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Date:         Thu, 22 Feb 90 02:53:00 PST
Reply-To: LaTeX-L Mailing list <LATEX-L@DHDURZ1.bitnet>
Sender: LaTeX-L Mailing list <LATEX-L@DHDURZ1.bitnet>
From: DHOSEK@HMCVAX.bitnet
Subject:      Re: \begin...\end interface
To: Rainer Schoepf <BK4@DHDURZ1.uucp>
Status: R
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RS=Rainer Schoepf
SR=Sebastian Ratz

RS>Up to now the internal commands called by \begin{xyz}...\end{xyz}
RS>are \xyz and \endxyz.  I propose to change this to something that is
RS>not user accessible, i.e. has a @ in it.

RS>The idea: anything that the user is not supposed to use should
RS>be hidden somehow.  I remember that some people use
RS>  \begin{tt} ... \end{tt}
RS>instead of {\tt ... }.  After all, an environment is conceptually
RS>different from a command or a declaration, and I think that the
RS>implementation should reflect this.

Not a good idea. If you recall, (well actually I guess you won't,
but Frank will), Leslie Lamport stated as item one on the new
LaTeX, and this _is_ important, upward compatibility from version
2.09. To be specific, if it's in the copy of the LaTeX manual
sitting on your shelf, it should work in version 6000000.09 of
LaTeX, not to mention 2.10 or 3. I'm quite certain that the LaTeX
manual states that the macros underlying an environment are
\<name> and \end<name>. Also the \begin{tt}...\end{tt} type trick
also appears in that manual. (The latter is quite useful for
delimiting large blocks of text in another font, and also more
popular with the consistancy-minded people who type out
\begin{math}...\end{math} rather than $...$ or \(...\) simply
because they like to keep all the structure clear.)

[in response to Rainer's comments]
SR>I think this an excellent idea. I find it distinctly confusing that
SR>\end{freddy} is just a synonym for \endfreddy.

Oh, but \end{freddy} \neq \endfreddy. \endfreddy \almostequals
\endfreddy\endgroup, but if you look at the macros for \begin and
\end, you'll see that there is other behind-the-scenes stuff
(like insuring that environments are properly nested) going on as
well. Just thought I'd be a pedant for a bit.

RS>Another (admittedly minor) advantage is the possibility
RS>to define commands whose names start with `end' without interfering
RS>with names of environments.

SR>Having tried to do just this on several occasions before I grasped
SR>what was going on, I can assure you it is not that strange a thing to
SR>want to do

So you define \Endwhatever instead. It's good for you. It builds
character.

The only change to \begin and \end that I would recommend is
fixing the bug which permits

\begin{something}
\begin{somethingelse}
\begin{freddy}
 ...
\end{freddy}
\end{something}

to slip through the cracks.

-dh