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, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems.  Please  report  such  in  the  category
       doctools  of the Tcllib SF Trackers [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=12883].  Please also report
       any ideas for enhancements you may have.

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>