Re: XML/SGML

[Nathan Sivin nsivin@xxxxxxxx]

The discussion of GML reveals another reason to get rid of the
dread MDNM. It is an elementary exercise to jimmy the keyboard so
that instead of, e.g., something you have
something. That makes it immensely easier to write
macros for various conversions.

When I did revise the keyboard for this purpose, instead of just
=bc,m,d,+,i,t,xc
etc.,
I decided to make the key run a little program that will insert
the codes to turn italics on *and* off, with the cursor in
between. On the other hand, if text is defined, it will put the
codes before and after the text. Thus the key says
=bc,r,u,n, ,\,x,y,\,r,\,i,t,a,l,.,p,g,m,xc

and ITAL.PGM reads

DX >>XP ==0>;*;
CL CL CL CL CL CL DB ;*;
DE CR ==1>WG ==2>SP ;*;
==4>WZ DO ES 
;; inserts markup whether or not block selected;
;; 82=display type, 83=0 if no block selected

Where < and > stand for chevrons, and the pairs of letters
followed by a space stand for XPL commands. The program first
determines the display mode and whether text is defined.
Afterward, it uses 82 to restore the display type.

Cheers,
--
Nathan Sivin
History and Sociology of Science
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia PA 19104-6304
(215) 898-7454
nsivin@xxxxxxxx