Thread-Topic: xparse
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Date:         Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:02:56 +0100
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From: "J.Fine" <J.Fine@OPEN.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: xparse
To: LATEX-L@LISTSERV.UNI-HEIDELBERG.DE
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Status: R

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mailing list for the LaTeX3 project [mailto:LATEX-L@LISTSERV.UNI-
> HEIDELBERG.DE] On Behalf Of Joseph Wright


> > You're claiming here that there is a requirement here to use TeX macros,
> namely use with pdfTeX etc.  But what you say does not impose such a
> requirement.
> >
> > Don Knuth's WEB system uses a custom program WEAVE to create a TeX input
> file from a .web file.
> >
> > It's perfectly possible to use a similar front end for processing
> documents written in the LaTeX syntax.
>
> My impression is that we are *not* in the business of writing any new
> binaries. The team have always tried to leave that to the "engine
> people". You can of course argue that it might be better to take a
> different approach, but I think if you do then the LuaTeX-only route
> looks the most sensible (at the tool is there and being actively
> improved).

The translation could be done by a script written in Python.  Knuth wrote Pascal, but you don't have to go that route either.

I'd rather the LaTeX3 team were willing to be flexible here.  There are many things that would be better done using a dynamic scripting language rather than TeX macros.

The front end to the TeX macro language is a good example.

--
Jonathan


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