Re: [FR] RefTex support for zref-xr

[Arash Esbati]

Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016@gmail.com> writes:

> On Wed, 01 Dec 2021 at 11:25, Arash Esbati <arash@gnu.org> wrote:
>
>> I can change that, but one issue which remains is that zref in
>> general operates on labels defined with \zlabel (I know that this
>> doesn't apply for \zexternaldocument without star).  Hence, RefTeX
>> will offer all labels it finds (defined with \label or \zlabel) for
>> completion.  Of course we have to tell RefTeX about \zlabel in
>> advance.  This will also apply to \zref macros when used with RefTeX.
>
> You're right, of course. The reason I asked for one thing, and not the
> other, is that an interested user can handle \zlabel/\zref from a
> personal style file, but tampering with `reftex-parse-from-file'
> becomes impractical for this purpose.

Agreed.  I will prepare a small patch.

> I'm not suggesting this should be actually handled, just bringing it
> to your attention that "telling RefTeX about \zlabel" does complicate
> things.  I realize that may be playing against the inclusion of the
> styles, but I prefer you decide well informed.

Agreed.  I think adding support for zref to RefTeX is a source of
trouble.

> As you've noticed, `zref.sty' is just a "wrapper" which loads
> `zref-base' and any other modules received as options.  So, `zref.el'
> pretty much corresponds to what I'd expect.  My own personal style
> file for it includes a `LaTeX-zref-package-options' function, but I
> don't remember why I put it there. (Perhaps to feed completion? If you
> don't know it already, I can investigate).

You can have a function or a variable catering completion for package
options, depends on the use case.

> The only other comment I have to `zref.el' is about
> `LaTeX-zref-properties-alist'.  First, you've chosen to make it an
> alist being `car' the property list name.  Is the intended use for
> this to choose first the list, then the property when making a
> `\zref'?

I guess this was the idea.  I had a look at the list in the manual
(section 2.7 Declared properties) and saw the Property lists and the
properties.

> If that's the case, `\zref' has no choice at all about what list it is
> referring to.  The property list can affect the properties which get
> included when setting the label (`\zlabel' itself always uses the
> "main" list).  '\zref' can only query whatever the label contains, so
> it's really not that meaningful to choose the property list at that
> point, I'd say.  And it saves a completion step not doing so.

I thought \zref has an optional argument which can contain a property
from a certain property list, e.g.

    \zref[page]{labelname}

I think my first idea for the alist was that each zref-module adds its
properties to `LaTeX-zref-properties-alist' which is then used for
completion when \zref is called.  But again, I really didn't grok the
manual in this regard.  Are the name of property lists used somewhere?
Or only the name of the properties in the optional argument of \zref?

> Another related suggestion would be to have `zref-titleref.el' adding
> "title" to `LaTeX-zref-properties-alist', which would be a common
> need, I think.  For which there's also `\ztitleref' and
> `\ztitlerefsetup'.

I didn't get that far :-)

> Second, the "default" and "page" properties are actually defined in
> `zref-base', and one does not need to use `zref.sty' if one does not
> want to.  So, one can load `\usepackage{zref-user}', and
> `zref-base.sty' is called, but `zref.sty' isn't.  The same for any
> other module.  If I understand correctly, that's what you meant to
> handle by doing `(TeX-run-style-hooks "zref")' in `zref-user.el'.  But
> wouldn't it be more idiomatic to have `zref-base.el'?

My idea was to have everything basic in zref.el, I think.

> About `zref-user.el'.  Also corresponds to what I'd expect.  On my own
> file, I use the procedure adapted from `cleveref.el' for
> `reftex-label-regexps'.  I don't understand well how you deal with
> that through `reftex-label-alist', but I presume it is covered.  I
> also have here `(reftex-add-label-environments '(("\\zlabel{*}" nil
> nil nil nil)))', perhaps is what you meant to be covering there, I'm
> not sure.

Yes, using `reftex-add-label-environments' is the right way.  But that
will be now of the table.

> And thank you very much for considering my suggestion way beyond what
> I expected!

Thanks for your comments.  I'll send you the styles for more feedback
when I have something working, just don't expect fast progress :-)

Best, Arash