Re: [Oorexx-devel] ooRexx Syntax Diagrams in Rexxref

[Rony G. F. <Ron...@wu...>]

Some years ago a student  of mine created an [E]BNF editor using OpenOffice and ooRexx for syntax
diagrams (Franz Hohenegger, "BNF4OOo - Managing Backus-Naur-Forms with OpenOffice", e.g. cf.
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.lang.rexx/86KYqFOpCro>). It allows one to enter (among
other things) ebnf in the writer module and one gets them rendered into various formats (including
DITA support), including the ability to import and export. It supports among other things
line-breaks and breakouts to make very complex syntax diagrams legible (e.g. c.f. the syntax for the
stream-BIF). This support (basically a set of ooRexx programs) is all there in the public already.

Jean-Louis Faucher (a member of the ooRexx development team) has tossed with that work back then and
came up with a *lot of work* on his side with ooRexx documentation employing great looking syntax
rail diagrams, though it seems that no one has noticed that hard work.

So maybe you can (re-)use Jean-Louis' redefinitions of the syntax diagrams in [E]BNF, maybe taking
advantage of the DITA (1) renderings he was able to come up with might be helpful too?

---rony

(1) DITA:

  * <https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=dita>
  * <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Information_Typing_Architecture>



On 31.07.2014 19:33, Oliver Sims wrote:
>  
> Just a further thought - what happens when the diagram has to go over one
> line?
> E.g. (from ooDialog reference, section 8.4):
>
>  
>>> --create(--x--,--y--,--cx--,--cy--+---------+--+---------+--+------------+
> --->
>                                         +-,-title-+  +-,-style-+
> +-,-dlgClass-+
>  
>> ----+------------+--+------------+--+------------+--)----------------------
> ---><
>          +-,-fontName-+  +-,-fontSize-+  +-,-expected-+
>
> Then I found the FORMAT diagram (section 7.4.33) - just over one line
> (although the second line 
> looks rather lonely). Can one force a line break, I wondered? Not saying
> it'd be better, just wondering.
>  
> Oliver
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Oliver Sims [mailto:oli...@si...] 
> Sent: 31 July 2014 18:13
> To: 'Open Object Rexx Developer Mailing List'
> Subject: RE: [Oorexx-devel] ooRexx Syntax Diagrams in Rexxref
>
> Like it. But I agree with Mike - "variable items should be in italics". Is
> this possible?
> Not too worried about font size (although no smaller please). Is font size
> configurable?
>
> However, if we had to vote yes or no right now, I guess I'd vote yes. 
>
> Oliver 
>  
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Cowlishaw [mailto:mf...@sp...]
> Sent: 31 July 2014 17:18
> To: 'Open Object Rexx Developer Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [Oorexx-devel] ooRexx Syntax Diagrams in Rexxref
>
>  
>> I built a new rexxref.pdf and this time I used the SVG version of the 
>> diagrams instead of the PNG versions. I also changed the color to 
>> gray.
> Probably a good move, more easily printable, but a desaturated yellow could
> still be nice.  
>
>> I must say the diagrams look much sharper and they also do not leap 
>> out at you as much.
>>
>> Again, only the built in functions have been converted so far. The new 
>> pdf is at http://build.oorexx.org/builds/release-candidates/
>>
>> Please let me know what you think.
> Definitely think the font size could/should be larger, to match the text.
>
> And same comment as before .. variable items should be in italics.
>
> Mike 
>