Conference vaxuum::document_ft

360.0. "<EXAMPLE> construct blows TeX." by DOZY::SIMPSON (Hacked off...) Sun May 10 1987 19:44

I'm using DOCUMENT in the traditional manner - use it, and when things go
wrong find a manual (I'll try and get one across the net tomorrow). In
other words, I'm writing my documentation just using the LSE section file,
so my knowledge is somewhat skimpy.

I innocently put this statment into my .GNC file:


<EXAMPLE>(Making program maintainable )
<P>

A program takes a PACKED ARRAY [1..10] OF CHAR field from a file, and
assigns it to a local variable. Later on the file definition changes. If the
value of the variable has been hard coded in, then every occurrence has to
be found, in all programs.

However, if it is declared as PACKED ARRAY [1..FIRE$K_MYFIELD_LENGTH] and
FIRE$K_MYFIELD_LENGTH is defined in CONSTANTS.INC, then the maintenance
problems are alleviated. When the source definition changes, the definition
needs to be changed in the environment, and all programs re-compiled and
re-linked. Then everything works as per normal.



<ENDEXAMPLE>      




The TAG side things thought it was fine. However, the TeX conversion was
less than impressed, genrating this message:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

%TEX-I-OUTFILENAME, 'disk1:[simpson.fire.doc]FIRE_APPROACH.DVI_LN3'
[5] [6] [7] [8]
%TEX-E-TEXERROR, Error found by TeX

%TEX-I-ONPAGE, on page [9]

%TEX-I-OUTFILENAME, 'disk1:[simpson.fire.doc]FIRE_APPROACH.DVI_LN3'
\endgroup.
\endfigure ...goal =\MACdimenA \fi \par \endgroup 
                                                  \vsize =\figsavevsize 
l.711 \endfigure
                
Things are pretty mixed up, but I think the worst is over.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can fix things by putting in <LINEART> delimiters. I don't
know whether this is a required construct for <EXAMPLE> tags, but, if it
is, then surely the TAG processing should pick the fact that they are missing
up. Otherwise, there is a problem with TeX me-thinks.....

Regards

Steve Simpson.

P.S. I like the "personal" error message at the end of the output!

    
    I will have to provide more exclusionary texts in the contexts of
    examples, after I decide if anything meaningful can result from
    putting plain paragraphs of text inside an <EXAMPLE>.
    
    Note that you could also use <sample_text> if you want the text
    formatted.
    
    patti anklam