Received: by nummer-3.proteosys id <01C19443.41D43264@nummer-3.proteosys>; Thu, 3 Jan 2002 11:41:53 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 x-vm-v5-data: ([nil nil nil nil nil nil nil t nil][nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil nil]) Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----_=_NextPart_001_01C19443.41D43264" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.5 Content-class: urn:content-classes:message Subject: \index command syntax Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1991 18:47:04 +0100 Message-ID: X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: From: "Michael Downes" Sender: "LaTeX-L Mailing list" To: "Rainer M. Schoepf" Reply-To: "LaTeX-L Mailing list" Status: R X-Status: X-Keywords: X-UID: 331 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C19443.41D43264 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Pondering the \index command, and the Makeindex conventions (particularly @ to specify a sort key separate from the information used to typeset the index entry), it strikes me that it would be natural to extend the syntax of the \index command something like this: \index{term} % same \index*{term} % like \index but also prints the argument % at the current location in the text \index[sortkey]{term} It might be slightly nicer to exchange the meanings of \index and \index* but as given, backward compatibility is preserved. More complicated extensions could be dreamed up to deal with categorizing different index entry types (to print them in separate indexes, or use different fonts for the page number as in the TeXbook, and so forth). And multiple levels of entries, and so forth. One advantage of handling different logical constructs at the LaTeX level rather than the Makeindex level would be to reduce the number of special characters in the main argument that must be quoted if you really want to index them. Michael Downes Internet: mjd@math.ams.com ------- ------_=_NextPart_001_01C19443.41D43264 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable \index command syntax

Pondering the \index command, and the Makeindex = conventions
(particularly @ to specify a sort key separate from = the information
used to typeset the index entry), it strikes me that = it would be
natural to extend the syntax of the \index command = something like
this:

       = \index{term}  % same

       \index*{term} % = like \index but also prints the argument
          &nbs= p;          % at the = current location in the text

       = \index[sortkey]{term}

It might be slightly nicer to exchange the meanings of = \index and
\index* but as given, backward compatibility is = preserved.

More complicated extensions could be dreamed up to = deal with
categorizing different index entry types (to print = them in separate
indexes, or use different fonts for the page number = as in the TeXbook,
and so forth).  And multiple levels of entries, = and so forth. One
advantage of handling different logical constructs at = the LaTeX level
rather than the Makeindex level would be to reduce = the number of
special characters in the main argument that must be = quoted if you
really want to index them.

Michael Downes
Internet: mjd@math.ams.com
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