Conference vaxuum::document_ft

    This is about backslash, not getting a hardspace in math.
    But maybe it will help people understand backslash.
    
    Consider the SDML input:
    
    <p>Two backslashes, normal \ and bold <emphasis>(<backslash>\bold).
                               1                          2     3
                                                                
    That line contains "three" backslashes, as numbered and explained
    below:
    
    1. This is a backslash appearing in text.  The tag translator
       protects this backslash so that it won't be interpreted by
       TeX as the start of a TeX macro.  So it comes out of TeX as the
       backslash character ready to be printed as we see it here.
    
    2. This is what you have to do to create a backslash in an 
       argument to a tag.  The tag translator first translates
       in into <literal>(\) and then eventually gives it the same
       protection that it gave to the first backslash so that TeX
       treat it as the start of a TeX macro.
    
    3. This is an argument separator.  The tag translator gobbles
       up this backslash as part of the syntax of the argument list.
       This backslash "disappears" in the same way that the word
       "bold" disappears.
    
    There is no way to directly tell the tag translator "Here is a
    backslash that I want you to pass on to TeX as the start of a
    TeX macro."  You can do <include_tex_file>(foo.tex) and put the
    backslash and the TeX macros in the foo.tex file.
    
    bill
      

    Use <sp> where you need an interword space.
    For example <math>(This<sp>needs<sp>spaces)
    or 
    <math>(display)
    <variable>(This<sp>needs<sp>spaces)
    <endmath>
    
    Lee

Lee, thanx for your .2 reply to .0; <sp> isn't documented that I could 
find.

Bill, I think your explanation of the different meanings of "backslash"
were very helpful and that they should appear in the Step-By-Step and/or 
Volume 1.  I found some samples of old, BL6 math code, and I did in fact 
use <backslash> to get a hard space; this is now replaced by the <sp>
per Lee's reply. 


Thanx

Rose

    fyi-- if you pore over the documentation of the <math> tag you'll
    find the <sp> tag in the table that summarizes the tags that are
    valid in mathematical expressions.  In the V1 UG it's Table 9-3.
    In BL8 it was Table 10-5.

    Hi Rose:
    The <sp> tag is documented in the User Manual, Volume 1, under the
    <Math> tag in the chapter of tag descriptions. Look in the table
    of "<math> Expressions".  (Aside: Of course, all it says is that
    the <sp> tag provides space in a variable name or expression, so
    it won't tell you more than you now know.)
    
    Regarding putting Bill's backslash explanation in the User Manual,
    I agree that it would be helpful to have it in there. There *is*
    already a discussion on "Coding a Backslash in an Argument" that
    I had hoped would suffice (see Chapter 2, section 2.3.3), but 
    Bill's explanation is much more lucid and certainly helps.
    I'll make sure to get it in the book for the next release (which
    I hope will not be for ten or twenty years  ;-} .)
    
    Barbara 

Thanx .4 and .5 for your help in locating <sp> in the documentation.  I 
ran my finger down all those tags and kept overlooking it.  It's also in 
the index, I see.  However, I didn't originally know I was looking for 
<sp>!

This is a good example of trying to anticipate what a user will look for 
in an index.  I tried finding things like 

                                           HARD SPACES
                                              in <math>
                                               .
                                               .
                                               .
                                            MATH
                                            hard spaces

Thanx again

Rose

    WOuld you say, Rose, that  you found yourself
    between a rock and a hard space?       8-}