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List:       lyx-devel
Subject:    Re: r28981 - in lyx-devel/trunk: lib src src/mathed
From:       Enrico Forestieri <forenr () lyx ! org>
Date:       2009-03-31 15:56:57
Message-ID: 20090331155657.GA12198 () sirio ! sssup ! it
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On Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 12:40:43PM +0000, Guenter Milde wrote:
> On 2009-03-31, Enrico Forestieri wrote:
> 
> > The moment it comes in ones way, it can easily be taken away by
> > "\renewcommand{\lyxmathsym}{}" in user preamble. 
> 
> This would revert the undesired pre 1.6 behaviour (silent supression of
> forbidden characters), but other re-definitions are feasible.

That is exactly the point. In some cases (see bug 5836), one doesn't want
that a stupid software comes in the way because he thinks to know better
than the user. If I really want to place a strange symbol not in a
text-in-math environment (for whatever reason---because I know that it
will be processed in the right way by some package, for example), I should
be allowed to do so, or, at least be able to circumvent the stupid decisions
taken by the software. The \lyxmathsym approach allows that. I didn't
explicitly requested a text-in-math environment, so I either don't get it,
or I should be able to revert that. If LyX inserts the symbol in \text,
I will lose.

> However, I would regard a more "opaque" solution (i.e. display in a
> text box and black instead of blue) an improvment:
> 
> * it keeps the distinction of text and math clear to the end user,

Hmm... why \bullet should be a math symbol and U+2022 (BULLET) not?
The macro name suggests that it is being treated it as a math (not text)
entity.

> * it allows Strg-E for italic, Strg-B for bold, and all the other text
>   styles and colours.

These are still allowed. You have to simply explicitly request a
text-in-math environment and \lyxmathsym will not come in your way.

> One of the LyX features is that it guides the user to its own (LaTeX
> conformant) document structuring and input conventions (try inserting two
> spaces, or see the effect of pressing TAB). 

While I agree with all of these, I don't want to take them as a religious
principle ;-)

> For math,
> 
> * the unfriendly way of doing this would be to refuse input of any
>   "forbidden" character/symbol, 

Unacceptable, indeed.

> * the transparent (in the sense of invisible to the end user) way is
>   lyxmathsym, and 

Acceptable, can be circumvented if so desired.

> * the open (in the sense of understandable for the end user) way is
>   switching to text-in-math.

Unacceptable, cannot be easily undone (see above).

-- 
Enrico
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