Feedback wanted for plugin idea: domain-specific backticks

[Rob Hoelz]

Hi everyone,

Like I'm sure many of you do, I use `...` syntax for little bits of inline code.  I use backticks for keywords and identifiers when writing about programming, for equations when writing about math, or for denoting filenames.  I was thinking about creating a new type of widget to allow a user such as myself to specify the *semantics* behind a backticked piece of text.  For example, let's say I have notes about linear algebra: I might use backticks for a definition (eg. `vector space`), an equation (eg. `α(u + v) = αu + αv`), etc. - with my theoretical plugin, those would look something like `define: vector space` and `equation: α(u + v) = αu + αv`.  New variants could be defined in tiddlers without needing to create a new plugin, and variants could have custom rendering options attached to them.  I was also thinking of writing an AST-based search to aggregate these (eg. "show me all definitions among my linear algebra notes"), but that's a whole other story.  I'm currently calling this idea "domain-specific backticks".

I wanted to introduce this idea to the group for several reasons:

  1) To see if something like this has been done already - TiddlyWiki has such a vibrant plugin ecosystem, so it wouldn't surprise me!

  2) To see if the idea I'm talking about even makes sense, or if there's an alternative.

  2) To see if people would be interested in such an idea - if so, that will provide me with extra motivation and encourage me to share my results here.

  3) To see if people have ideas on how to make use of this or improve it.

Let me know what you think of this idea!

Thanks,
Rob

[Ste Wilson]

Not sure if it's what your meaning but, thanks to the kind folks here, I have a filter/sort for equations so that it shows all places where that variable is used.

See here

stephenteacher.tiddlyspot.com/#Acceleration

[Stephan Hradek]

What about simply creating templates?

The notation then is a bit different. Instead of

`define: vector space` and `equation: α(u + v) = αu + αv`

you would need to write

{{vector space||define}} and {{α(u + v) = αu + αv||equation}}

For this you just need to define a tiddler called "define", containing

<code><<currentTiddler>></code>

and a tiddler equation containing

my great equation is (<code><<currentTiddler>></code>)

(as an example)

[Rob Hoelz]

I like that idea, Stephen!  I'll give that a shot.

-Rob