Concrete definition/macro problem, connected with Re: Lout syntax etc.

[Wolfram Kahl]

I am currently modifying ``dl'' and ``reportf'' and ``report''
to yield layout in the right format for Springer LNCS contributions.

One of the problems I have run into is the abstract: In LNCS,
the abstract is set in a smaller font, indented at both sides,
has no heading, BUT BEGINS WITH THE WORD ``Abstract.'' in bold.

I have tried several ways to modify the current definition of
@Abstract; I have tried to split the Galley-feeder into an
internal definition; I have tried to use two macros ---
the problems are:

1) macros not only must not contain an unmatched brace,
   as documented and as in TeX, macros apparently also must not
   contain an unmatched @End (unlike TeX, where \begingroup and \endgroup
   serve exactly this purpose).

   Is this observation correct? Is this behaviour intended?

2) There seems to be no way to connect two objects in such a way that
   they merge into one paragraph --- I thought, `&' served that purpose,
   but to no avail: I always get the word ``Abstract'' to the left
   of the whole abstract paragraph.

This latter problem seems to be connected to an effect that puzzles
me now and again --- how do I tell Lout a text string is a paragraph
and can be broken into lines? Sometimes Lout does it, and sometimes
(most notably inside boxes) it uses horizontal scaling to make the box
fit into the line.

By the way, for obtaining citations like [Kin98] I currently use
a @Filter driving a small Haskell program --- is there a way to do it
inside Lout?


I shall negotiate the exact layout with Springer (where I already tried
to push Lout for LNCS and met cautious welcome --- one point in that
direction is that they also want PDF with links (BTW, do you know about
pdflib and qpdf http://www.numeric-quest.com/qpdf/?) (and I ALWAYS need
diagrams!)), and once it is finished I shall make it available to all.


Wolfram