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Postings from April 2002
Hello,
I just published a new version of PerlPoint::Package via CPAN. It is a
maintenance update that does not require new converters - so documents
and converters do not need to be updated. (Incompatible changes are
just extensions not affecting existing software.)
0.37 was tested successfully both with perl 5.005 and perl 5.6.
What's new? Here are the highlights:
* \INCLUDE takes care of *search pathes* now. For easy use
with existing converters, pathes can be set up by an environment
variable PERLPOINTLIB. Adapted converters will provide a new
option "-includelib" as well.
This feature will allow to use a central repository of base
and example files, code and macro libs and filters. It is also
intended to be a step to a modular PerlPoint doc which is built
on base of parts installed (and updated) with PerlPoint::Package
while converters add their own frame documents.
* Paragraph filters hopefully are really usable now. They still
had bugs but should work much better with 0.37. Lots of tests
added for the filters. Filter API slightly extended.
* Cache bugs fixed - the cache can be used with \REF and \SEQ
now as well.
* As usual, pp2sdf supports the new features as a reference
converter.
* Docs updated.
So ... oh, wait a moment, that's not all yet. ;-) I delayed the results
of our discussions:
* Headline shortcuts. Robert asked for them, and now you can write
=A very long headline, it might be shortened
~ Long headline
The "~" starts the shortcut. Unfortunately, this definitely needs
adapted converters, so be patient ;-)
* Document Streams. Do you remember the layout discussion initiated
by Robert? Now a PerlPoint document can be composed by several
threads in parallel. Have a look at a new source:
=Main stream
Every headline switches back to it.
~A first Document Stream
The stream includes everything before the next stream
entry point or headline, whatever comes first.
~Another docstream
One can use as many as necessary, named as one prefers.
=Back to the main stream
...
It's up to a converter how to deal with those streams.
Nevertheless, the parser directly supports several methods:
it can transform stream titles into subheadlines, or
ignore all stream contents, or just process the streams.
It can also *ignore* certain streams selectively
(by title) if requested.
* Several conditions, one call of flagSet(). Helmut Steinbach
asked for an easier use of flagSet() for complex conditions,
and so I allowed
flagsSet(qw(a b all))
as a shortcut of
flagSet('a') or flagSet('b') or flagSet('all')
All feedback is appreciated.
Enjoy!
Jochen