7.11 Customizing the formatting of lists and tables

The formatting of lists and tables is done at two levels:

• At the level of the whole region (table or list),
• At the level of the individual items, rows or cells of the list or table.

7.11.1 Formatting individual table and list items

In texinfo it is possible to give @itemize or table command (hereafter called a format command) a formatting command. For example @minus is the formatting command here:

@table @minus

The default is to apply the command to the text item, however it is possible to avoid it. The hash %special_list_commands has an entry for each of the format command. Each of these entries is a hash reference. If a formatting command is a key of the hash reference, then the formatting command is not applied to the text item for that format command. For example, if we have:

$special_list_commands{'itemize'} = { 'bullet' => '' };

and we have the following @itemize:

@itemize @bullet
@item an item
@end itemize

then @bullet will not be applied to an item.

lists

The items of lists are formatted using the following function reference:

Function Reference: $list_item list_item $text $format $command $formatted_command $item_number $enumerate_style $number

This function formats the text between @item commands. $text is the text corresponding with the item. $format is the type of format, ‘itemize’ or ‘enumerate’. $command is the formatting command given in argument to @itemize, $formatted_command is this command formatted if it is a leading command, like @minus.

If the $format is an enumerate, $item_number is the number of the item in the list, $enumerate_style is the argument of the enumerate, $number is the number or letter corresponding with this item.

two column tables

The two columns tables (@table, @ftable and @vtable), items are formatted using two function references, one for the first line located on the @item line corresponding with the first column, the other for the text appearing on the following lines, corresponding with the second column text.

Function Reference: $table_item table_item $item_text $index_label_text $format $command $formatted_command $command_stack

This function is used to format the text on the @item line. $text_item is the text line. In case there is an index entry associated with the @item (as with @ftable and @vtable), $index_label_text is the text inserted at the place where an index entry appears. See section Formatting of index entries. $format is the type of format, ‘table’, ‘ftable’ or ‘vtable’. $command is the formatting command given in argument to the table format command, $formatted_command is this command formatted if it is a leading command, like @minus. $command_stack is an array with all the @-commands opened, latest on top.

Function Reference: $table_line table_line $text

This function is used to format the text on the lines following the @item line. $text is the corresponding text.

multitable

The multitable elements formatting is controlled by the functions associated with two function references. One for a cell, and the other for a row.

Function Reference: $multitable_cell cell $text

This function is used to format the text of a multitable cell, the text following a @item or a @tab. $text is the corresponding text.

Function Reference: $multitable_row row $text $item_command

This function is used to format a multitable row. $text is the row text, with cells allready formatted with the $cell function reference. $item_command is the command used to introduce the row, such that it is possible to distinguish between @item and @headitem.

7.11.2 Formatting of a whole table or list

If the Texinfo command is a key of the %format_map, the associated value is used to specify the formatting of the construct, otherwise a function is called. The value in %format_map associated with a command is interpreted similarly with values associated with more simpler commands:

• If the text is a word, it is considered to be an HTML element name, and the whole table or list is enclosed between the element opening and the element closing.
• If the text is a word followed by some text, the word and is interpreted as above, and the text is considered to be the attributes text of the element.
• If the text is empty nothing is added to the text.

In case the %format_map isn't used, a function reference called $table_list should be redefined, the associated function will be called each time a command isn't found in %format_map.

Function Reference: $whole_table_list table_list $command $text

$command is the Texinfo command name, $text is the formatted items.

If you still want to use %format_map but differently from the default, it is possible to redefine the following function reference:

Function Reference: $whole_table_list format $command $format $text

$command is the @-command, $format is the entry associated with $command in %format_map. $text is the formatted items.

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