [1]    <TEXT> stands for all text except markup commands.

       [2]    Any XXX stands for the markup command [xxx] including its  arguments.  Each  markup
              command  is a Tcl command surrounded by a matching pair of [ and ]. Inside of these
              delimiters the usual rules for a Tcl command apply with regard to  word  quotation,
              nested commands, continuation lines, etc.

       [3]    <WHITE> stands for all text consisting only of spaces, newlines, tabulators and the
              comment markup command.

SYNTAX

       The rules listed here specify only the syntax of doctools documents. The lexical level  of
       the language was covered in the previous section.

       Regarding the syntax of the (E)BNF itself

       [1]    The construct { X } stands for zero or more occurrences of X.

       [2]    The construct [ X ] stands for zero or one occurrence of X.

       [3]    The  construct LIST_BEGIN<X> stands for the markup command list_begin with X as its
              type argument.

       The syntax:

              manpage = defs
                        MANPAGE_BEGIN
                        header
                        DESCRIPTION
                        body
                        MANPAGE_END
                        { <WHITE> }

              defs    = { INCLUDE | VSET | <WHITE> }

              header  = { TITLEDESC | MODDESC | COPYRIGHT | REQUIRE | defs | xref }

              xref    = KEYWORDS | SEE_ALSO | CATEGORY

              body    = paras { SECTION    sbody  }
              sbody   = paras { SUBSECTION ssbody }
              ssbody  = paras

              paras   = tblock { (PARA | NL) tblock }

              tblock  = { <TEXT> | defs | markup | xref | an_example | a_list }

              markup  = ARG     | CLASS | CMD     | CONST     | EMPH   | FILE
                      | FUN     | LB    | METHOD  | NAMESPACE | OPT    | OPTION
                      | PACKAGE | RB    | SECTREF | STRONG    | SYSCMD | TERM
                      | TYPE    | URI   | USAGE   | VAR       | WIDGET

              example = EXAMPLE
                      | EXAMPLE_BEGIN extext EXAMPLE_END

              extext  = { <TEXT> | defs | markup }

              a_list  = LIST_BEGIN<arguments>   argd_list   LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<commands>    cmdd_list   LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<definitions> def_list    LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<enumerated>  enum_list   LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<itemized>    item_list   LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<options>     optd_list   LIST_END
                      | LIST_BEGIN<tkoptions>   tkoptd_list LIST_END

              argd_list   = [ <WHITE> ] { ARG_DEF      paras }
              cmdd_list   = [ <WHITE> ] { CMD_DEF      paras }
              def_list    = [ <WHITE> ] { (DEF|CALL)   paras }
              enum_list   = [ <WHITE> ] { ENUM         paras }
              item_list   = [ <WHITE> ] { ITEM         paras }
              optd_list   = [ <WHITE> ] { OPT_DEF      paras }
              tkoptd_list = [ <WHITE> ] { TKOPTION_DEF paras }

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_cmdref, doctools_lang_faq, doctools_lang_intro

KEYWORDS

       doctools  commands,  doctools language, doctools markup, doctools syntax, markup, semantic
       markup

CATEGORY

       Documentation tools

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (c) 2007 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>