- ntg-context - Mailing Lists

Passing the name of an XML file to process via the command line
by Duncan Hothersall 03 Jul '25

03 Jul '25

Hello list. I feel this should be an easy question to answer but I couldn't find a hint. I have a ConTeXt file which pulls in an XML file for processing using the command \xmlprocessfile{mydomain}{myXMLfile.xml}{} I would like instead to call context with the XML file name in the command line (so that I can use the same ConTeXt setups on multiple XML sources). How can I do that? Many thanks. Duncan

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reading YAML with Lua
by Henning Hraban Ramm 03 Jul '25

03 Jul '25

Hi, is there already something to read a YAML file as a lua table in LuaMetaTeX? I didn’t find anything. My requirements are low, I just need to read some author data like: """ AstridLindgren: birth_year: '1907' death_year: '2002' name: Astrid Lindgren BTraven: birth_year: '1882' death_year: '1969' full_name: Bernhard Traven Torsvan name: B. Traven VolkerLudwig: birth_year: '1937' full_name: Eckart Hachfeld organization: GRIPS Theater name: Volker Ludwig """ Often, lyaml[1] is suggested, but that depends on libyaml (like a few other implementations) and looks far too heavy for that easy format. lua-yaml[2] is simpler. There’s even lua-tinyyaml[3] in CTAN. Do you have experience with any of them? I guess I’ll try the latter first. Hraban [1] https://github.com/gvvaughan/lyaml [2] https://github.com/exosite/lua-yaml [3] https://ctan.org/pkg/lua-tinyyaml, https://github.com/zepinglee/lua-tinyyaml

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PDFs for the visually impaired
by John Was 02 Jul '25

02 Jul '25

Visually impaired readers using an audio reader to access PDFs will want to have footnotes read out at the point of occurrence of the footnote cue, after which reading of the main text will resume. (Or some may wish to have the footnotes suppressed altogether, which ideally should be an option). Is that achievable in ConTeXt? I have no experience of InDesign, but it seems that this happens automatically with PDFs produced by that program: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mgpj0ae4xlr0609oqnlj5/GHIL-Bulletin-May-2025… I was sent the Bulletin as an example of how German Historical Institute volumes should be formatted in future for compliance with the latest Accessibility legislation. Best wishes John *🇪🇺 * Слава Україні! * 🇺🇦* <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> Virus-free.www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

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\show treated as a fatal error with MkIV
by Max Chernoff 02 Jul '25

02 Jul '25

Hi Hans, If you use "\show" anywhere in a document with MkIV, ConTeXt treats it as a fatal error and immediately exits. The following document produces the expected output with MkXL, but exits with "mtx-context | fatal error" with MkIV: \show\show \showtokens{\showtokens} \starttext Hello, world! \stoptext Thanks, -- Max

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VSCode support
by Hraban Ramm 30 Jun '25

30 Jun '25

I just installed the latest version of VSCodium (https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/releases) on my Linux laptop and needed a while to get the extension from texmf-context/context/data/vscode/extensions/context to work. Apparently, since 2024 or so, you can’t just symlink your own (or Hans’) code into ~/.vscode/extensions any more but "must" install via the marketplace or a .vsix file. I tried the first method from: https://mehmetbaykar.com/posts/how-to-install-vscode-extension-from-your-cu… … but "vsce package" fails for me (might be a version mismatch of node.js, still investgating, but I hate that whole ecosystem…) Finally I found out, just copying or symlinking /does/ work, if there’s no "extensions.json" in ~/.vscode-oss/extensions before. Otherwise you must add the following entry manually to this file: { "identifier":{"id":"context development team.context"}, "version":"1.0.0", "location":{"$mid":1,"path":"~/.vscode-oss/extensions/context","scheme":"file"}, "relativeLocation":"context" } @Hans: * Could you provide a .vsix file? * Does it make sense to run "mtxrun --script vscode --generate"? * Does it make sense to run "mtxrun --script vscode --lsfile"? * "mtxrun --script vscode --start" works only on Windows (if at all, at least not on Linux or MacOS). WRT the latter: "start" is a Windows command. The OS version of VSC is called as "codium" instead of "code". The extension is not called "cdt.context" but "context development team.context", only the generated version has "cdt.context" but also doesn’t install: codium --reuse-window --extensions-dir "/home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/extensions" --verbose --force --install-extension cdt.context TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] Request to start watching: /home/hraban/.config/VSCodium/User (excludes: <none> , includes: <all>, filter: <none>, correlationId: <none>),/home/hraban/.config/VSCodium/User/settings.json (ex cludes: <none>, includes: <all>, filter: <none>, correlationId: <none>) INFO CLI main { _: [], diff: false, merge: false, add: false, remove: false, goto: false, 'new-window': false, 'reuse-window': true, wait: false, help: false, 'extensions-dir': '/home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/extensions', 'list-extensions': false, 'show-versions': false, 'install-extension': [ 'cdt.context'], 'pre-release': false, 'update-extensions': false, version: false, verbose: true, status: false, 'prof-startup': false, 'no-cached-data': false, 'prof-v8-extensions': false, 'disable-extensions': false, 'disable-lcd-text': false, 'disable-gpu': false, 'disable-chromium-sandbox': false, sandbox: false, telemetry: false, debugRenderer: false, 'enable-smoke-test-driver': false, logExtensionHostCommunication: false, 'skip-release-notes': false, 'skip-welcome': false, 'disable-telemetry': false, 'disable-updates': false, 'use-inmemory-secretstorage': false, 'disable-workspace-trust': false, 'disable-crash-reporter': false, 'skip-add-to-recently-opened': false, 'open-url': false, 'file-write': false, 'file-chmod': false, force: true, 'do-not-sync': false, 'do-not-include-pack-dependencies': false, trace: false, 'trace-memory-infra': false, 'preserve-env': false, 'force-user-env': false, 'force-disable-user-env': false, 'open-devtools': false, 'disable-gpu-sandbox': false, '__enable-file-policy': false, 'enable-coi': false, 'enable-rdp-display-tracking': false, 'no-proxy-server': false, 'no-sandbox': false, nolazy: false, 'force-renderer-accessibility': false, 'ignore-certificate-errors': false, 'allow-insecure-localhost': false, 'disable-dev-shm-usage': false, 'profile-temp': false, logsPath: '/home/hraban/.config/VSCodium/logs/20250628T133211' } Installing extensions... TRACE Started scanning system extensions TRACE Started scanning user extensions cr { scheme: 'vscode-userdata', authority: '', path: '/home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/extensions/extensions.json', query: '', fragment: '', _formatted: 'vscode-userdata:/home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/extensions/extensions.j son', _fsPath: null } TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] Started watching: '/home/hraban/.config/VSCodium/User' TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] Request to start watching: /home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vsc ode/extensions (excludes: <none>, includes: <all>, filter: <none>, correlationId: <none>) INFO Started initializing default profile extensions in extensions installation folder. file:///home/hraban/l mtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/extensions TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] Started watching: '/home/hraban/.config/VSCodium/User/settings.json' DEBUG Using cached extensions scan result system file:///usr/share/codium/resources/app/extensions TRACE Scanned system extensions: 91 INFO ComputeTargetPlatform: linux-x64 TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] Started watching: '/home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/exte nsions' TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] [raw] ["rename"] extensions.json.vsctmp TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] [raw] ["change"] extensions.json.vsctmp TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] [ADDED] /home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/extensions/exte nsions.json.vsctmp TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] [raw] ["rename"] extensions.json.vsctmp TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] [raw] ["rename"] extensions.json INFO Completed initializing default profile extensions in extensions installation folder. file:///home/hraban /lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/extensions TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] Request to start watching: /home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vsc ode/extensions/extensions.json (excludes: <none>, includes: <all>, filter: <none>, correlationId: <none>) TRACE Scanned user extensions: 1 TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] >> normalized [ADDED] /home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/ extensions/extensions.json.vsctmp DEBUG User data changed TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] Started watching: '/home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/exte nsions/extensions.json' INFO ComputeTargetPlatform: linux-x64 TRACE resolveShellEnv(): skipped (VSCODE_CLI is set) TRACE #1: https://open-vsx.org/vscode/gallery/cdt/context/latest - begin GET J0 { original: { 'X-Market-Client-Id': 'VSCode 1.101.24242', 'User-Agent': 'VSCode 1.101.24242 (VSCodium)', 'Content-Type': 'application/json', Accept: 'application/json;api-version=7.2-preview', 'Accept-Encoding': 'gzip' }, headers: [Object: null prototype] { 'X-Market-Client-Id': 'VSCode 1.101.24242', 'User-Agent': 'VSCode 1.101.24242 (VSCodium)', 'Content-Type': 'application/json', Accept: 'application/json;api-version=7.2-preview', 'Accept-Encoding': 'gzip' } } TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] [DELETED] /home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/extensions/ex tensions.json.vsctmp TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] [ADDED] /home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/extensions/exte nsions.json TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] >> normalized [DELETED] /home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscod e/extensions/extensions.json.vsctmp TRACE [File Watcher (node.js)] >> normalized [ADDED] /home/hraban/lmtx/tex/texmf-context/context/data/vscode/ extensions/extensions.json DEBUG User data changed ERR #1: https://open-vsx.org/vscode/gallery/cdt/context/latest - error GET AggregateError [ECONNREFUSED]: ERR Error while getting the latest version for the extension cdt.context. AggregateError [ECONNREFUSED]: TRACE resolveShellEnv(): skipped (VSCODE_CLI is set) TRACE #2: https://open-vsx.org/vscode/gallery/extensionquery - begin POST J0 { original: { 'X-Market-Client-Id': 'VSCode 1.101.24242', 'User-Agent': 'VSCode 1.101.24242 (VSCodium)', 'Content-Type': 'application/json', Accept: 'application/json;api-version=3.0-preview.1', 'Accept-Encoding': 'gzip', 'Content-Length': '236' }, headers: [Object: null prototype] { 'X-Market-Client-Id': 'VSCode 1.101.24242', 'User-Agent': 'VSCode 1.101.24242 (VSCodium)', 'Content-Type': 'application/json', Accept: 'application/json;api-version=3.0-preview.1', 'Accept-Encoding': 'gzip', 'Content-Length': '236' } } TRACE #2: https://open-vsx.org/vscode/gallery/extensionquery - end POST 200{ server: 'nginx', date: 'Sat, 28 Jun 2025 11:29:34 GMT', 'content-type': 'application/json;api-version=3.0-preview.1', 'transfer-encoding': 'chunked', connection: 'keep-alive', 'keep-alive': 'timeout=50', vary: 'Accept-Encoding, Origin, Access-Control-Request-Method, Access-Control-Request-Headers', 'x-rate-limit-remaining': '14', 'x-content-type-options': 'nosniff', 'x-xss-protection': '0', 'cache-control': 'no-cache, no-store, max-age=0, must-revalidate', pragma: 'no-cache', expires: '0', 'strict-transport-security': 'max-age=31536000 ; includeSubDomains', 'x-frame-options': 'DENY', 'content-encoding': 'gzip', 'access-control-allow-origin': '*' } Extension 'cdt.context' not found. Make sure you use the full extension ID, including the publisher, e.g.: ms-dotnettools.csharp Failed Installing Extensions: cdt.context Hraban

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Footnote style
by John Was 28 Jun '25

28 Jun '25

Hello. I haven't yet found options that would allow me to alter the style of footnote cues in the text (I would prefer slightly larger and slightly higher) or the positioning of the footnotes themselves: instead of the note numberse standing out to the left of the text area, my aim is to position them indented (by 8pt), with a fixed 4pt space after the note number before the text of the note begins. Is this possible? If there is a package that will let me have even more control, that would be excellent. The book series for which I want to use ConTeXt has always had traditional features such as fitting a short note within the break line of a previous longer note, centring two (or more) short notes at the foot of a page with a 24pt gap between each, adding a 3pt space at the end of a note which has overrun onto the next page, and so on. I can do all these in XeTeX but realize I may have to accept some compromise in ConTeXt. The one thing I think wouldn't be acceptable is the note numbers standing to the left of the text area. Then there is the question of tagging notes, but that can wait for another day. Best wishes John *🇪🇺 * Слава Україні! * 🇺🇦* <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> Virus-free.www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

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Does Harfbuzz plugin (font-plugins) still work?
by Jairo A. del Rio 28 Jun '25

28 Jun '25

Hi, list! I've tested Harfbuzz with some examples from Devanagari and Chinese and I only get garbled text and replacement characters. MWE: \usemodule[fonts-plugins] \definefontfeature[harf] [mode=plug, features=harfbuzz, shaper=native, % script=deva ? ] \starttext % Other fonts make no difference \definedfont[file:FreeSerif.ttf*harf at 12pt] \startlines एक दश शत सहस्र लक्ष कोटि शङ्कु महाशङ्कु वृन्द महावृन्द पद्म महापद्म खर्व महाखर्व समुद्र ओघ महौघ \stoplines \stoptext And no, my question isn't about not using ConTeXt "devanagari-one" or "devanagari-two" features. Overall, Indic scripts just worked most times once the Harfbuzz plugin was enabled (either using a custom libharfbuzz or the system's one). Thank you in advance. Jairo

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wanted: proofreader for context group journal
by Henning Hraban Ramm 27 Jun '25

27 Jun '25

Hi folks, I need to finish the journal (proceedings of last year’s ConTeXt meeting) in July to have it printed in time for the upcoming meeting. Unfortunately, my current proofreader/co-editor, Peter, fell seriously ill and can’t continue. There are 2 substantial articles left ATM. We switched between American/British/Canadian/Aotearoan English so far, I don’t really care about normalization any more… Requirements: English native speaker with good orthography skills basic ConTeXt skills (you don’t need to care about code examples etc.) Hraban

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\ss (sans serif) not applied inside \framed
by Emanuel Han 26 Jun '25

26 Jun '25

I want to have sans serif for the text inside the frame. While the first example is showing the text with serifs, the second example is typeset in sans serif indeed, but unfortunately without the first letter (m here). \starttext %first example \framed[frame=on, corner=round, radius=.3em, location=low] \ss mmk \stopframed %second example {\ss \framed[frame=on, corner=round, radius=.3em, location=low] mmk \stopframed } \stoptext

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Lengthening/shortening paragraphs
by John Was 25 Jun '25

25 Jun '25

Hello. Is there a ConTeXt equivalent for plain TeX's \loosness (which allows the program to lengthening a paragraph, or shorten it if the number is negative). At the final stages of a book this is often useful for getting rid of unsightly gaps. Best wishes John *🇪🇺 * Слава Україні! * 🇺🇦* <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> Virus-free.www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

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