On Fri, Mar 18, 2016 at 9:40 AM, Cannaerts, Jan <[email protected]> wrote:
> Can't say I follow. > > Would the builtin (which should be a library if anything) create a .tex > file, which would still need to run through TeX itself to create a .pdf? > Or would the builtin take a .tex file and create a .pdf (or other format)? > The first. The PL/I builtin would generate a TeX markup file. Which is a "plain text" type file and so _could_ be edited using ISPF EDIT. The TeX file could then be "rendered" into any number of different formats, such as .pdf or .html or ???, using any number of TeX utilities on Windows or Linux, but sadly, as you say next, not on z/OS. > > The latter already exists of course, except that TeX has not been ported > to z/OS. > The former would still need to derive the markup from something. Does text > get > marked up based on where it exists in a structure? Will there be a new PL/1 > markup language that gets ported to TeX markup by this builtin? > > It all seems a bit comical. Perhaps I don't understand what the initial > state > is before the builtin is called. But from what I gather, the RFE submitter > is > asking for the PL/1 compiler to translate an arbitrary, new markup syntax > to > the markup syntax used by MS Word, and then creating a valid .docx file. > I agree with you that it is a bit comical. I don't think that _any_ of this is reasonable. Actually, I can get PL/I to "emit" a TeX encoded document by using using the existing PL/I output facilities. That's because .tex is just a markup language, and not some binary abomination. Of course, doing this would require _learning_ TeX. Which, for most Windows users, is likely far beyond their mental capacity. (Yes, I am very disparaging of _most_ Windows users. But, then, I don't know how to change the oil in my car, so who am I to talk?) > > Might as well mark your text up in the .docx format yourself no? > Yes, or maybe emit RTF encoded output from your PL/I program. MS Word can, so far, read such a beastie. This is for those who like "word processors" instead of "document processors". I'm in the later camp, personally. I use TeXstudio and LyX as my document creation, editing, and rendering tools of choice. When pushed, I use LibreOffice to work with MS formatted files. Except, of course, at work where I'm shackled to MS products. -- A fail-safe circuit will destroy others. -- Klipstein Maranatha! <>< John McKown ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
