5 :Author: David Goodger (with input from many); open to all Docutils
7 :Contact: docutils-develop@lists.sourceforge.net
10 :Copyright: This document has been placed in the public domain.
12 .. _Docutils: http://docutils.sourceforge.net/
17 Priority items are marked with "@" symbols. The more @s, the higher
18 the priority. Items in question form (containing "?") are ideas which
19 require more thought and debate; they are potential to-do's.
21 Many of these items are awaiting champions. If you see something
22 you'd like to tackle, please do! If there's something you'd like to
23 see done but are unable to implement it yourself, please consider
24 donating to Docutils: |donate|
26 .. |donate| image:: http://images.sourceforge.net/images/project-support.jpg
27 :target: http://sourceforge.net/donate/index.php?group_id=38414
31 :alt: Support the Docutils project!
33 Please see also the Bugs_ document for a list of bugs in Docutils.
35 .. _bugs: ../../BUGS.html
38 Minimum Requirements for Python Standard Library Candidacy
39 ==========================================================
41 Below are action items that must be added and issues that must be
42 addressed before Docutils can be considered suitable to be proposed
43 for inclusion in the Python standard library.
45 Many of these are now handled by Sphinx_
47 * Support for `document splitting`_. May require some major code
50 * Support for subdocuments (see `large documents`_).
52 * `Object numbering and object references`_.
54 * `Nested inline markup`_.
56 * `Python Source Reader`_.
58 * The HTML writer needs to be rewritten (or a second HTML writer
59 added) to allow for custom classes, and for arbitrary splitting
62 * Documentation_ of the architecture. Other docs too.
66 * Suitability for `Python module documentation
67 <http://docutils.sf.net/sandbox/README.html#documenting-python>`_.
69 .. _Sphinx: http://sphinx.pocoo.org/
74 * Encoding of command line arguments can only be guessed:
76 * try UTF-8/strict first, then try the locale's encoding with
77 strict error handling, then ASCII/replace?
79 UTF-8 is almost 100% safe to try first; false positives are rare,
80 The locale's encoding with strict error handling may be a
81 reasonable compromise, but any error would indicate that the
82 locale's encoding is inappropriate. The only safe fallback is
85 * Do not decode argv before option parsing but individual string
88 +1 Allows for separate command-line vs. filesystem encodings,
89 respectively to keep file names encoded.
90 +1 Allows to configure command-line encoding in a config file,
93 Cf. <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2890/focus=2957>.
95 * Improve handling on Windows:
97 - Get graphical installer.
98 - Make rst2html.py an .exe file using py2exe.
102 The user interface is very difficult to use for most Windows users;
103 you can't really expect them to use the command line. We need some
104 kind of GUI that can launch rst2html.py, and save the HTML output to
105 a file, and launch a browser. What's important is that we get
106 settings to work with the GUI. So we need some way to dynamically
107 generate a list of settings for the GUI. The current settings_spec
108 for OptionParser doesn't seem to be usable for this for the
111 - It's biased toward the command line -- there are *two* options for
114 - You cannot have both a one-line description and a longer
115 description for tooltips/help-texts.
117 - It doesn't provide hints for the input type. You cannot easily
118 infer the type of a setting from its validator, because any
119 component can add new validators. In fact, it may be necessary to
120 have both a hint about the input type (e.g. string) and a
121 validator (valid ID), or it may be necessary to have a different
122 set of choices for the CLI (1, INFO, 2, ...) and for the GUI
123 (INFO, WARNING, ...).
125 - It's coupled to the OptionParser. We want to be able to change
126 the underlying system without breaking everything.
128 - It's a bunch of primitive structures. We want an extensible (thus
129 object-oriented) interface.
131 So we probably need to create a class for storing all the settings,
132 and auto-generate the OptionParser data from that.
134 I talked to Stephan Deibel about getting Docutils integrated into
135 Wing IDE. He said it's possible, and he'd be willing to help.
136 There's a scripting interface to Wing, which we'd use. We can
137 dynamically generate a list of preferences and not worry too much
138 about the rendering (from what I understood); Wing's whole GUI is
139 dynamic anyway. The interface could be made usable for other GUIs.
140 For example, we could try to get option support for DocFactory. //
143 * Allow different report levels for STDERR and system_messages inside
146 * Change the docutils-update script (in sandbox/infrastructure), to
147 support arbitrary branch snapshots.
149 * Move some general-interest sandboxes out of individuals'
150 directories, into subprojects?
152 * Add option for file (and URL) access restriction to make Docutils
153 usable in Wikis and similar applications.
155 2005-03-21: added ``file_insertion_enabled`` & ``raw_enabled``
156 settings. These partially solve the problem, allowing or disabling
157 **all** file accesses, but not limited access.
159 * Configuration file handling needs discussion:
161 - There should be some error checking on the contents of config
162 files. How much checking should be done? How loudly should
163 Docutils complain if it encounters an error/problem?
165 - Docutils doesn't complain when it doesn't find a configuration
166 file supplied with the ``--config`` option. Should it? (If yes,
169 * Internationalization:
171 - I18n needs refactoring, the language dictionaries are difficult to
172 maintain. Maybe have a look at gettext or similar tools.
174 (This would make a nice Google Summer of Code project)
176 - Language modules: in accented languages it may be useful to have
177 both accented and unaccented entries in the
178 ``bibliographic_fields`` mapping for versatility.
180 - Add a "--strict-language" option & setting: no English fallback
181 for language-dependent features.
183 Make this the default for output (as opposed to input)?
184 Throw an error with a helpfull message, e.g.
186 Default "contents" title for language %s missing, please specify
191 "attention" title for language %s missing, please use a generic
192 admonition with explicit title.
194 - Add internationalization to _`footer boilerplate text` (resulting
195 from "--generator", "--source-link", and "--date" etc.), allowing
199 * Add validation? See http://pytrex.sourceforge.net, RELAX NG, pyRXP.
201 * In ``docutils.readers.get_reader_class`` (& ``parsers`` &
202 ``writers`` too), should we be importing "standalone" or
203 "docutils.readers.standalone"? (This would avoid importing
204 top-level modules if the module name is not in docutils/readers.
205 Potential nastiness.)
207 * Perhaps store a _`name-to-id mapping file`? This could be stored
208 permanently, read by subsequent processing runs, and updated with
209 new entries. ("Persistent ID mapping"?)
211 * Perhaps the ``Component.supports`` method should deal with
212 individual features ("meta" etc.) instead of formats ("html" etc.)?
214 * Think about _`large documents` made up of multiple subdocument
215 files. Issues: continuity (`persistent sequences`_ above),
216 cross-references (`name-to-id mapping file`_ above and `targets in
217 other documents`_ below), splitting (`document splitting`_ below).
219 When writing a book, the author probably wants to split it up into
220 files, perhaps one per chapter (but perhaps even more detailed).
221 However, we'd like to be able to have references from one chapter to
222 another, and have continuous numbering (pages and chapters, as
223 applicable). Of course, none of this is implemented yet. There has
224 been some thought put into some aspects; see `the "include"
225 directive`__ and the `Reference Merging`_ transform below.
227 When I was working with SGML in Japan, we had a system where there
228 was a top-level coordinating file, book.sgml, which contained the
229 top-level structure of a book: the <book> element, containing the
230 book <title> and empty component elements (<preface>, <chapter>,
231 <appendix>, etc.), each with filename attributes pointing to the
232 actual source for the component. Something like this::
235 <title>Title of the Book</title>
236 <preface inrefid="pr01"></preface>
237 <chapter inrefid="ch01"></chapter>
238 <chapter inrefid="ch02"></chapter>
239 <chapter inrefid="ch03"></chapter>
240 <appendix inrefid="ap01"></appendix>
243 (The "inrefid" attribute stood for "insertion reference ID".)
245 The processing system would process each component separately, but
246 it would recognize and use the book file to coordinate chapter and
247 page numbering, and keep a persistent ID to (title, page number)
248 mapping database for cross-references. Docutils could use a similar
249 system for large-scale, multipart documents.
251 __ ../ref/rst/directives.html#including-an-external-document-fragment
267 As I said earlier in chapter :chapter:`Objects.txt`, the
268 reference count gets increased every time a binding is made.
272 As I said earlier in chapter 2, the
273 reference count gets increased every time a binding is made.
275 The ToC in this form doesn't even need to be references to actual
276 reST documents; I'm simply doing it that way for a minimum of
277 future-proofing, in case I do want to add the ability to pick up
278 references within external chapters.
280 Perhaps, instead of ToC (which would overload the "contents"
281 directive concept already in use), we could use "manifest". A
282 "manifest" directive might associate local reference names with
286 intro: Introduction.txt
291 Then the sample becomes::
293 .. include:: manifest.txt
295 As I said earlier in chapter :chapter:`objects`, the
296 reference count gets increased every time a binding is made.
298 * Add support for _`multiple output files` and _`generic data
301 It should be possible for a component to **emit or reference** data
302 to be either **included or referenced** in the output document.
303 Examples of such data are stylesheets or images.
305 For this, we need a "data" object which stores the data either
306 inline or by referring to a file. The Docutils framework is
307 responsible for either:
309 * storing the data in the appropriate location (e.g. in the
310 directory of the output file, or in a user-specified directory)
311 and providing the paths of the stored files to the writer, *or*
313 * providing the data itself to the writer so that it can be embedded
314 in the output document.
316 This approach decouples data handling from the data source (which
317 can either be embedded or referenced) and the destination (which can
318 either be embedded or referenced as well).
320 See <http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.devel/3631>.
322 * Add testing for Docutils' front end tools?
324 * Publisher: "Ordinary setup" shouldn't requre specific ordering; at
325 the very least, there ought to be error checking higher up in the
328 ``Publisher.get_settings`` requires that all components be set up
329 before it's called. Perhaps the I/O *objects* shouldn't be set, but
330 I/O *classes*. Then options are set up (``.set_options``), and
331 ``Publisher.set_io`` (or equivalent code) is called with source &
332 destination paths, creating the I/O objects.
334 Perhaps I/O objects shouldn't be instantiated until required. For
335 split output, the Writer may be called multiple times, once for each
336 doctree, and each doctree should have a separate Output object (with
337 a different path). Is the "Builder" pattern applicable here?
339 * Perhaps I/O objects should become full-fledged components (i.e.
340 subclasses of ``docutils.Component``, as are Readers, Parsers, and
341 Writers now), and thus have associated option/setting specs and
344 * Multiple file I/O suggestion from Michael Hudson: use a file-like
345 object or something you can iterate over to get file-like objects.
347 * Add an "--input-language" option & setting? Specify a different
348 language module for input (bibliographic fields, directives) than
349 for output. The "--language" option would set both input & output
352 * Auto-generate reference tables for language-dependent features?
353 Could be generated from the source modules. A special command-line
354 option could be added to Docutils front ends to do this. (Idea from
357 * Enable feedback of some kind from internal decisions, such as
358 reporting the successful input encoding. Modify runtime settings?
359 System message? Simple stderr output?
361 * Rationalize Writer settings (HTML/LaTeX/PEP) -- share settings.
363 * Add an "--include file" command-line option (config setting too?),
364 equivalent to ".. include:: file" as the first line of the doc text?
365 Especially useful for character entity sets, text transform specs,
368 * Parameterize the Reporter object or class? See the `2004-02-18
369 "rest checking and source path"`_ thread.
371 .. _2004-02-18 "rest checking and source path":
372 http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/1112
374 * Add a "disable_transforms" setting? And a dummy Writer subclass
375 that does nothing when its .write() method is called? Would allow
376 for easy syntax checking. See the `2004-02-18 "rest checking and
377 source path"`_ thread.
379 * Add a generic meta-stylesheet mechanism? An external file could
380 associate style names ("class" attributes) with specific elements.
381 Could be generalized to arbitrary output attributes; useful for HTML
382 & XMLs. Aahz implemented something like this in
383 sandbox/aahz/Effective/EffMap.py.
385 * .. _classes for table cells:
387 William Dode suggested that table cells be assigned "class"
388 attributes by columns, so that stylesheets can affect text
389 alignment. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a way (in HTML
390 at least) to leverage the "colspec" elements (HTML "col" tags) by
391 adding classes to them. The resulting HTML is very verbose::
393 <td class="col1">111</td>
394 <td class="col2">222</td>
397 At the very least, it should be an option. People who don't use it
398 shouldn't be penalized by increases in their HTML file sizes.
400 Table rows could also be assigned classes (like odd/even). That
401 would be easier to implement.
403 How should it be implemented?
405 * There could be writer options (column classes & row classes) with
408 * The table directive could grow some options. Something like
409 ":cell-classes: col1 col2 col3" (either must match the number of
410 columns, or repeat to fill?) and ":row-classes: odd even" (repeat
411 to fill; body rows only, or header rows too?).
413 Probably per-table directive options are best. The "class" values
414 could be used by any writer, and applying such classes to all tables
415 in a document with writer options is too broad.
417 * Add file-specific settings support to config files, like::
422 Is this even possible? Should the criterion be the name of the
423 input file or the output file? Alternative (more explicit) syntax::
425 [source_file index.txt]
428 [dest_file index.html]
431 Or rather allow settings configuration from the rst source file
432 (see misc.settings_ directive)?
434 * The "validator" support added to OptionParser is very similar to
435 "traits_" in SciPy_. Perhaps something could be done with them?
436 (Had I known about traits when I was implementing docutils.frontend,
437 I may have used them instead of rolling my own.)
439 .. _traits: http://code.enthought.com/traits/
440 .. _SciPy: http://www.scipy.org/
442 * tools/buildhtml.py: Extend the --prune option ("prune" config
443 setting) to accept file names (generic path) in addition to
444 directories (e.g. --prune=docs/user/rst/cheatsheet.txt, which should
445 *not* be converted to HTML).
447 * Add support for _`plugins`.
449 * _`Config directories`: Currently, ~/.docutils, ./docutils.conf/, &
450 /etc/docutils.conf are read as configuration files. Proposal: allow
451 ~/.docutils to be a a configuration *directory*, along with
452 /etc/docutils/ and ./docutils.conf/. Within these directories,
453 check for config.txt files. We can also have subdirectories here,
454 for plugins, S5 themes, components (readers/writers/parsers) etc.
456 Docutils will continue to support configuration files for backwards
459 * Add support for document decorations other than headers & footers?
460 For example, top/bottom/side navigation bars for web pages. Generic
463 Seems like a bad idea as long as it isn't independent from the ouput
464 format (for example, navigation bars are only useful for web pages).
466 * docutils_update: Check for a ``Makefile`` in a directory, and run
467 ``make`` if found? This would allow for variant processing on
468 specific source files, such as running rst2s5.py instead of
471 * Add a "disable table of contents" setting? The S5 writer could set
472 it as a default. Rationale:
474 The ``contents`` (table of contents) directive must not be used
475 [in S5/HTML documents]. It changes the CSS class of headings
476 and they won't show up correctly in the screen presentation.
478 -- `Easy Slide Shows With reStructuredText & S5
479 <../user/slide-shows.html>`_
481 Analogue to the ``sectnum_xform`` setting, it could be used by the
482 latex writer to switch to a LaTeX generated ToC (currently, the latex
483 writer calls it "use_latex_toc").
485 object numbering and object references
486 --------------------------------------
488 For equations, tables & figures.
490 These would be the equivalent of DocBook's "formal" elements.
492 In LaTeX, automatic counters are implemented for sections, equations and
493 floats (figures, tables) (configurable via stylesheets or in the
494 latex-preamble). Objects can be given `reference names`_ with the
495 ``\label{<refname}`` command, ``\ref{<refname>}`` inserts the
496 corresponding number.
498 No such mechanism exists in HTML.
500 * We need _`persistent sequences`, similar to chapter and footnote
501 numbers. See `OpenOffice.org XML`_ "fields".
503 - Should the sequences be automatic or manual (user-specifyable)?
505 * It is already possible to give `reference names`_ to objects via
506 internal hyperlink targets or the "name" directive option::
510 .. figure:: image.png
514 .. figure:: image.png
517 Improve the mapping of "phrase references" to IDs/labels with
518 Literal transcription (i.e. ü -> ue, ß -> ss, å -> aa) instead of just
519 stripping the accents and other non-ASCII chars.
520 Use http://pypi.python.org/pypi/Unidecode?
522 A "table" directive has been implemented, supporting table titles.
524 Perhaps the name could derive from the title/caption?
526 .. _reference names: ../ref/rst/restructuredtext.html#reference-names
528 * We need syntax for object references. Cf. `OpenOffice.org XML`_
531 - Parameterized substitutions are too complicated
532 (cf. `or not to do`: `object references`_)
534 - An interpreted text approach is simpler and better::
536 See Figure :ref:`figure name` and Equation :ref:`eq:identity`.
538 - "equation", "figure", and "page" roles could generate appropriate
541 See :figure:`figure name` on :page:`figure name`.
543 See `Interpreted Text`_ below.
545 Reference boilerplate could be specified in the document
546 (defaulting to nothing)::
549 :prefix-ref: "Figure "
550 :prefix-caption: "Fig. "
553 The position of the role (prefix or suffix) could also be utilized
555 .. _OpenOffice.org XML: http://xml.openoffice.org/
556 .. _object references: rst/alternatives.html#object-references
558 See also the `Modified rst2html
559 <http://www.loria.fr/~rougier/coding/article/rst2html.py>`__
560 by Nicolas Rougier for a sample implementation.
569 * Add a FAQ entry about using Docutils (with reStructuredText) on a
570 server and that it's terribly slow. See the first paragraphs in
571 <http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/1584>.
573 * Add document about what Docutils has previously been used for
574 (web/use-cases.txt?).
576 * Improve index in docs/user/config.txt.
582 * Complete `Docutils Runtime Settings <../api/runtime-settings.html>`_.
584 * Improve the internal module documentation (docstrings in the code).
585 Specific deficiencies listed below.
587 - docutils.parsers.rst.states.State.build_table: data structure
588 required (including StringList).
590 - docutils.parsers.rst.states: more complete documentation of parser
593 * docs/ref/doctree.txt: DTD element structural relationships,
594 semantics, and attributes. In progress; element descriptions to be
597 * Document the ``pending`` elements, how they're generated and what
600 * Document the transforms (perhaps in docstrings?): how they're used,
601 what they do, dependencies & order considerations.
603 * Document the HTML classes used by html4css1.py.
605 * Write an overview of the Docutils architecture, as an introduction
606 for developers. What connects to what, why, and how. Either update
607 PEP 258 (see PEPs_ below) or as a separate doc.
609 * Give information about unit tests. Maybe as a howto?
611 * Document the docutils.nodes APIs.
613 * Complete the docs/api/publisher.txt docs.
619 * Creating Docutils Writers
621 * Creating Docutils Readers
623 * Creating Docutils Transforms
625 * Creating Docutils Parsers
627 * Using Docutils as a Library
633 * Complete PEP 258 Docutils Design Specification.
635 - Fill in the blanks in API details.
637 - Specify the nodes.py internal data structure implementation?
639 [Tibs:] Eventually we need to have direct documentation in
640 there on how it all hangs together - the DTD is not enough
641 (indeed, is it still meant to be correct? [Yes, it is.
644 * Rework PEP 257, separating style from spec from tools, wrt Docutils?
645 See Doc-SIG from 2001-06-19/20.
653 * Analyze Tony Ibbs' PySource code.
655 * Analyze Doug Hellmann's HappyDoc project.
657 * Investigate how POD handles literate programming.
659 * Take the best ideas and integrate them into Docutils.
663 * Ask Python-dev for opinions (GvR for a pronouncement) on special
664 variables (__author__, __version__, etc.): convenience vs. namespace
665 pollution. Ask opinions on whether or not Docutils should recognize
668 * If we can detect that a comment block begins with ``##``, a la
669 JavaDoc, it might be useful to indicate interspersed section headers
670 & explanatory text in a module. For example::
672 """Module docstring."""
685 class MyException(Exception): pass
689 * Should standalone strings also become (module/class) docstrings?
690 Under what conditions? We want to prevent arbitrary strings from
691 becomming docstrings of prior attribute assignments etc. Assume
692 that there must be no blank lines between attributes and attribute
693 docstrings? (Use lineno of NEWLINE token.)
695 Triple-quotes are sometimes used for multi-line comments (such as
696 commenting out blocks of code). How to reconcile?
698 * HappyDoc's idea of using comment blocks when there's no docstring
699 may be useful to get around the conflict between `additional
700 docstrings`_ and ``from __future__ import`` for module docstrings.
701 A module could begin like this::
703 #!/usr/bin/env python
705 # :Copyright: whatever
707 """This is the public module docstring (``__doc__``)."""
709 # More docs, in comments.
710 # All comments at the beginning of a module could be
711 # accumulated as docstrings.
712 # We can't have another docstring here, because of the
713 # ``__future__`` statement.
715 from __future__ import division
717 Using the JavaDoc convention of a doc-comment block beginning with
718 ``##`` is useful though. It allows doc-comments and implementation
721 .. _additional docstrings:
722 ../peps/pep-0258.html#additional-docstrings
724 * HappyDoc uses an initial comment block to set "parser configuration
725 values". Do the same thing for Docutils, to set runtime settings on
726 a per-module basis? I.e.::
728 # Docutils:setting=value
730 Could be used to turn on/off function parameter comment recognition
731 & other marginal features. Could be used as a general mechanism to
732 augment config files and command-line options (but which takes
735 * Multi-file output should be divisible at arbitrary level.
737 * Support all forms of ``import`` statements:
739 - ``import module``: listed as "module"
740 - ``import module as alias``: "alias (module)"
741 - ``from module import identifier``: "identifier (from module)"
742 - ``from module import identifier as alias``: "alias (identifier
744 - ``from module import *``: "all identifiers (``*``) from module"
746 * Have links to colorized Python source files from API docs? And
747 vice-versa: backlinks from the colorized source files to the API
750 * In summaries, use the first *sentence* of a docstring if the first
751 line is not followed by a blank line.
754 reStructuredText Parser
755 =======================
757 Also see the `... Or Not To Do?`__ list.
759 __ rst/alternatives.html#or-not-to-do
764 * Allow embedded references and not only embedded URIs: ```link text
765 <reference_>`_``; see the second half of
766 <http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.devel/3738>.
768 * Another list problem::
774 This ends up as a definition list. This is more of a usability
777 * This case is probably meant to be a nested list, but it ends up as a
778 list inside a block-quote without an error message::
784 It should probably just be an error.
786 The problem with this is that you don't notice easily in HTML that
787 it's not a nested list but a block-quote -- there's not much of a
790 * Treat enumerated lists that are not arabic and consist of only one
791 item in a single line as ordinary paragraphs. See
792 <http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2635>.
794 * The citation syntax could use some improvements. See
795 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2499> (and the
797 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2499/focus=3028>,
798 and the follow-ups at
799 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/3087>,
800 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/3110>,
801 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/3114>),
802 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2443>,
803 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2715>,
804 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/3027>,
805 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/3120>,
806 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/3253>.
808 * The current list-recognition logic has too many false positives, as
815 Here ``V.`` is recognized as an enumerator, which leads to
816 confusion. We need to find a solution that resolves such problems
817 without complicating the spec to much.
819 See <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2524>.
821 * Add indirect links via citation references & footnote references.
824 `Goodger (2005)`_ is helpful.
826 .. _Goodger (2005): [goodger2005]_
827 .. [goodger2005] citation text
829 See <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2499>.
831 * Complain about bad URI characters
832 (http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2046) and
833 disallow internal whitespace
834 (http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2214).
836 * Create ``info``-level system messages for unnecessarily
837 backslash-escaped characters (as in ``"\something"``, rendered as
838 "something") to allow checking for errors which silently slipped
841 * Add (functional) tests for untested roles.
843 * Add test for ":figwidth: image" option of "figure" directive. (Test
844 code needs to check if PIL is available on the system.)
846 * Add support for CJK double-width whitespace (indentation) &
847 punctuation characters (markup; e.g. double-width "*", "-", "+")?
849 * Add motivation sections for constructs in spec.
851 * Support generic hyperlink references to _`targets in other
852 documents`? Not in an HTML-centric way, though (it's trivial to say
853 ``http://www.example.com/doc#name``, and useless in non-HTML
854 contexts). XLink/XPointer? ``.. baseref::``? See Doc-SIG
857 * .. _adaptable file extensions:
859 In target URLs, it would be useful to not explicitly specify the
860 file extension. If we're generating HTML, then ".html" is
861 appropriate; if PDF, then ".pdf"; etc. How about using ".*" to
862 indicate "choose the most appropriate filename extension"? For
865 .. _Another Document: another.*
867 What is to be done for output formats that don't *have* hyperlinks?
868 For example, LaTeX targeted at print. Hyperlinks may be "called
869 out", as footnotes with explicit URLs. (Don't convert the links.)
871 But then there's also LaTeX targeted at PDFs, which *can* have
872 links. Perhaps a runtime setting for "*" could explicitly provide
873 the extension, defaulting to the output file's extension.
875 Should the system check for existing files? No, not practical.
877 Handle documents only, or objects (images, etc.) also?
879 If this handles images also, how to differentiate between document
880 and image links? Element context (within "image")? Which image
881 extension to use for which document format? Again, a runtime
882 setting would suffice.
884 This may not be just a parser issue; it may need framework support.
886 Mailing list threads: `Images in both HTML and LaTeX`__ (especially
887 `this summary of Lea's objections`__), `more-universal links?`__,
888 `Output-format-sensitive link targets?`__
890 __ http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/1239
891 __ http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/1278
892 __ http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/1915
893 __ http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/2438
895 Idea from Jim Fulton: an external lookup table of targets:
897 I would like to specify the extension (e.g. .txt) [in the
898 source, rather than ``filename.*``], but tell the converter to
899 change references to the files anticipating that the files will
904 .. _Another Document: another.txt
906 rst2html.py --convert-links "another.txt bar.txt" foo.txt
908 That is, name the files for which extensions should be converted.
910 Note that I want to refer to original files in the original text
911 (another.txt rather than another.txt) because I want the
912 unconverted text to stand on its own.
914 Note that in most cases, people will be able to use globs::
916 rst2html.py --convert-link-extensions-for "`echo *.txt`" foo.txt
918 It might be nice to be able to use multiple arguments, as in::
920 rst2html.py --convert-link-extensions-for *.txt -- foo.txt
924 > What is to be done for output formats
925 > that don't have hyperlinks?
927 Don't convert the links.
931 > Handle documents only, or objects
932 > (images, etc.) also?
934 No, documents only, but there really is no need for gueswork.
935 Just get the file names as command-line arguments. EIBTI
936 [explicit is better than implicit].
938 For images, we probably need separate solution (which is being
939 worked on), whereas for documents, the issue is basically
940 interlinking between reStructuredText documents. IMO, this cries
941 for support for multiple input and output files, i.e. support for
942 documents which comprise multiple files. Adding adaptable file
943 extensions seems like a kludge. // FW
945 * Implement the header row separator modification to table.el. (Wrote
946 to Takaaki Ota & the table.el mailing list on 2001-08-12, suggesting
947 support for "=====" header rows. On 2001-08-17 he replied, saying
948 he'd put it on his to-do list, but "don't hold your breath".)
950 * Fix the parser's indentation handling to conform with the stricter
951 definition in the spec. (Explicit markup blocks should be strict or
954 .. XXX What does this mean? Can you elaborate, David?
956 * Make the parser modular. Allow syntax constructs to be added or
957 disabled at run-time. Subclassing is probably not enough because it
958 makes it difficult to apply multiple extensions.
960 * Generalize the "doctest block" construct (which is overly
961 Python-centric) to other interactive sessions? "Doctest block"
962 could be renamed to "I/O block" or "interactive block", and each of
963 these could also be recognized as such by the parser:
968 A block beginning with a "$ " prompt is interpreted as a shell
969 session interactive block. As with Doctest blocks, the
970 interactive block ends with the first blank line, and wouldn't
973 - Root shell sessions::
976 A block beginning with a "# " prompt is interpreted as a root
977 shell session (the user is or has to be logged in as root)
978 interactive block. Again, the block ends with a blank line.
980 Other standard (and unambiguous) interactive session prompts could
981 easily be added (such as "> " for WinDOS).
983 Tony Ibbs spoke out against this idea (2002-06-14 Doc-SIG thread
984 "docutils feedback").
986 * Add support for pragma (syntax-altering) directives.
988 Some pragma directives could be local-scope unless explicitly
989 specified as global/pragma using ":global:" options.
991 * Support whitespace in angle-bracketed standalone URLs according to
992 Appendix E ("Recommendations for Delimiting URI in Context") of `RFC
995 .. _RFC 2396: http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2396.txt
997 * Use the vertical spacing of the source text to determine the
998 corresponding vertical spacing of the output?
1000 * [From Mark Nodine] For cells in simple tables that comprise a
1001 single line, the justification can be inferred according to the
1004 1. If the text begins at the leftmost column of the cell,
1005 then left justification, ELSE
1006 2. If the text begins at the rightmost column of the cell,
1007 then right justification, ELSE
1008 3. Center justification.
1010 The onus is on the author to make the text unambiguous by adding
1011 blank columns as necessary. There should be a parser setting to
1012 turn off justification-recognition (normally on would be fine).
1014 Decimal justification?
1016 All this shouldn't be done automatically. Only when it's requested
1017 by the user, e.g. with something like this::
1024 Otherwise it will break existing documents.
1026 * Generate a warning or info message for paragraphs which should have
1027 been lists, like this one::
1032 * Generalize the "target-notes" directive into a command-line option
1033 somehow? See docutils-develop 2003-02-13.
1035 * Allow a "::"-only paragraph (first line, actually) to introduce a
1036 _`literal block without a blank line`? (Idea from Paul Moore.) ::
1039 This is a literal block
1041 Is indentation enough to make the separation between a paragraph
1042 which contains just a ``::`` and the literal text unambiguous?
1043 (There's one problem with this concession: If one wants a definition
1044 list item which defines the term "::", we'd have to escape it.) It
1045 would only be reasonable to apply it to "::"-only paragraphs though.
1046 I think the blank line is visually necessary if there's text before
1049 The text in this paragraph needs separation
1050 from the literal block following::
1051 This doesn't look right.
1053 * Add new syntax for _`nested inline markup`? Or extend the parser to
1054 parse nested inline markup somehow? See the `collected notes
1055 <rst/alternatives.html#nested-inline-markup>`__.
1057 * Drop the backticks from embedded URIs with omitted reference text?
1058 Should the angle brackets be kept in the output or not? ::
1062 Probably not worth the trouble.
1064 * How about a syntax for alternative hyperlink behavior, such as "open
1065 in a new window" (as in HTML's ``<a target="_blank">``)?
1067 The MoinMoin wiki uses a caret ("^") at the beginning of the URL
1068 ("^" is not a legal URI character). That could work for both inline
1069 and explicit targets::
1071 The `reference docs <^url>`__ may be handy.
1075 This may be too specific to HTML. It hasn't been requested very
1078 * Add an option to add URI schemes at runtime.
1080 * _`Segmented lists`::
1082 : segment : segment : segment
1083 : segment : segment : very long
1085 : segment : segment : segment
1087 The initial colon (":") can be thought of as a type of bullet
1089 We could even have segment titles::
1091 :: title : title : title
1092 : segment : segment : segment
1093 : segment : segment : segment
1095 This would correspond well to DocBook's SegmentedList. Output could
1096 be tabular or "name: value" pairs, as described in DocBook's docs.
1098 * Allow backslash-escaped colons in field names::
1100 :Case Study\: Event Handling: This chapter will be dropped.
1102 * Enable grid _`tables inside XML comments`, where "--" ends comments.
1103 I see three implementation possibilities:
1105 1. Make the table syntax characters into "table" directive options.
1106 This is the most flexible but most difficult, and we probably
1107 don't need that much flexibility.
1109 2. Substitute "~" for "-" with a specialized directive option
1112 3. Make the standard table syntax recognize "~" as well as "-", even
1113 without a directive option. Individual tables would have to be
1114 internally consistent.
1116 Directive options are preferable to configuration settings, because
1117 tables are document-specific. A pragma directive would be another
1118 approach, to set the syntax once for a whole document.
1120 In the meantime, the list-table_ directive is a good replacement for
1121 grid tables inside XML comments.
1123 .. _list-table: ../ref/rst/directives.html#list-table
1125 * Generalize docinfo contents (bibliographic fields): remove specific
1126 fields, and have only a single generic "field"?
1128 * _`Line numbers` and "source" in system messages:
1130 - Add "source" and "line" keyword arguments to all Reporter calls?
1131 This would require passing source/line arguments along all
1132 intermediate functions (where currently only `line` is used).
1134 Or rather specify "line" only if actually needed?
1136 Currently, `document.reporter` uses a state machine instance to
1137 determine the "source" and "line" info from
1138 `statemachine.input_lines` if not given explicitely. Except for
1139 special cases, the "line" argument is not needed because,
1140 `document.statemachine` keeps record of the current line number.
1142 - For system messages generated after the parsing is completed (i.e. by
1143 transforms or the writer) "line" info must be present in the doctree
1146 Elements' .line assignments should be checked. (Assign to .source
1147 too? Add a set_info method? To what?)
1149 The "source" (and line number in the source) can either be added
1150 explicitely to the elements or determined from the “raw” line
1151 number by `document.statemachine.get_source_and_line`.
1153 - Some line numbers in elements are not being set properly
1154 (explicitly), just implicitly/automatically. See rev. 1.74 of
1155 docutils/parsers/rst/states.py for an example of how to set.
1157 - The line numbers of definition list items are wrong::
1159 $ rst2pseudoxml.py --expose-internal-attribute line
1168 <document source="<stdin>">
1170 <definition_list_item internal:line="3">
1174 <paragraph internal:line="2">
1177 <definition_list_item internal:line="6">
1181 <paragraph internal:line="6">
1187 Quite a few nodes are getting a "None" source attribute as well. In
1188 particular, see the bodies of definition lists.
1195 Since Docutils 0.8, a "math" role and directive using LaTeX math
1196 syntax as input format is part of reStructuredText.
1200 * Use a "Transform" for math format conversions as extensively discussed in
1201 the "math directive issues" thread in May 2008
1202 (http://osdir.com/ml/text.docutils.devel/2008-05/threads.html)?
1204 * Generic "math-output" option (currently specific to HTML).
1205 (List of math-output preferences?)
1207 * Try to be compatible with `Math support in Sphinx`_?
1209 * The ``:label:`` option selects a label for the equation, by which it
1210 can be cross-referenced, and causes an equation number to be issued.
1211 In Docutils, the option ``:name:`` sets the label.
1212 Equation numbering is not implemented yet.
1214 * Option ``:nowrap:`` prevents wrapping of the given math in a
1215 math environment (you have to specify the math environment in the
1218 .. _Math support in Sphinx: http://sphinx.pocoo.org/ext/math.html
1220 * Equation numbering and references. (Should be handled in a unified way
1221 with other numbered entities like formal tables and images.)
1223 alternative input formats
1224 `````````````````````````
1226 Use a directive option to specify an alternative input format, e.g. (but not
1230 Not for hand-written code but maybe usefull when pasted in (or included
1233 For an overview of MathML implementations and tests, see, e.g.,
1234 the `mathweb wiki`_ or the `ConTeXT MathML page`_.
1236 .. _MathML: http://www.w3.org/TR/MathML2/
1237 .. _mathweb wiki: http://www.mathweb.org/wiki/MathML
1238 .. _ConTeXT MathML page: http://wiki.contextgarden.net/MathML
1242 Simple, ASCII based math input language (see also `ASCIIMath tutorial`_).
1244 * The Python module ASCIIMathML_ translates a string with ASCIIMath into a
1245 MathML tree. Used, e.g., by MultiMarkdown__.
1247 * For conversion to LaTeX, there is a JavaScript script at
1248 http://dlippman.imathas.com/asciimathtex/ASCIIMath2TeX.js
1250 .. _ASCIIMath: http://www1.chapman.edu/~jipsen/mathml/asciimath.html
1251 .. _ASCIIMath tutorial:
1252 http://www.wjagray.co.uk/maths/ASCIIMathTutorial.html
1253 .. _ASCIIMathML: http://pypi.python.org/pypi/asciimathml/
1254 __ http://fletcherpenney.net/multimarkdown/
1256 `Unicode Nearly Plain Text Encoding of Mathematics`_
1257 format for lightly marked-up representation of mathematical
1258 expressions in Unicode.
1260 (Unicode Technical Note. Sole responsibility for its contents rests
1261 with the author(s). Publication does not imply any endorsement by
1262 the Unicode Consortium.)
1264 .. _Unicode Nearly Plain Text Encoding of Mathematics:
1265 http://www.unicode.org/notes/tn28/
1268 See `the culmination of a relevant discussion in 2003
1269 <http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/118>`__.
1276 Which equation environments should be supported by the math directive?
1280 + numbered: `equation`
1281 + unnumbered: `equation*`
1283 * multiline (test for ``\\`` outside of a nested environment
1284 (e.g. `array` or `cases`)
1286 + numbered: `align` (number every line)
1288 (To give one common number to all lines, put them in a `split`
1289 environment. Docutils then places it in an `equation` environment.)
1291 + unnumbered: `align*`
1293 + Sphinx math also supports `gather` (checking for blank lines in
1294 the content). Docutils puts content blocks separated by blank
1295 lines in separate math-block doctree nodes. (The only difference of
1296 `gather` to two consecutive "normal" environments seems to be that
1297 page-breaks between the two are prevented.)
1299 See http://www.math.uiuc.edu/~hildebr/tex/displays.html.
1305 There is no native math support in HTML.
1308 Converters from LaTeX to MathML include
1310 * latex_math_ (Python) by Jens Jørgen Mortensen in the Docutils sandbox
1313 * TeX4ht_ (TeX based)
1315 * itex_ (also `used in Abiword`__)
1316 * TtM_ (C, non free, free binary for Linux) with an `online-trial page`__
1317 * `Steve’s LATEX-to-MathML translator`_
1318 ('mini-language', javascript, Python)
1320 latex_math_ is the base for the current latex2mathml_ module used
1321 with ``--math-output=MathML``.
1323 * Write a new converter based on:
1325 * a generic tokenizer (see e.g. a `latex-codec recipe`_,
1326 `updated latex-codec`_, )
1327 * the Unicode-Char <-> LaTeX mappings database unimathsymbols_
1329 __ http://msevior.livejournal.com/26377.html
1330 __ http://hutchinson.belmont.ma.us/tth/mml/ttmmozform.html
1331 .. _MathML: http://www.w3.org/TR/MathML2/
1332 .. _latex_math: ../../../sandbox/jensj/latex_math/
1333 .. _latex2mathml: ../../docutils/math/latex2mathml.py
1334 .. _Blahtex: http://gva.noekeon.org/blahtexml/
1335 .. _MathToWeb: http://www.mathtoweb.com/
1336 .. _TeX4ht: http://www.tug.org/applications/tex4ht/mn.html
1337 .. _LaTeXML: http://dlmf.nist.gov/LaTeXML/
1338 .. _itex: http://golem.ph.utexas.edu/~distler/blog/itex2MMLcommands.html
1339 .. _ttm: http://hutchinson.belmont.ma.us/tth/mml/
1340 .. _Steve’s LATEX-to-MathML translator:
1341 http://www.gold-saucer.org/mathml/greasemonkey/dist/display-latex
1342 .. _latex-codec recipe:
1343 http://code.activestate.com/recipes/252124-latex-codec/
1344 .. _updated latex-codec:
1345 http://mirror.ctan.org/biblio/bibtex/utils/mab2bib/latex.py
1346 .. _unimathsymbols: http://milde.users.sourceforge.net/LUCR/Math/
1349 .. _itex: http://pear.math.pitt.edu/mathzilla/itex2mmlItex.html
1353 format math in standard HTML enhanced by CSS rules
1354 (Overview__, `Examples and experiments`__).
1356 LaTeX-math to HTML/CSS converters include
1359 * Hevea_ (Objective Caml)
1362 The ``math-output=html`` option uses the converter from eLyXer.
1364 __ http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/math/
1365 __ http://www.zipcon.net/~swhite/docs/math/math.html
1366 .. _TtH: ttp://hutchinson.belmont.ma.us/tth/index.html
1367 .. _Hevea: http://para.inria.fr/~maranget/hevea/
1368 .. _elyxer: http://elyxer.nongnu.org/
1371 (PNG or SVG) like e.g. Wikipedia. (e.g. with dvisvgm_ or the
1372 pure-python MathML->SVG converter SVGMath_)
1374 .. _dvisvgm: http://dvisvgm.sourceforge.net/
1375 .. _SVGMath: http://www.grigoriev.ru/svgmath/
1381 * The `OpenDocument standard`_ version 1.1 says:
1383 Mathematical content is represented by MathML 2.0
1385 However, putting MathML into an ODP file seems tricky as these
1386 (maybe outdated) links suppose:
1387 http://idippedut.dk/post/2008/01/25/Do-your-math-ODF-and-MathML.aspx
1388 http://idippedut.dk/post/2008/03/03/Now-I-get-it-ODF-and-MathML.aspx
1390 .. _OpenDocument standard:
1391 http://www.oasis-open.org/standards#opendocumentv1.1
1393 * OOoLaTeX__: "a set of macros designed to bring the power of LaTeX
1396 __ http://ooolatex.sourceforge.net/
1402 Directives below are often referred to as "module.directive", the
1403 directive function. The "module." is not part of the directive name
1404 when used in a document.
1406 * Allow for field lists in list tables. See
1407 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.devel/3392>.
1411 Unify table implementations and unify options of table directives
1412 (http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/1857).
1414 * Allow directives to be added at run-time?
1416 * Use the language module for directive option names?
1418 * Add "substitution_only" and "substitution_ok" function attributes,
1419 and automate context checking?
1421 * Implement options or features on existing directives:
1423 - All directives that produce titled elements should grow implicit
1424 reference names based on the titles.
1426 - Allow the _`:trim:` option for all directives when they occur in a
1427 substitution definition, not only the unicode_ directive.
1429 .. _unicode: ../ref/rst/directives.html#unicode-character-codes
1431 - Add the "class" option to the unicode_ directive. For example, you
1432 might want to get characters or strings with borders around them.
1434 - _`images.figure`: "title" and "number", to indicate a formal
1437 - _`parts.sectnum`: "local"?, "refnum"
1439 A "local" option could enable numbering for sections from a
1440 certain point down, and sections in the rest of the document are
1441 not numbered. For example, a reference section of a manual might
1442 be numbered, but not the rest. OTOH, an all-or-nothing approach
1443 would probably be enough.
1445 The "sectnum" directive should be usable multiple times in a
1446 single document. For example, in a long document with "chapter"
1447 and "appendix" sections, there could be a second "sectnum" before
1448 the first appendix, changing the sequence used (from 1,2,3... to
1449 A,B,C...). This is where the "local" concept comes in. This part
1450 of the implementation can be left for later.
1452 A "refnum" option (better name?) would insert reference names
1453 (targets) consisting of the reference number. Then a URL could be
1454 of the form ``http://host/document.html#2.5`` (or "2-5"?). Allow
1455 internal references by number? Allow name-based *and*
1456 number-based ids at the same time, or only one or the other (which
1457 would the table of contents use)? Usage issue: altering the
1458 section structure of a document could render hyperlinks invalid.
1460 - _`parts.contents`: Add a "suppress" or "prune" option? It would
1461 suppress contents display for sections in a branch from that point
1462 down. Or a new directive, like "prune-contents"?
1464 Add an option to include topics in the TOC? Another for sidebars?
1465 The "topic" directive could have a "contents" option, or the
1466 "contents" directive" could have an "include-topics" option. See
1467 docutils-develop 2003-01-29.
1469 - _`parts.header` & _`parts.footer`: Support multiple, named headers
1470 & footers? For example, separate headers & footers for odd, even,
1471 and the first page of a document.
1473 This may be too specific to output formats which have a notion of
1478 - Add a ``:parent:`` option for setting the parent's class
1479 (http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.devel/3165).
1483 - Option to label lines?
1485 - How about an environment variable, say RSTINCLUDEPATH or
1486 RSTPATH, for standard includes (as in ``.. include:: <name>``)?
1487 This could be combined with a setting/option to allow
1488 user-defined include directories.
1490 - Add support for inclusion by URL? ::
1493 :url: http://www.example.org/inclusion.txt
1495 - Strip blank lines from begin and end of a literal included file or
1496 file section. This would correspond to the way a literal block is
1499 As nodes.literal_block expects (and we have) the text as a string
1500 (rather than a list of lines), using a regexp seems the way.
1502 - _`misc.raw`: add a "destination" option to the "raw" directive? ::
1509 It needs thought & discussion though, to come up with a consistent
1510 set of destination labels and consistent behavior.
1512 And placing HTML code inside the <head> element of an HTML
1513 document is rather the job of a templating system.
1515 - _`body.sidebar`: Allow internal section structure? Adornment
1516 styles would be independent of the main document.
1518 That is really complicated, however, and the document model
1519 greatly benefits from its simplicity.
1521 * Implement directives. Each of the list items below begins with an
1522 identifier of the form, "module_name.directive_function_name". The
1523 directive name itself could be the same as the
1524 directive_function_name, or it could differ.
1528 It has the disadvantage that it's only easily implementable for
1529 HTML, so it's specific to one output format.
1531 (For non-HTML writers, the imagemap would have to be replaced with
1534 - _`parts.endnotes` (or "footnotes"): See `Footnote & Citation Gathering`_.
1536 - _`parts.citations`: See `Footnote & Citation Gathering`_.
1538 - _`misc.language`: Specify (= change) the language of a document at
1541 * The misc.settings_ directive suggested below offers a more generic
1544 * The language of document parts can be indicated by the "special class
1545 value" ``"language-"`` + `BCP 47`_ language code. Class arguments to
1546 the title are attached to the document's base node - hence titled
1547 documents can be given a different language at parse time. However,
1548 "language by class attribute" does not change parsing (localized
1549 directives etc.), only supporting writers.
1551 .. _BCP 47: http://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/bcp/bcp47.txt
1554 - _`misc.settings`: Set any(?) Docutils runtime setting from within
1555 a document? Needs much thought and discussion.
1557 Security concerns need to be taken into account (it shouldn't be
1558 possible to enable ``file_insertion_enabled`` from within a
1559 document), and settings that only would have taken effect before
1560 the directive (like ``tab-width``) shouldn't be accessible either.
1562 See this sub-thread:
1563 <http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/3620/focus=3649>
1565 - _`misc.gather`: Gather (move, or copy) all instances of a specific
1566 element. A generalization of the `Footnote & Citation Gathering`_
1569 - Add a custom "directive" directive, equivalent to "role"? For
1574 .. class:: incremental
1578 "``.. incr::``" above is equivalent to "``.. class:: incremental``".
1582 .. directive:: printed-links
1588 :class: print-inline
1590 This acts like macros. The directive contents will have to be
1591 evaluated when referenced, not when defined.
1593 * Needs a better name? "Macro", "substitution"?
1594 * What to do with directive arguments & options when the
1595 macro/directive is referenced?
1597 - Make the meaning of block quotes overridable? Only a 1-shot
1598 though; doesn't solve the general problem.
1600 - .. _conditional directives:
1602 .. note:: See also the implementation in Sphinx_.
1604 Docutils already has the ability to say "use this content for
1605 Writer X" via the "raw" directive. It also does have the ability
1606 to say "use this content for any Writer other than X" via the
1607 "strip-elements with class" config value. However, using "raw"
1608 input just to select a special writer is inconvenient in many
1610 It wouldn't be difficult to get more straightforward support, though.
1612 My first idea would be to add a set of conditional directives.
1613 Let's call them "writer-is" and "writer-is-not" for discussion
1614 purposes (don't worry about implemention details). We might
1617 .. writer-is:: text-only
1633 .. figure:: protocol_stack.eps
1635 .. writer-is-not:: text-only pdf
1637 .. figure:: protocol_stack.png
1639 This could be an interface to the Filter transform
1640 (docutils.transforms.components.Filter).
1642 The ideas in `adaptable file extensions`_ above may also be
1645 SVG's "switch" statement may provide inspiration.
1647 Here's an example of a directive that could produce multiple
1648 outputs (*both* raw troff pass-through *and* a GIF, for example)
1649 and allow the Writer to select. ::
1656 %sum from i=o to inf c sup i~=~lim from {m -> inf}
1657 sum from i=0 to m sup i%
1662 - _`body.example`: Examples; suggested by Simon Hefti. Semantics as
1663 per Docbook's "example"; admonition-style, numbered, reference,
1664 with a caption/title.
1666 - _`body.index`: Index targets.
1668 See `Index Entries & Indexes
1669 <./rst/alternatives.html#index-entries-indexes>`__.
1671 - _`body.literal`: Literal block, possibly "formal" (see `object
1672 numbering and object references`_ above). Possible options:
1674 - "highlight" a range of lines
1676 - include only a specified range of lines
1678 - "number" or "line-numbers"? (since 0.9 available with "code" directive)
1680 - "styled" could indicate that the directive should check for
1681 style comments at the end of lines to indicate styling or
1684 Specific derivatives (i.e., a "python-interactive" directive)
1685 could interpret style based on cues, like the ">>> " prompt and
1686 "input()"/"raw_input()" calls.
1688 See docutils-users 2003-03-03.
1690 - _`body.listing`: Code listing with title (to be numbered
1691 eventually), equivalent of "figure" and "table" directives.
1693 - _`pysource.usage`: Extract a usage message from the program,
1694 either by running it at the command line with a ``--help`` option
1695 or through an exposed API. [Suggestion for Optik.]
1701 Interpreted text is entirely a reStructuredText markup construct, a
1702 way to get around built-in limitations of the medium. Some roles are
1703 intended to introduce new doctree elements, such as "title-reference".
1704 Others are merely convenience features, like "RFC".
1706 All supported interpreted text roles must already be known to the
1707 Parser when they are encountered in a document. Whether pre-defined
1708 in core/client code, or in the document, doesn't matter; the roles
1709 just need to have already been declared. Adding a new role may
1710 involve adding a new element to the DTD and may require extensive
1711 support, therefore such additions should be well thought-out. There
1712 should be a limited number of roles.
1714 The only place where no limit is placed on variation is at the start,
1715 at the Reader/Parser interface. Transforms are inserted by the Reader
1716 into the Transformer's queue, where non-standard elements are
1717 converted. Once past the Transformer, no variation from the standard
1718 Docutils doctree is possible.
1720 An example is the Python Source Reader, which will use interpreted
1721 text extensively. The default role will be "Python identifier", which
1722 will be further interpreted by namespace context into <class>,
1723 <method>, <module>, <attribute>, etc. elements (see pysource.dtd),
1724 which will be transformed into standard hyperlink references, which
1725 will be processed by the various Writers. No Writer will need to have
1726 any knowledge of the Python-Reader origin of these elements.
1728 * Add explicit interpreted text roles for the rest of the implicit
1729 inline markup constructs: named-reference, anonymous-reference,
1730 footnote-reference, citation-reference, substitution-reference,
1731 target, uri-reference (& synonyms).
1733 * Add directives for each role as well? This would allow indirect
1736 This text contains |nested inline markup|.
1738 .. |nested inline markup| emphasis::
1740 nested ``inline`` markup
1744 - "_`raw-wrapped`" (or "_`raw-wrap`"): Base role to wrap raw text
1745 around role contents.
1747 For example, the following reStructuredText source ... ::
1749 .. role:: red(raw-formatting)
1751 :html: <font color="red">
1752 :latex: {\color{red}
1759 ... will yield the following document fragment::
1763 <inline classes="red">
1766 <raw format="latex">
1768 <inline classes="red">
1772 <raw format="latex">
1775 Possibly without the intermediate "inline" node.
1777 - _`"acronym" and "abbreviation"`: Associate the full text with a
1778 short form. Jason Diamond's description:
1780 I want to translate ```reST`:acronym:`` into ``<acronym
1781 title='reStructuredText'>reST</acronym>``. The value of the
1782 title attribute has to be defined out-of-band since you can't
1783 parameterize interpreted text. Right now I have them in a
1784 separate file but I'm experimenting with creating a directive
1785 that will use some form of reST syntax to let you define them.
1787 Should Docutils complain about undefined acronyms or
1790 What to do if there are multiple definitions? How to
1791 differentiate between CSS (Content Scrambling System) and CSS
1792 (Cascading Style Sheets) in a single document? David Priest
1795 The short answer is: you don't. Anyone who did such a thing
1796 would be writing very poor documentation indeed. (Though I
1797 note that `somewhere else in the docs`__, there's mention of
1798 allowing replacement text to be associated with the
1799 abbreviation. That takes care of the duplicate
1800 acronyms/abbreviations problem, though a writer would be
1801 foolish to ever need it.)
1803 __ `inline parameter syntax`_
1805 How to define the full text? Possibilities:
1807 1. With a directive and a definition list? ::
1814 Docstring Processing System
1816 Would this list remain in the document as a glossary, or would
1817 it simply build an internal lookup table? A "glossary"
1818 directive could be used to make the intention clear.
1819 Acronyms/abbreviations and glossaries could work together.
1821 Then again, a glossary could be formed by gathering individual
1822 definitions from around the document.
1824 2. Some kind of `inline parameter syntax`_? ::
1826 `reST <reStructuredText>`:acronym: is `WYSIWYG <what you
1827 see is what you get>`:acronym: plaintext markup.
1829 .. _inline parameter syntax:
1830 rst/alternatives.html#parameterized-interpreted-text
1832 3. A combination of 1 & 2?
1834 The multiple definitions issue could be handled by establishing
1835 rules of priority. For example, directive-based lookup tables
1836 have highest priority, followed by the first inline definition.
1837 Multiple definitions in directive-based lookup tables would
1838 trigger warnings, similar to the rules of `implicit hyperlink
1841 __ ../ref/rst/restructuredtext.html#implicit-hyperlink-targets
1843 4. Using substitutions? ::
1845 .. |reST| acronym:: reST
1846 :text: reStructuredText
1848 What do we do for other formats than HTML which do not support
1849 tool tips? Put the full text in parentheses?
1851 - "figure", "table", "listing", "chapter", "page", etc: See `object
1852 numbering and object references`_ above.
1854 - "glossary-term": This would establish a link to a glossary. It
1855 would require an associated "glossary-entry" directive, whose
1856 contents could be a definition list::
1865 This would allow entries to be defined anywhere in the document,
1866 and collected (via a "glossary" directive perhaps) at one point.
1872 The number of doctree nodes can be reduced by "normalizing" some related
1873 nodes. This makes the document model and the writers somewhat simpler.
1875 * The "doctest" element should go away. The construct could simply be
1876 a front-end to generic literal blocks. We could immediately (in 0.7)
1877 remove the doctest node from the doctree, but leave the
1878 syntax in reST. The reST parser could represent doctest blocks as
1879 literal blocks with a class attribute. The syntax could be left in
1880 reST (for a set period of time?).
1882 * "Normalize" special admonitions (note, hint, warning, ...) during parsing
1883 (similar to _`transforms.writer_aux.Admonitions`). There is no need to
1884 keep them as distinct elements in the doctree specification.
1886 Keep the special admonition directives in reStructuredText syntax?
1889 Unimplemented Transforms
1890 ========================
1892 * _`Footnote & Citation Gathering`
1894 Collect and move footnotes & citations to the end of a document or the
1895 place of a "footnotes" or "citations" directive
1896 (see `<./ref/rst/directives.html>_`)
1899 Collect all footnotes that are referenced in the document before the
1900 directive (and after an eventually preceding ``.. footnotes::``
1901 directive) and insert at this place.
1903 Allows "endnotes" at a configurable place.
1906 Collect citations that are referenced ...
1910 a) defined in the document as citation elements
1912 b) auto-generated from entries in a bibliographic database.
1914 + based on bibstuff_?
1915 + also have a look at
1917 * CrossTeX_, a backwards-compatible, improved bibtex
1918 re-implementation in Python (including HTML export).
1919 (development stalled since 2 years)
1921 * Pybtex_,a drop-in replacement for BibTeX written in Python.
1923 * BibTeX styles & (experimental) pythonic style API.
1924 * Database in BibTeX, BibTeXML and YAML formats.
1925 * full Unicode support.
1926 * Write to TeX, HTML and plain text.
1928 * `Zotero plain <http://e6h.org/%7Eegh/hg/zotero-plain/>`__
1929 supports Zotero databases and CSL_ styles with Docutils with an
1932 * `sphinxcontrib-bibtex`_ Sphinx extension with "bibliography"
1933 directive and "cite" role supporting BibTeX databases.
1935 * `Modified rst2html
1936 <http://www.loria.fr/~rougier/coding/article/rst2html.py>`__ by
1940 * Automatically insert a "References" heading?
1942 .. _CrossTeX: http://www.cs.cornell.edu/people/egs/crosstex/
1943 .. _Pybtex: http://pybtex.sourceforge.net/
1944 .. _CSL: http://www.citationstyles.org/
1945 .. _sphinxcontrib-bibtex: http://sphinxcontrib-bibtex.readthedocs.org/
1947 * _`Reference Merging`
1949 When merging two or more subdocuments (such as docstrings),
1950 conflicting references may need to be resolved. There may be:
1952 * duplicate reference and/or substitution names that need to be made
1954 * duplicate footnote numbers that need to be renumbered.
1956 Should this be done before or after reference-resolving transforms
1957 are applied? What about references from within one subdocument to
1960 * _`Document Splitting`
1962 If the processed document is written to multiple files (possibly in
1963 a directory tree), it will need to be split up. Internal references
1964 will have to be adjusted.
1966 (HTML only? Initially, yes. Eventually, anything should be
1971 - Insert a "destination" attribute into the root element of each
1972 split-out document, containing the path/filename. The Output
1973 object or Writer will recognize this attribute and split out the
1974 files accordingly. Must allow for common headers & footers,
1975 prev/next, breadcrumbs, etc.
1977 - Transform a single-root document into a document containing
1978 multiple subdocuments, recursively. The content model of the
1979 "document" element would have to change to::
1982 ( (title, subtitle?)?,
1984 (docinfo, transition?)?,
1988 (I.e., add the last line -- 0 or more document elements.)
1990 Let's look at the case of hierarchical (directories and files)
1991 HTML output. Each document element containing further document
1992 elements would correspond to a directory (with an index.html file
1993 for the content preceding the subdocuments). Each document
1994 element containing no subdocuments (i.e., structure model elements
1995 only) corresponds to a concrete file with no directory.
1997 The natural transform would be to map sections to subdocuments,
1998 but possibly only a given number of levels deep.
2002 If a document is split up, each segment will need navigation links:
2003 parent, children (small TOC), previous (preorder), next (preorder).
2004 Part of `Document Splitting`_?
2006 * _`List of System Messages`
2008 The ``system_message`` elements are inserted into the document tree,
2009 adjacent to the problems themselves where possible. Some (those
2010 generated post-parse) are kept until later, in
2011 ``document.messages``, and added as a special final section,
2012 "Docutils System Messages".
2014 Docutils could be made to generate hyperlinks to all known
2015 system_messages and add them to the document, perhaps to the end of
2016 the "Docutils System Messages" section.
2018 Fred L. Drake, Jr. wrote:
2020 I'd like to propose that both parse- and transformation-time
2021 messages are included in the "Docutils System Messages" section.
2022 If there are no objections, I can make the change.
2024 The advantage of the current way of doing things is that parse-time
2025 system messages don't require a transform; they're already in the
2026 document. This is valuable for testing (unit tests,
2027 tools/quicktest.py). So if we do decide to make a change, I think
2028 the insertion of parse-time system messages ought to remain as-is
2029 and the Messages transform ought to move all parse-time system
2030 messages (remove from their originally inserted positions, insert in
2031 System Messages section).
2033 * _`Index Generation`
2039 * Make it easier to find out fragment names (#foo-bar) of ``_`inline
2040 targets```. Currently you have to either look at the source or
2043 For example, we could add support for self-referencing targets
2044 (i.e. inline targets would [unobtrusively] link to themselves, so
2045 that you can just click them and then copy the address). Or we
2046 could add support for titles that display the fragment name (as in
2047 <http://subversion.tigris.org/mailing-list-guidelines.html>; just
2048 hover the paragraphs).
2050 Either way it should be optional and deactivated by default.
2052 This would be useful for documents like Docutils' bug list or to-do
2055 * Make the _`list compacting` logic more generic: For example, allow
2056 for literal blocks or line blocks inside of compact list items.
2058 This is not implementable as long as list compacting is done by
2059 omitting ``<p>`` tags. List compacting would need to be done by
2060 adjusting CSS margins instead.
2062 * Idea for field-list rendering: hanging indent::
2064 Field name (bold): First paragraph of field body begins
2065 with the field name inline.
2067 If the first item of a field body is not a paragraph,
2068 it would begin on the following line.
2070 * Add more support for <link> elements, especially for navigation
2073 The framework does not have a notion of document relationships, so
2074 probably raw.destination_ should be used.
2076 We'll have framework support for document relationships when support
2077 for `multiple output files`_ is added. The HTML writer could
2078 automatically generate <link> elements then.
2080 .. _raw.destination: misc.raw_
2082 * Base list compaction on the spacing of source list? Would require
2083 parser support. (Idea: fantasai, 16 Dec 2002, doc-sig.)
2085 * Add a tool tip ("title" attribute?) to footnote back-links
2086 identifying them as such. Text in Docutils language module.
2092 * Remove the generic style information (duplicated from html4css1.css)
2093 from pep.css to avoid redundancy.
2095 Needs support for multiple stylesheets in the PEP writer
2096 (is this inherited from HTML?).
2102 * Add a way to begin an untitled slide.
2104 * Add a way to begin a new slide, continuation, using the same title
2105 as the previous slide? (Unnecessary?) You need that if you have a
2106 lot of items in one section which don't fit on one slide.
2108 Maybe either this item or the previous one can be realized using
2111 * Have a timeout on incremental items, so the colour goes away after 1
2114 * Add an empty, black last slide (optionally). Currently the handling
2115 of the last slide is not very nice, it re-cycles through the
2116 incremental items on the last slide if you hit space-bar after the
2119 * Add a command-line option to disable advance-on-click.
2121 * Add a speaker's master document, which would contain a small version
2122 of the slide text with speaker's notes interspersed. The master
2123 document could use ``target="whatever"`` to direct links to a
2124 separate window on a second monitor (e.g., a projector).
2126 .. Note:: This item and the following items are partially
2127 accomplished by the S5 1.2 code (currently in alpha), which has
2128 not yet been integrated into Docutils.
2130 * Speaker's notes -- how to intersperse? Could use reST comments
2131 (".."), but make them visible in the speaker's master document. If
2132 structure is necessary, we could use a "comment" directive (to avoid
2133 nonsensical DTD changes, the "comment" directive could produce an
2134 untitled topic element).
2136 The speaker's notes could (should?) be separate from S5's handout
2139 * The speaker's master document could use frames for easy navigation:
2140 TOC on the left, content on the right.
2142 - It would be nice if clicking in the TOC frame simultaneously
2143 linked to both the speaker's notes frame and to the slide window,
2144 synchronizing both. Needs JavaScript?
2146 - TOC would have to be tightly formatted -- minimal indentation.
2148 - TOC auto-generated, as in the PEP Reader. (What if there already
2149 is a "contents" directive in the document?)
2151 - There could be another frame on the left (top-left or bottom-left)
2152 containing a single "Next" link, always pointing to the next slide
2153 (synchronized, of course). Also "Previous" link? FF/Rew go to
2154 the beginning of the next/current parent section? First/Last
2155 also? Tape-player-style buttons like ``|<< << < > >> >>|``?
2160 Add epub as an output format.
2162 Pack the output of a HTML writer and supporting files (e.g. images)
2163 into one single epub document.
2165 epub is an open file format for ebooks based on HTML, specified by the
2166 `International Digital Publishing Forum`_. Thus, documents in epub
2167 format are suited to be read with `electronic reading devices`_. The
2168 epub format comprises:
2170 * `Open Publication Structure (OPS)
2171 <http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops/OPS_2.0_final_spec.html>`_
2172 * `Open Packaging Format (OPF)
2173 <http://www.idpf.org/2007/opf/OPF_2.0_final_spec.html>`_
2174 * `OEBPS Container Format (OCF)
2175 <http://www.idpf.org/ocf/ocf1.0/download/ocf10.htm>`_
2179 There is a project for epub support with sphinx providing a
2180 (hopefully) reusable framework.
2182 .. _rst2epub: http://bitbucket.org/wierob/rst2epub/
2183 .. _International Digital Publishing Forum: http://www.idpf.org/
2184 .. _electronic reading devices:
2185 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_e-book_readers
2187 Also, the plasTeX_ Python package has an EPUB renderer:
2189 It simply calls the XHTML renderer and does the epub packaging in
2192 .. _plasTeX: http://plastex.sourceforge.net/
2198 Also see the Problems__ section in the `latex writer documentation`_.
2200 __ ../user/latex.html#problems
2202 .. _latex writer documentation: ../user/latex.html
2205 ../../../sandbox/latex-variants/README.html
2210 * A multirow cell in a table expects empty cells in the spanned rows while
2211 the doctree contains only the remaining cells ("Exchange Table Model", see
2212 docs/ref/soextblx.dtd).
2214 Needs bookkeeping of "open" multirow cells (how many how long) and
2215 insertion of additional '&'s.
2217 See `<../../test/functional/input/data/latex.txt>`__
2219 * Too deeply nested lists fail: generate a warning and provide
2222 * Spaces in inline literal text::
2225 spacing between the words of this sentence (words
2226 should be grouped in pairs).
2228 Discuss the desired behaviour and implement a consistent one.
2230 * An enumerated list in the docinfo fails (\newcounter definition inside
2233 * File names of included graphics (see also `grffile` package).
2235 Generate clean and configurable LaTeX source
2236 ----------------------------------------------
2238 * Check the generated source with package `nag`.
2240 Configurable placement of figure and table floats
2241 `````````````````````````````````````````````````
2243 * Special class argument to individually place figures?
2247 placement-<optional arg> -> \figure[<optional arg>]{...}
2249 e.g. ``.. class:: placement-htb``,
2254 :h: place-here-if-possible
2257 :p: place-on-extra-page
2259 e.g.: ``.. class:: place-here-if-possible place-top place-bottom``
2261 Maybe support both variants?
2264 LaTeX constructs and packages instead of re-implementations
2265 ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
2267 Which packages do we want to use?
2269 + base and "recommended" packages
2271 (packages that should be in a "reasonably sized and reasonably modern
2272 LaTeX installation like the `texlive-latex-recommended` Debian package,
2275 + No "fancy" or "exotic" requirements.
2277 + pointers to advanced packages and their use in the `latex writer
2280 * ``alltt`` environment for literal block.
2284 + True footnotes with LaTeX auto-numbering (as option ``--latex-footnotes``)
2285 (also for target-footnotes):
2287 - attach footnote text to footnote-symobol node
2288 - write \footnote{<footnote text>}
2289 - consider cases where LaTeX does not support footnotes
2290 (inside tables, headings, ...)?
2291 - consider multiple footnote refs to common footnote text.
2295 If the symbol you want is not one of the ones listed, you'll need to
2296 redefine ``\@fnsymbol`` and add it, e.g. perhaps like::
2298 \def\@fnsymbol#1{\ifcase#1\hbox{}\or *\or \dagger\or \ddagger\or
2299 \mathchar "278\or \mathchar "27B\or \|\or **\or \dagger\dagger \or
2300 \ddagger\ddagger \or \mathchar"27C \else\@ctrerr\fi\relax}
2302 which would allow \symbolfootnote[10]{footnote} to have a club as its
2305 + document customization (links to how-to and packages):
2307 .. Footnote packages:
2309 :footnote: texlive-latex-recommended % savenotes environment
2310 :footmisc: texlive-latex-extra % formatting options
2311 :manyfoot: texlive-latex-extra
2312 :bigfoot: texlive-latex-extra
2313 :perpage: texlive-latex-extra
2314 :ftnxtra: new on CTAN
2315 fixes the issue of footnote inside \caption{},
2316 tabular environment and \section{} like commands.
2320 http://www2.informatik.hu-berlin.de/~ahamann/studies/footnotes.pdf
2324 `Footnotes whose texts are identical
2325 <http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=repfootnote>`__
2327 * label per hand or use footmisc
2329 `More than one sequence of footnotes
2330 <http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=multfoot>`__
2334 `Footnotes in tables
2335 <http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=footintab>`__
2337 * `tabularx` and longtable allow footnotes.
2338 * `footnote` provides a "savenotes" environment which collects all
2339 footnotes and emits them at ``end{savenotes}``
2341 `Footnotes in LaTeX section headings
2342 <http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=ftnsect>`__
2344 * Take advantage of the fact that the mandatory argument doesn't
2345 move if the optional argument is present::
2347 \section[title] {title\footnote{title ftnt}}
2349 * Use the footmisc package, with package option stable - this modifies
2350 footnotes so that they softly and silently vanish away if used in a
2355 `Footnotes numbered per page
2356 <http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=footnpp>`__
2358 * perpage provides a general mechanism for resetting counters per page
2359 * footmisc provides a package option perpage
2361 * enumeration environment, field list
2363 * use `mdwlist` from texlive-latex-recommended?
2365 * use `eqlist` (texlive-latex-extra) for field-lists?
2368 * ``--use-latex-when-possible`` »super option« that would set the
2371 --no-section-numbering
2374 --use-latex-abstract
2375 --use-latex-footnotes
2376 --use-latex-citations
2378 ? (My preference is to default to use-latex-* whenever possible [GM])
2384 * Use italic instead of slanted for titlereference?
2386 * Start a new paragraph after lists (as currently)
2387 or continue (no blank line in source, no parindent in output)?
2391 * continue if the `compound paragraph`_ directive is used, or
2392 * force a new paragraph with an empty comment.
2394 * Sidebar handling (environment with `framed`, `marginnote`, `wrapfig`,
2397 * Use optionlist for docinfo?
2399 * Keep literal-blocks together on a page, avoid pagebreaks.
2401 Failed experiments up to now: samepage, minipage, pagebreak 1 to 4 before
2404 Should be possible with ``--literal-block-env==lstlistings`` and some
2407 * More space between title and subtitle? ::
2410 + \\[0.5em] % subtitle%
2412 .. _PSNFSS documentation:
2413 http://mirror.ctan.org/macros/latex/required/psnfss/psnfss2e.pdf
2414 .. _compound paragraph:
2415 ../ref/rst/directives.html#compound-paragraph
2417 http://mirror.ctan.org/help/Catalogue/entries/fixltx2e.html
2422 * Improve/simplify logic to set the column width in the output.
2424 + Assumed reST line length for table width setting configurable, or
2425 + use `ltxtable` (a combination of `tabularx` (auto-width) and
2426 `longtable` (page breaks)), or
2427 + use tabularx column type ``X`` and let LaTeX decide width, or
2431 http://tug.ctan.org/cgi-bin/ctanPackageInformation.py?id=tabulary
2433 * From comp.text.tex (13. 4. 2011):
2435 When using fixed width columns, you should ensure that the total
2436 width does not exceed \linewidth: if the first column is p{6cm}
2437 the second one should be p{\dimexpr\linewidth-6cm-4\tabcolsep}
2438 because the glue \tabcolsep is added twice at every column edge.
2439 You may also consider to set \tabcolsep to a different value...
2441 * csv-tables do not have a colwidth.
2443 * Add more classes or options, e.g. for
2445 + column width set by latex,
2446 + horizontal alignment and rules.
2447 + long table vs. tabular (see next item).
2449 * Use tabular instead of longtable for tables in legends or generally
2452 Alternatively, default to tabular and use longtable only if specified
2453 by config setting or class argument (analogue to booktable)?
2455 * Table heads and footer for longtable (firstpage lastpage ..)?
2457 * In tools.txt the option tables right column, there should be some more
2458 spacing between the description and the next paragraph "Default:".
2460 * Paragraph separation in tables is hairy.
2461 see http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=struttab
2463 - The strut solution did not work.
2464 - setting extrarowheight added ad top of row not between paragraphs in
2465 a cell. ALTHOUGH i set it to 2pt because, text is too close to the topline.
2466 - baselineskip/stretch does not help.
2468 * Should there be two hlines after table head and on table end?
2470 * Place titled tables in a float ('table' environment)?
2472 The 'table', 'csv-table', and 'list-table' directives support an (optional)
2473 table title. In analogy to the 'figure' directive this should map to a
2476 Image and figure directives
2477 ```````````````````````````
2479 * compare the test case in:
2481 + `<../../test/functional/input/data/standard.txt>`__
2482 + `<../../test/functional/expected/standalone_rst_html4css1.html>`__
2483 + `<../../test/functional/expected/standalone_rst_latex.tex>`__
2485 * According to the HTML standard
2486 http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/struct/objects.html#adef-align-IMG a right- or
2487 left-aligned image should be floated alongside the paragraph.
2489 + Use this default also for LaTeX?
2491 + Wrap text around figures/images with class argument "wrap"
2492 (like the odt writer)?
2494 Use `wrapfig` (or other recommended) package.
2496 * support more graphic formats (especially SVG, the only standard
2497 vector format for HTML)
2499 There is a `SWF package`_ at CTAN.
2502 http://mirror.ctan.org/macros/latex/contrib/flashmovie
2508 * support "figwidth" argument for figures.
2510 As the 'figwidth' argument is still ignored and the "natural width" of
2511 a figure in LaTeX is 100 % of the text width, setting the 'align'
2512 argument has currently no effect on the LaTeX output.
2515 * Let `meta` directive insert PDF-keywords into header?
2517 * Multiple author entries in docinfo (same thing as in html).
2520 * Consider supporting the "compact" option and class argument (from
2521 rst2html) as some lists look better compact and others need the space.
2523 * Better citation support
2524 (see `Footnote & Citation Gathering`_).
2526 * If ``use-latex-citations`` is used, a bibliography is inserted right at the
2527 end of the document.
2529 Put in place of the to-be-implemented "citations" directive
2530 (see `Footnote & Citation Gathering`_).
2536 The `LyX <http://www.lyx.org>`_ document processor has a comprehensive
2537 Unicode to LaTeX conversion feature with a file called ``unicodesymbols``
2538 that lists LaTeX counterparts for a wide range of Unicode characters.
2540 * Use this in the LaTeXTranslator?
2541 Think of copyright issues!
2543 * The "ucs" package has many translations in ...doc/latex/ucs/config/
2545 * The bibstuff_ tool ships a `latex_codec` Python module!
2547 .. _bibstuff: http://code.google.com/p/bibstuff/
2549 Allow choice between utf8 (standard) and utf8x (extended) encodings
2550 ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
2552 * Allow the user to select *utf8* or *utf8x* LaTeX encoding. (Docutil's
2553 output encoding becomes LaTeX's input encoding.)
2555 The `ucs` package provides extended support for UTF-8 encoding in LaTeX
2556 via the `inputenc`-option ``utf8x``. It is, however, a non-standard
2557 extension and no longer developed.
2560 a) Python has 4 names for the UTF-8 encoding (``utf_8, U8, UTF, utf8``)
2561 give a special meaning to one of the aliases,
2563 b) scan "stylesheets" and "latex-preamble" options and use ``utf8x``
2564 if it contains ``ucs``
2569 * Glyphs missing in the font are left out in the PDF without warning
2570 (e.g. ⇔ left-right double arrow in the functional test output).
2572 * Disable word-wrap (hyphenation) in literal text locally with
2573 ``providecommand{\nohyphenation}{\addfontfeatures{HyphenChar=None}}``?
2579 * ^^ LaTeX's special syntax for characters results in "strange" replacements
2580 (both with \href and \url).
2582 `file with ^^ <../strange^^name>`__:
2583 `<../strange^^name>`__
2585 * Unbalanced braces, { or }, will fail (both with \href and \url)::
2587 `file with { <../strange{name>`__
2588 `<../strange{name>`__
2590 Currently, a warning is written to the error output stream.
2592 For correct printing, we can
2594 * use the \href command with "normal" escaped name argument, or
2595 * define a url-command in the preamble ::
2597 \urldef{\fragileURLi}\nolinkurl{myself%node@gateway.net}
2599 but need to find a way to insert it as href argument.
2601 The following fails::
2603 \href{http://www.w3.org/XML/Schema^^dev}{\fragileURLi}
2605 Use %-replacement like http://nowhere/url_with%28parens%29 ?
2607 -> does not work for file paths (with pdflatex and xpdf).
2610 add-stylesheet option
2611 `````````````````````
2613 From http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.devel/3429/
2615 The problem is that since we have a default value, we have to
2616 differentiate between adding another stylesheet and replacing the
2617 default. I suggest that the existing --stylesheet & --stylesheet-path
2618 options keep their semantics to replace the existing settings. We
2619 could introduce new --add-stylesheet & --add-stylesheet-path options,
2620 which accumulate; further --stylesheet/--stylesheet-path options would
2621 clear these lists. The stylesheet or stylesheet_path setting (only
2622 one may be set), plus the added_stylesheets and added_stylesheet_paths
2623 settings, describe the combined styles.
2625 For example, this run will have only one custom stylesheet:
2627 rstpep2html.py --stylesheet-path custom.css ...
2629 This run will use the default stylesheet, and the custom one:
2631 rstpep2html.py --add-stylesheet-path custom.css ...
2633 This run will use the default stylesheet, a custom local stylesheet,
2634 and an external stylesheet:
2636 rstpep2html.py --add-stylesheet-path custom.css \
2637 --add-stylesheet http://www.example.org/external.css ...
2639 This run will use only the second custom stylesheet:
2641 rstpep2html.py --add-stylesheet-path custom.css \
2642 --stylesheet-path second.css ...
2650 * What about if we don't know which Reader and/or Writer we are
2651 going to use? If the Reader/Writer is specified on the
2652 command-line? (Will this ever happen?)
2654 Perhaps have different types of front ends:
2656 a) _`Fully qualified`: Reader and Writer are hard-coded into the
2657 front end (e.g. ``pep2html [options]``, ``pysource2pdf
2660 b) _`Partially qualified`: Reader is hard-coded, and the Writer is
2661 specified a sub-command (e.g. ``pep2 html [options]``,
2662 ``pysource2 pdf [options]``). The Writer is known before option
2663 processing happens, allowing the OptionParser to be built
2664 dynamically. Alternatively, the Writer could be hard-coded and
2665 the Reader specified as a sub-command (e.g. ``htmlfrom pep
2668 c) _`Unqualified`: Reader and Writer are specified as subcommands
2669 (e.g. ``publish pep html [options]``, ``publish pysource pdf
2670 [options]``). A single front end would be sufficient, but
2671 probably only useful for testing purposes.
2673 d) _`Dynamic`: Reader and/or Writer are specified by options, with
2674 defaults if unspecified (e.g. ``publish --writer pdf
2675 [options]``). Is this possible? The option parser would have
2676 to be told about new options it needs to handle, on the fly.
2677 Component-specific options would have to be specified *after*
2678 the component-specifying option.
2680 Allow common options before subcommands, as in CVS? Or group all
2681 options together? In the case of the `fully qualified`_
2682 front ends, all the options will have to be grouped together
2683 anyway, so there's no advantage (we can't use it to avoid
2684 conflicts) to splitting common and component-specific options
2687 * Parameterize help text & defaults somehow? Perhaps a callback? Or
2688 initialize ``settings_spec`` in ``__init__`` or ``init_options``?
2690 * Disable common options that don't apply?
2691 (This should now be easier with ``frontend.filter_settings_spec``.)
2693 * Add ``--section-numbering`` command line option. The "sectnum"
2694 directive should override the ``--no-section-numbering`` command
2697 * Create a single dynamic_ or unqualified_ front end that can be
2704 indent-tabs-mode: nil
2705 sentence-end-double-space: t