[Texmacs-dev] a proposal for printing interval selection syntax

[Alvaro Tejero Cantero]

Hello,

I want to propose a syntax for the minibuffer print command.
If something of this is done, it could be reused in a (future) graphical
interface. The intent is to make simple things simple (and fast to type)
and complex things possible.

The main idea is that we could treat the printing commandline as a set
expression. Set elements are ranges or filters. In case of no
disambiguating parenthesization, union is to proceed before to
intersection (contrarywise to common practice).

For the sake of the proposal, lets use "," as union, "/" as intersection
and "-" as a range indicator. Ranges are of the form a-b unless one
number is missing, in which case they are to be understood as first-b or
a-last. If the range indicator is missing, then it is the trivial range
a-a.

Then when one invokes "print" through the menu or the shortcuts one
accomplishes frequent tasks as follows:


Print page 27: (compared to entering 27 twice now)
>Print what: 27

Print pages 27 to 34:
>Print what: 27-34

Print also 56 to 63 and 87 to end
>Print what: 27-34, 56-63, 87-

... but only odd:
>Print what: 27-34, 56-63, 87- / odd

etc...

It would also be cool to be able to print structural units (by
specifying a unit and a counter number..?) but here it's just about a
syntax to make printing friendlier.

A possible way to enhance the minibuffer's usability is to print a
right-aligned example or help text in the very minibuffer.

have fun, á.

-- 
Álvaro Tejero Cantero

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