On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 04:34:17PM +0000, Mauricio CA wrote:
> > Since TeX is "8 bits", the tex file must have characters encoded in
> > 8 bits, with the not control positions of the first half being, after
> > perhaps mapping defined at compile time (can be remapped at user level
> > but with apparently "strange" macro commands), conforming to ASCII---
> > used as litterals but also for the primitives.
>
> Is it possible to change the representation of a character from an 8 bits
> char to, say, a 32 bits integer? If those integers are still mapped to
> the existing 8 bits font metrics, wouldn't the basic engine be kept the
> same? This probably means extending the syntax of a few control sequences
> denoting characters, though.
No, if there is to be a promotion, this is from byte to wyde. There is
"prior art" even in TeX (present program): in math mode, the characters
are wydes (almost), this being interpreted as the combination of a font
family and an index in the font. This exists in PostScript too (see the
Red book).
This extension would allow to accept utf as input (and as output for
messges) without touching the font format.
But for the 1.0 release of kerTeX, I will make strictly no acrobatics
or tries (using tcs(1) gives a solution, even if not ideal). And I will
first spend time thinking of the next step before starting implementing:
take time to decide; once decided and sure of the solution, speed
implementation. Not the common reverse: start "something" without
thinking; and the "final" release being an asymptotical aim, every year
added in implementation leading to a more minuscule gain without ever
crossing the line...
--
Thierry Laronde <tlaronde +AT+ polynum +dot+ com>
http://www.kergis.com/
Key fingerprint = 0FF7 E906 FBAF FE95 FD89 250D 52B1 AE95 6006 F40C
