[Docutils-users] Re: Dash-transformation

[Felix W. <Fel...@gm...>]

David Goodger wrote:

> I just implemented new options for the "unicode" directive: "ltrim",
> "rtrim", and "trim" (trim whitespace from the left, right, or both
> sides of substitution references when applied).

Great; thank you.

I'm just wondering if it were a good idea to allow these options for all
directives (not only "unicode") when they occur in a substitution
definition.  Because recently could have used something like this:

    .. |,| raw:: latex
       :trim:

       \,

    .. "\," inserts a narrow space in LaTeX.

    This is a phone number:
    +12-34 |,| 56-7 |,| 89 |,| 01

    This is the same number without nice spaces in LaTeX:
    +12-3456-78901

    (Both numbers are rendered identically in HTML.)

I could imagine similar scenarios for images, and possibly also for
replacement text.

>>> And other characters can be used as markup delimiters, not just
>>> spaces.  For example, hyphens can be used.
>>
>> I think that would be over-engineering.  We don't *really* need it,
>> do we?
>
> Perhaps not right away, but I anticipate it may become necessary if
> the feature becomes popular.

On a second thought, it might be very useful indeed.  :)

    .. |--| unicode:: U+2013
       .. en-dash, trimming only hyphens, not spaces
       :trim: -

    This is an en-dash |--| as you would insert it in German and
    sometimes in English (mostly UK, I think).  And this is a range from
    50 to 100: 50-|--|-100; rendered as 50<endash>100, without spaces.

Syntax proposal:

    ":ltrim:" adds ltrim=" " as attribute; ":ltrim: -" adds ltrim="-";
    same for any other character.  It is not possible to activate
    trimming of multiple characters (e.g. both spaces and hyphens).

    Same for :rtrim: and :trim:.

What d'you think?  Useful or feature creep?

-- 
When replying to my email address, please ensure
that the mail header contains 'Felix Wiemann'.

http://www.ososo.de/