Plain TeX writer

[jgm]

I want to explore the possibility of adding a plain tex writer---one whose output can be processed by plain tex (or perhaps eplain), without latex or context macros.

What I have in mind is to have pandoc emit macros that are fairly closely customized to pandoc's own structural elements, and include definitions of these macros in the preamble of the default template. Then users could modify these macros to get the appearance they want.

[mszep]

I had thought about exactly this concept a little while ago, but I couldn't come up with a use case for this which isn't already served well by ConTeXt and LaTeX.

Since both of the above systems provide advanced functionality for specifying layout and apprearance, I think tweaking a hypothetical TeX template file to get the desired appearance would take the user much longer, if they don't already know raw TeX.

Do you have a specific application in mind where the extra low-level control would be worth it?

[jgm]

One advantage, besides customizability, is that only a very minimal tex install would be needed to produce a PDF.

[mszep]

I've been thinking a bit more about this lately, and getting more interested.

I think my earlier question is missing the point; since any document can be typeset by any of the systems (plain TeX, ConTeXt or LaTeX).

The reduced dependency is nice when installing, but also when authoring, since it would bypass the clunky LaTeX and ConTeXt systems. Plain TeX might turn out to be a better match for pandoc's document model then the two higher-level macro packages.

[mb21]

Pandoc now has PDF generation using ConTeXt built in as well. ConTeXt Standalone states "ConTeXt macro files are small (less than 10MB), but the suite comes with various free fonts which considerably increase the size of the distribution to around 200MB)." There's also BasicTeX which comes in at around 100MB (which, however only contains two fonts and no bidi package etc). How does plain TeX handle unicode and bidirectional text btw?

[mikeshulman]

I have a use case for a pandoc plain tex writer: conversion of LaTeX snippets to Plain TeX snippets for sharing bits of code (in my case, math homework problems) between people who use different dialects of TeX. Is it ever likely to happen?

[shreevatsa]

Curious about this: if I understand correctly, what it would take to write a plain TeX writer is to emulate src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/LaTeX.hs and src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/ConTeXt.hs (currently 1501 lines and 546 lines long respectively).

1. Is there some guide on how to do this (e.g. a complete description of Pandoc's internal representation, and what are the kinds of data that need to be “translated”)?

2. Would the writer have to be written in Haskell, or is it just the preferred convention and (like filters) is there a possibility of being able to use some other language (say Python or Lua)?

[mb21]

@shreevatsa yes, we'd have to add a Writers/PlainTeX.hs in Haskell, since all the writers (as the rest of pandoc) is written in Haskell.

Is there some guide

Have a look at http://pandoc.org/CONTRIBUTING.html

Pandoc's internal representation

and https://github.com/jgm/pandoc-types/blob/master/Text/Pandoc/Definition.hs

However, before all this, we'd have to agree on what TeX exactly this plain writer would produce. That's what this issue is for... suggestions welcome :) At least it should be able to handle test/writer.native

[shreevatsa]

Thanks. I think @jgm already outlined a sensible approach in the issue description:

What I have in mind is to have pandoc emit macros that are fairly closely customized to pandoc's own structural elements, and include definitions of these macros in the preamble of the default template. Then users could modify these macros to get the appearance they want.

So for example the metadata ("date",MetaInlines [Str "July",Space,Str "17,",Space,Str "2006"]) (from writer.native) may turn into \date{July 17, 2006} and then there would be a definition of \date (or how to use the token list / boxes set by \date) in the preamble etc. We'd be re-implementing small bits of LaTeX/ConTeXt/eplain/opmac etc., which work similarly.