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%-*-tex-*-
\ifundefined{writestatus} \input status \relax \fi %
\chcode{defs}
\def\cqu{\cquote{If names are not correct, language will not be in accordance
with the truth of things.}{Confucius}}
\chapterhead{defs}{SIMPLE\cr DEFINITIONS\cr or MACROS}
\tex\ makes it easy to invent definitions to make your typing job easier.
This chapter describes the simplest form of definitions. More complex
definitions and some of the subtleties are found in the \texbook.
This chapter also introduces the idea that definitions can be modified by
such primitive commands as |\outer|, |\long|, and |\global|.
Simple definitions consist of those that have zero or more arguments and that
do not use advanced commands such as |\futurelet|, |\aftergroup|,
|\edef|, |\catcode|, |\bgroup|, |\egroup|, |\afterassignment|.
These
commands and their use may be found in the \texbook\ and the definition
package that actually is used to develop {\it plain} or \intex.
If you wish to write complex definitions, please see the warning at the end
of this chapter.
\shead{defcomlist}{Command List}
\beginthreecolumn
\pri|\def|
\pla|\gdef|
\pri|\global|
\pri|\let|
\pri|\long|
\pri|\outer|
\endthreecolumn
\shead{defcomforms}{Command Forms}
\beginblockmode
\pri\@|\def\<def name> <parameter form>{<replacement text>}|
\nbr
This is the basic command for creating new definitions or, as they are
sometimes called, {\it macros}. The |<def name>| is the name given to
the definition and {\bf must} consist of letters, upper or lower case only.
The |<parameter form>| is the form for which \tex\ is looking after it sees
the |\<def name>| in the text. Parameters in the |<parameter form>| are
indicated by |#<integer>| where |<integer>| is from 1 to 9, in {\bf order}.
\tex\ then puts the parameter values that it found into the
|<replacement text>| and then puts that text in the place of |\<def name>|
and all of the parameters that it has eaten while filling in the
|<parameter form>|. Some examples follow:
\dssshead{Simple Replacements --- No Parameters}
These are the simplest form of definitions. In this case there are no
parameters and the |<replacement text>| directly replaces the
|\<def name>|\]\dots\]. The \]\dots\] is there to emphasize that all the
blanks after the |\<def name>| are eaten by \tex.
Suppose that the sequence $\alpha\beta\gamma$ kept occurring in the text. Then
|\abg\|\] defined by |\def\abg{$\alpha\beta\gamma$}|
\def\abg{$\alpha\beta\gamma$} will produce \abg\ in its place.
In this example the |<replacement text>| is
|$\alpha\beta\gamma$|. A second example is the problem of putting {\it italic
correction\/} in the text, keeping the italic inside the group defined by the
|{...}|. The |<replacement text>| then should be |{\it italic correction\/}|
including the braces. Thus the correct definition, if |\itc| is to be the
|<def name>|, is
|\def\itc{{\it italic correction\/}}|.
\dssshead{Simple Replacements --- Simple Parameter List}
These definitions have the |<parameter form>| of |#1|, |#1#2|, \dots,
|#1#2...#9|. An example is |\def\up#1{$^{#1}$}|. When |\up| is used, the next
{\it token}, either a character, command, or entire group inside a |{...}| is
absorbed as |#1| and put into the position of |#1| in the replacement text.
Thus |\up{**}| becomes |$^{**}$| which is then put in the text in
place of the entire |\up{**}|.
Note that |**| and not |{**}| is the parameter for |\up|.
The |{...}| were used to delimit |**| so that \tex\
knew that both of them together should be |#1|. ``Thus|\up{**}|''
gives ``Thus\up{**}''.
Note that a definition made inside a group only lasts as long as the group
lasts. At that point the definition becomes what it was previous to the
group.
\mbr
\pla\@|\gdef\<def name> <parameter form>{<replacement text>}|
\nbr
This is identical to |\global\def| and can be used in exactly the same way as
|\def|. The major difference is that a |\<def name>| defined with a |\gdef|
does {\bf not} disappear at the end of the group in which it is defined.
\mbr
\pri\@|\global|
\nbr
The command |\global| will cause either the definition, assignment, or
definition equivalence (|\let|) to be global, {\it ie} not disappear at the
end of the group. This should be used with care and sparingly.
\mbr
\pri\@|\let\<def a> [=] \<def b>|
This command makes the command |\<def a>| be equivalent to, both in
|<parameter form>| and |<replacement text>|,
as |\<def b>| at the time that the
|\let| is called. This command is very useful for such things as
|\let\sheadfont = \twelvess|. It should be used with care or a circle of
definitions may be produced.
\mbr
\pri\@|\long|
\nbr
A |\def| may be preceded by a |\long| to give a |\long\def|. When this is
done the parameters |#1| \dots\ may contain either |\par| or, equivalently,
blank lines. Without the |\long|, a |\par| in a |#1| will cause an error.
This is a safety feature to allow \tex\ to isolate errors before the origin
is completely lost. |\long| should be used with extreme care.
\mbr
\pri\@|\outer|
\nbr
A |\def| may be preceded by |\outer| to give an |\outer\def|. A definition
so preceded may {\it not} be used in any other definition. Again this is a
safety feature to catch errors before it is too late. For example, all of
the section head definitions in \intex, |\shead| and its relatives, are
declared |\outer|.
It is possible to have a |\outer\long\global\def|.
\endblockmode
\shead{defwarning}{WARNING --- Clever Definitions}
It is possible tell \tex\ very complex things. The danger and difficulty for
debugging increases dramatically as you start to exercise fine control over
how \tex\ processes the text.
The simplest extension to the forms above is to use the fact that the
|<parameter form>| can include tokens other than |#<integer>|. This
additional freedom allows for the input of parameters without requiring that
they be placed in |{...}|.
The second level of extension is to use the various
|\if... \else ... \fi| forms to control the actual text that will be placed
in the text and even the placing of definitions inside definitions.
The next level of complexity arises when the macro builder attempts to
control when \tex\ expands the various definitions and macros that make up
the |<parameter forms>| and the |<replacement text>|. For instance, this must
be done when writing out both the page number and the section number while
accumulating information for making a table of contents. This requires extreme
care.
The final level of complexity occurs when the macro writer attempts to
control how, and when \tex\ tokenizes its input.
Doing this correctly requires exquisite care. For instance, conditionally
modifying the catcodes of input on the fly will prevent that input from
being passed as a parameter to a macro. \tex\ tokenizes once and forever.
Although making a character active for an entire document is
relatively simple, flipping it back and forth is error prone.
\ejectpage
\done
|
