[Docutils-develop] Handling interpreted text

[Aahz <aa...@py...>]

On Sat, Jan 04, 2003, David Goodger wrote:
> Jason Diamond wrote:
>>
>> But you're letting people create new node types just by making up new
>> role names?
> 
> No, not arbitrarily.  Authors would have to choose from a
> pre-determined set of roles, each having pre-existing software
> support.  For instance, your acronym example would have to have
> support in the parser, to create the "acronym" elements and associate
> "title" attributes from a lookup table.
>
> Interpreted text with unknown roles would generate errors.

-1 unless it's easier than the current system for adding new directives.

Currently to handle a directive you need support in both parser and
writer, but for interpreted text you only need support in the writer.
While I understand what you want to do (and it would make certain parts
of what I want to do with interpreted text easier), I'm concerned about
adding complexity.

Because I know you're going to ask ;-), the current use I'm making of
interpreted text is chapter/figure/list references::

    To understand better how mutable and immutable objects work, see
    code listings :list:`mutable.py` and :list:`immutable.py`, as well
    as figures :figure:`mutable.eps` and :figure:`immutable.eps`.
    You'll also want to read :chapter:`Data`.
-- 
Aahz (aa...@py...)           <*>         http://www.pythoncraft.com/

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