Experimental LaTeX3 Concepts ============================ Release 2016/05/14 (r6495) Overview -------- The `l3experimental` packages are a collection of experimental implementations for aspects of the LaTeX3 kernel, dealing with higher-level ideas such as the Designer Interface. Some of them work as stand alone packages, providing new functionality, and can be used on top of LaTeX2e with no changes to the existing kernel. Others go further, and redefine LaTeX2e internals to provide better methods for managing certain constructs. The packages in the collection are under active development and the interfaces may change. All of the material in the collection requires the LaTeX3 base layer package [`l3kernel`](http://ctan.org/pkg/l3kernel). The two packages must be installed in matching versions: if you update `l3experimental`, make sure that `l3kernel` is updated at the same time. Currently included in the CTAN release of l3experimental are the following bundles: * `l3sort` * `l3str` * `xcoffins` * `xgalley` `l3sort` -------- Ordered variables content (in `tl`, `clist` or `seq` variables) may be sorted in a flexible manner using the `l3sort` module. The definition of how to sort two items is provided by the programmer at the point at which the sort is carried out. Internally, the sorting algorithm is designed to take advantage of TeX token registers to allow a high performance and scalable sort. `l3str` ------- A 'string' in TeX terms is a token list in which all of the tokens have category code 12 ('other'), with the exception of spaces which have the category code 10 ('space'). The `l3str` bundle consists of two parts. The first is `l3str` itself. This is a collection of functions to act on strings, including for manipulations such as UTF8 mappings in pdfTeX. The second part of the bundle is `l3regex`, a regular expression search-and-replace implementation written in TeX primitives. The regex module works on token lists, and is part of `l3str` (currently) for historical reasons: the team anticipate splitting the two in the future. `xcoffins` ---------- A _coffin_ is a 'box with handles': a data structure which comprises both a TeX box and associated information to allow controlled typesetting. The `xcoffins` package provides a high-level interface for manipulating coffins. This is supported by the lower-level `l3coffins` package, which provides the data structure. `xgalley` --------- In LaTeX3 terminology a galley is a rectangular area which receives text and other material filling it from top. The vertically extend of a galley is normally not restricted: instead certain chunks are taken off the top of an already partially filled galley to form columns or similar areas on a page. This process is typically asynchronous but there are ways to control or change its behaviour. The xgalley module provides a mechanism for filling galleys and controlling the spacing, hyphenation and justification within them. Discussion ---------- Discussion concerning the approach, suggestions for improvements, changes, additions, _etc._ should be addressed to the list [LaTeX-L](http://news.gmane.org/group/gmane.comp.tex.latex.latex3). You can subscribe to this list by sending mail to listserv@urz.uni-heidelberg.de with the body containing subscribe LATEX-L Issues ------ The issue tracker for LaTeX3 is currently located [on GitHub](https://github.com/latex3/latex3/issues). Please report specific issues with LaTeX3 code there; more general discussion should be directed to the [LaTeX-L list](#Discussion). The LaTeX3 Project ------------------ Development of LaTeX3 is carried out by [The LaTeX3 Project](http://www.latex-project.org/latex3.html). Currently, the team members are * Johannes Braams * David Carlisle * Robin Fairbairns * Morten Høgholm * Bruno Le Floch * Thomas Lotze * Frank Mittelbach * Will Robertson * Chris Rowley * Rainer Schöpf * Joseph Wright Former members of The LaTeX3 Project team were * Michael Downes * Denys Duchier * Alan Jeffrey * Martin Schröder The development team can be contacted by e-mail: ; for general LaTeX3 discussion the [LaTeX-L list](#Discussion) should be used. -----

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