[comment {-*- tcl -*- doctools manpage}]
[manpage_begin doctools2toc_introduction n 2.0]
[copyright {2009 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>}]
[moddesc   {Documentation tools}]
[titledesc {DocTools - Tables of Contents}]
[category  {Documentation tools}]
[keywords markup {semantic markup} contents {table of contents}]
[keywords plugin parsing formatting conversion]
[see_also doctools2idx_introduction]
[see_also doctools2doc_introduction]
[comment {
    [see_also doctools_lang_intro]
    [see_also doctools_lang_syntax]
    [see_also doctools_lang_cmdref]
    [see_also doctools_lang_faq]
    [see_also doctools]
    [see_also doctools_plugin_apiref]
    [see_also doctoc_intro]
    [see_also doctoc_intro]
}]
[description]


[term doctoc] (short for [emph {documentation tables of contents}])
stands for a set of related, yet different, entities which are working
together for the easy creation and transformation of tables and
contents for documentation.

[para]

These are

[list_begin enumerated]
[enum]
A tcl based language for the semantic markup of a table of contents.
Markup is represented by Tcl commands.

Beginners should start with the
[manpage {doctoc language introduction}].

The formal specification is split over two documents, one dealing with
the [manpage {doctoc language syntax}], the other a
[manpage {doctoc language command reference}].

[enum]
A set of packages for the programmatic manipulation of tables of
contents in memory, and their conversion between various formats,
reading and writing. The aforementioned markup language is one of the
formats which can be both read from and written to.

[enum]
The system for the conversion of tables of contents is based on a
plugin mechanism, for this we have two APIs describing the interface
between the packages above and the import/export plugins.

[list_end]

[para]
Which of the more detailed documents are relevant to the reader of
this introduction depends on their role in the documentation process.

[para]

[list_begin enumerated]
[enum]
A [manpage writer] of documentation has to understand the markup language
itself. A beginner to doctoc should read the more informally written
[manpage {doctoc language introduction}] first. Having digested this
the formal [manpage {doctoc language syntax}] specification should
become understandable. A writer experienced with doctoc may only
need the [manpage {doctoc language command reference}] from time to
time to refresh her memory.

[para]
While a document is written the [syscmd dtp] application can be used
to validate it, and after completion it also performs the conversion
into the chosen system of visual markup, be it *roff, HTML, plain
text, wiki, etc. The simpler [syscmd dtplite] application makes
internal use of doctoc when handling directories of documentation,
automatically generating a proper table of contents for them.

[enum]
A [term processor] of documentation written in the [term doctoc]
markup language has to know which tools are available for use.

[para]
The main tool is the aforementioned [syscmd dtp] application provided
by Tcllib. The simpler [syscmd dtplite] does not expose doctoc to the
user. At the bottom level, common to both applications, however we
find the three packages providing the basic facilities to handle
tables of contents, i.e. import from textual formats, programmatic
manipulation in memory, and export to textual formats. These are

[list_begin definitions]
[def [package doctoools::toc]]
Programmatic manipulation of tables of contents in memory.

[def [package doctoools::toc::import]]
Import of tables of contents from various textual formats. The set of
supported formats is extensible through plugin packages.

[def [package doctoools::toc::export]]
Export of tables of contents to various textual formats. The set of
supported formats is extensible through plugin packages.

[list_end]
See also section [sectref {Package Overview}] for an overview of the
dependencies between these and other, supporting packages.


[enum]
At last, but not least, [term {plugin writers}] have to understand the
interaction between the import and export packages and their plugins.
These APIs are described in the documentation for the two relevant
packages, i.e.

[list_begin itemized]
[item] [package doctoools::toc::import]
[item] [package doctoools::toc::export]
[list_end]

[list_end]

[section {Related formats}]

The doctoc format does not stand alone, it has two companion formats.
These are called [term docidx] and [term doctools], and they are
intended for the markup of [term {keyword indices}], and of general
documentation, respectively.

They are described in their own sets of documents, starting at
the [manpage {DocTools - Keyword Indices}] and
the [manpage {DocTools - General}], respectively.


[section {Package Overview}]
[include include/dependencies.inc]


[vset CATEGORY doctools]
[include ../doctools2base/include/feedback.inc]
[manpage_end]