Archive-name: literate-programming-faq
Last-modified: 1994/01/06
Version: 1.1.2
Welcome to the Literate Programming Frequently Asked Questions List
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This version was created Wednesday - January 5, 1994 and should
considered stale after 90 days. Information contained in this document
is the best available at preparation. The original file was dated
October 15, 1993 (just for historical purposes).
Disclaimer: "This FAQ is presented with no warranties or guarantees of
ANY KIND including correctness or fitness for any particular purpose.
The author of this document has attempted to verify correctness of the
data contained herein; however, slip-ups can and do happen. If you use
this data, you do so at your own risk."
Copyright 1993, 1994 David B. Thompson. All rights reserved worldwide.
Permission is granted to copy this document for free distribution so
long as it remains intact and unmodified.
Special Note
============
This release of the Literate Programming FAQ represents a significant
change from the previous version. As a result, errors may have crept
in. Programmers/authors who have entries in this document should check
for consistency with their current release. If changes to this document
are required to conform entries to current status, please send me email
and include such changes.
Thank you!
-=d <thompson@sun1.coe.ttu.edu>
= ======================================================================
* Introduction or "What's this all about?"
------------------------------------------
This document is for new and experienced users of literate programming
tools. The purpose is to explain the concept of literate programming and
to provide a resource for locating files of interest to literate
programmers and those interested in literate programming.
The Literate Programming (LitProg) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list
is maintained by Dave Thompson, who can be reached at:
thompson@sun1.coe.ttu.edu * Preferred mailing address for FAQ
related comments/questions.
wqdbt@ttacs1.ttu.edu * Forwarded to my pc.
Comment and constructive criticism is welcome. Direct flames to
/dev/null (or > nul if you're a msdos user! ;-) If you find an error,
please report it. I'm particularly interested in establishing the
locations of generally available literate programming tools. If you are
the author of such a tool and wish to have it included in this list,
please send email.
Please note this is a work-in-progress. It is *not* complete, and
probably will not be complete for some months. Nevertheless, the
information contained herein may be useful to some. Use it as it is
intended.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Typography
------------
Major sections of the FAQ are divided by double lines (====). Minor
sections and other divisions are separated by single lines (----).
Major topics use a "* " as a leader. Minor topics use a "- " as a
leader. This should simplify searching for topics.
= ======================================================================
Table of Contents:
------------------
* Introduction, or "What's this all about?"
- Typography
* How do I get the FAQ?
- Literate Programming FAQ.
- FWEB FAQ.
* Is there a newsgroup? (The comp.literate.programming newsgroup)
* What internet nodes are of interest to literate programmers?
* What is literate programming?
* How do I begin literate programming?
* What literate programming tools are available and where are they?
- APLWEB
- AWEB
- CLiP
- CWEB
- FunnelWeb
- FWEB
- lit2x
- Literate Programmer's Workshop (LPW)
- MapleWEB
- MWEB (Schrod/Detig)
- MWEB (Sewell)
- noweb
- nuweb
- RWEB
- SchemeWEB
- Spidery WEB
- WEB
- WinWordWEB
* Are there other tools I should know about?
- C2LaTeX
- c2man
- cnoweb
- ProTeX
- TIE
- nuweb.el
- Web mode
* What other resources are available?
- World Wide Web
- TeX Resources
- Virtual Coursework
* Are there any code examples?
- Examples included with developer's tools
- Cameron Smith's KR-CWEB
* Bibliographies.
* How to anonymously ftp.
* Acknowledgements.
* End notes.
= ======================================================================
* How do I get the FAQ?
-----------------------
- Literate Programming FAQ.
---------------------------
You have many ways to get a current copy of this FAQ. One is to use
anonymous ftp (if you don't know how, see a later section in this FAQ)
to connect to one of the Comprehensive TeX Arvchive Network (CTAN) sites
or the Literate Programming Archive and retrieve a copy of the file.
(For more information on CTAN and the literate programming archive, see
the section below entitled "Internet Nodes of Interest to Literate
Programmers.")
An alternative is to use the fileserver at Sam Houston State University
(SHSU). Send a message to FILESERV@SHSU.EDU (FILESERV@SHSU.BITNET) and
include in your message
SENDME LITPROG.FAQ
The file server will forward a copy of the file to you via email.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- FWEB FAQ
----------
Marcus Speh <marcus@x4u.desy.de> maintains the FWEB FAQ. The current
version number is 1.29. It can be retrieved in the same way as this
FAQ; either by anonymous ftp or through the SHSU file server. On the
SHSU server, the file name is FAQ.FWEB. Invoke your ftp software, open
a connection to NIORD.SHSU.EDU [192.92.115.8], attach to the directory
FAQ, and transfer the file FAQ.FWEB.
Alternatively, send a message to the file server, FILESERV@SHSU.EDU
(FILESERV@SHSU.BITNET), and include the following text in a one line
message:
SENDME FAQ.FWEB
The file server will send the current version of the file via email.
The FWEB FAQ exists in various formats, including HyperText (see other
resources below). In Europe, the complete distribution can also be
obtained from ftp.desy.de [131.169.10.115] in directory
/pub/faq/web/fweb/. It is also available from the literate programming
archive (LPA) in the directory LPA/Documentation/faq/fweb (see the
references to LPA below for more information).
= ======================================================================
* Is there a newsgroup?
-----------------------
One of the most important resources is the literate programming
newsgroup, comp.programming.literate. You can read this newsgroup using
your standard reader. Altenatively, the newsgroup is gated to a mailing
list hosted by George Greenwade and Sam Houston State University. You
can subscribe by sending mail to the list-server, LISTSERV@SHSU.EDU (or
LISTSERV@SHSU.BITNET), and include in the message one line of text:
SUBSCRIBE LITPROG "your name in quotes"
The list is unmoderated; messages sent to litprog@shsu.edu are
automatically distributed to all subscribers and cross-posted to
comp.programming.literate.
Archives of the mailing list and newsgroup are maintained on
niord.shsu.edu [192.92.115.8] in the directory litprog.
= ======================================================================
* What internet nodes are of interest to literate programmers?
--------------------------------------------------------------
The principal nodes of interest to literate programmers are the Literate
Programming Archive (LPA hereafter) and the CTAN (Comprehensive TeX
Archive Network).
The Literate Programming Archive (LPA) is:
Node: ftp.th-darmstadt.de [130.83.55.75]
Directory: pub/programming/literate-programming
Notes: Fastest response during off-U.S. [yep] business hours.
The CTAN sites are:
ftp host IP CTAN root Institution and Sponsor
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ftp.TeX.ac.UK 134.151.79.32 pub/archive Aston Univ./UK TeX U.G.
ftp.Uni-Stuttgart.DE 129.69.8.13 soft/tex Univ. Stuttgart/DANTE e.V
ftp.SHSU.edu 192.92.115.10 tex-archive Sam Houston State Univ.
Other nodes and directories of interest include:
Node: niord.shsu.edu [192.92.115.8]
Directory: various (do some snooping!)
Notes: Has a gopher server.
Node: ftp.desy.de [131.169.10.115]
Directory: pub/web. Various documents, samples, and the FWEB FAQ.
Notes: Has a www server, http://info.desy.de:80/
= ======================================================================
* What is Literate Programming?
-------------------------------
Literate programming is the combination of documentation and source
together in a fashion suited for reading by human beings. In fact,
literate programs should be enjoyable reading, even inviting! (Sorry
Bob, I couldn't resist!) In general, literate programs combine source
and documentation in a single file. Literate programming tools then
parse the file to produce either readable documentation or compilable
source. The WEB style of literate programming was created by D.E. Knuth
during the development of his TeX typsetting software.
All the original work revolves around a particular literate programming
tool called WEB. Knuth says:
The philosophy behind WEB is that an experienced system
programmer, who wants to provide the best possible
documentation of his or her software products, needs two
things simultaneously: a language like TeX for formatting,
and a language like C for programming. Neither type of
language can provide the best documentation by itself; but
when both are appropriately combined, we obtain a system
that is much more useful than either language separately.
The structure of a software program may be thought of as a
web that is made up of many interconnected pieces. To
document such a program we want to explain each individual
part of the web and how it relates to its neighbours. The
typographic tools provided by TeX give us an opportunity to
explain the local structure of each part by making that
structure visible, and the programming tools provided by
languages such as C or Fortran make it possible for us to
specify the algorithms formally and unambigously. By
combining the two, we can develop a style of programming
that maximizes our ability to perceive the structure of a
complex piece of software, and at the same time the
documented programs can be mechanically translated into a
working software system that matches the documentation.
= ======================================================================
* How do I begin literate programming?
--------------------------------------
A recommended book is D.E. Knuth's collection of articles (1992)
"Literate Programming," Center for the Study of Language and
Information, Stanford University, ISBN 0-937073-80-6 (pbk). This book
gives insight into Knuth's thoughts as he developed the web system of
literate programming (and TeX for typesetting). It does not document
methods for literate programming.
A recommended book is Wayne Sewell's (1989) "Weaving a Program: Literate
Programming in WEB," Van Nostrand Reinhold, ISBN 0-442-31946-0 (pbk).
This book focuses on using Knuth's web system.
Some talk exists in the newsgroup/mailing list for a Usenet University
course in literate programming. I'm sure discussion of this topic will
be welcomed. If you are interested, please participate.
= ======================================================================
* What literate programming tools are available and where are they?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
A significant number of tools for literate programming are available.
Most have been ported from their original systems, so support multiple
computer platforms. If you are the developer of such a tool, and would
like to make the software freely available, please send me email and
I'll reply with a form (like those below) for you to fill in. (Or
short-circuit the process and kludge a form from below. :-)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- APLWEB
--------
Developer: Christoph von Basum <CvB@erasmus.hrz.uni-bielefeld.de>
Version: Unknown
Hardware: MSDOS
Languages: IBM APL2 and STSC APL
Formatter: Plain TeX
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/apl
watserv1.uwaterloo.ca:/languages/apl/aplweb
Readme: Unknown
Description: None available.
Support: Unknown
Note: The status of this particular package is unknown.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- AWEB
------
Developer: Unknown
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unknown
Languages: Ada
Formatter: Unknown
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/ada/web
Readme: Unknown
Description: None available
Support: Not supported.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- CLiP
------
Developer: E.W. van Ammers and M.R. Kramer
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Vax/VMS, Unix, and MS-DOS
Languages: Any programming language.
Formatter: Any formatter (TeX, LaTeX, Troff, Runoff, etc) or any
wordprocessor including WYSIWYG systems (Word Perfect,
Win Word, Ami Pro, Word, etc.)
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
sun01.info.wau.nl:/CLIP/ms_dos MS-DOS version
sun01.info.wau.nl:/CLIP/vax_vms VAX/VMS version
CTAN:/web/clip
LPA:/machines/ms-dos
LPA:/machines/vax
Readme: With bundle above
Description:
CLiP does not use explicite commands to perform the extraction
process. Rather it recognizes pseudostatemens written as comments in
the programming language in question. CLiP distinguishes
pseudostatments from ordinary comments because the former comply with
a a particular style. This style can be adjusted to suit virtually any
programming language. The CLiP approach to LP makes the system
extremely versatile. It is independent of programming language and
text processing environment. We designed CLiP to be compatible with
hypertext systems as well but we have not yet experimented with this
form of documentation.
Features:
+ CLiP imposes virtually no limitations on the text-processing system
used to produce the documentation. If the text-processor supports
these items you can
+ structure the documentation according to your own taste.
+ include drawings, pictures, tables etc.
+ disclose your documentatio my means of X-ref tables, Indexes,
Table of contents, Table of tables, Table of figures, etc.
+ typeset the documented code.
+ Extracts any number of modules from a maximum of 64 source files.
+ No pretty-printing. Code from the source files is copied "as is" to
the module.
+ Appearance of code segments in the documentation matches those of
the modules to ease the identification of code segements.
+ Supports partially specified data types.
+ Comprehensive user manual (preliminary version) and technical
description.
- No automatic generation of a X-ref table for program identifiers.
Support: Bugs, problems and assistance by e-mail:
ammers@rcl.wau.nl
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- CWEB
------
Developer: Silvio Levy and D.E. Knuth
Version: 3.0
Hardware: Unix systems (dos and amiga ports available)
Languages: C and C++
Formatter: Plain TeX and LaTeX.
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
labrea.stanford.edu:/pub/cweb
LPA:/c.c++
CTAN:/web/c_cpp/cweb
DOS version in CTAN:/web/c_cpp/cwb30p8c
DOS version in LPA:/machines/ms-dos
Amiga version to be posted soon (look at CTAN).
Mac port of CTANGLE in LPA:/machines/mac
LaTeX support in LPA:/c.c++
Readme: Bundled with above
Description: No description provided.
Support: Bugs to levy@math.berkeley.edu
Note: A fork of CWEB 3.x was developed by Marc van Leeuwen
<M.van.Leeuwen@cwi.nl> which implements several changes to CWEB. It is
available for anonymous ftp from ftp.cwi.nl:pub/cweb. The principle
changes are:
- Scans include files for typedef definitions
- Grammar and formatting rules are well separated, allowing for
run-time selection of a rule set (via command line option)
- New manual.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- FunnelWeb
-----------
Developer: Ross N. Williams: ross@guest.adelaide.edu.au
Version: Unknown
Hardware: MSDOS, Mac, VMS, Sun. Other ports reported.
Languages: No restrictions.
Formatter: Plain TeX for printing. Otherwise, no restrictions.
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
CTAN:/web/funnelweb
LPA:/independent
ftp.adelaide.edu.au:/pub/funnelweb
Readme: With bundle above.
Description:
FunnelWeb is a production-quality literate-programming tool that
emphasises simplicity and reliability. Everything about FunnelWeb,
from the simplicity of its language to the comprehensive tutorial in
the user's manual, has been designed to make this as simple, as
practical, and as usable a tool as possible.
Features:
+ Provides a simple macro preprocessor facility.
+ Can produce typeset documentation.
+ Runs on Sun, VMS VAX, Macintosh, PC, and others.
+ Portable C source code distributed under GNU licence.
+ Comprehensive user's manual including tutorial.
+ Programming-language independent.
+ Can generate multiple output files.
+ Allows complete control over the output text.
+ Regression test suite with over 200 tests.
+ Fully worked example (in /pub/funnelweb/examples).
- Requires TeX to produce typeset documentation.
- Typesets program code using TT font only.
Support: No formal support available. Mailing list maintained with
about 50 subscribers. Informal assistance available from
mailing list.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- FWEB
------
Developer: John A. Krommes
Version: 1.30a
Hardware: Unix, VMS, and DOS platforms
Languages: C, C++, Fortran-77, Fortran-90, Ratfor, TeX, and LaTeX.
Formatter: Plain TeX and LaTeX.
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
lyman.pppl.gov:/pub/fweb
CTAN:/web/fweb
LPA:/fweb
DOS version in LPA:/machines/ms-dos
Readme: In bundle with above.
Description:
It also has a well-developed user's manual and its own FAQ (see
above). It runs on most platforms: VMS, PC, UNIX, and pretty much
anything that the GNU C compiler (GCC) is supported for.
Support: Bug reports to krommes@princeton.edu
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- lit2x
-------
Developer: Unknown
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unknown
Languages: Unknown
Formatter: Unknown
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/independent
Readme: Unknown
Description: None available
Support: Unknown
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Literate Programmer's Workshop (LPW)
--------------------------------------
Developer: Norbert Lindenberg
Version: 1.1
Hardware: Apple Macintosh
Languages: Unknown
Formatter: Unknown
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/machines/mac
CTAN:/web/lpw
ftp.apple.com:/pub/literate.prog
Readme: Unknown
Description:
The Literate Programming Workshop is an environment for the integrated
development of program source text and documentation in combined
documents. It consists of a WYSIWYG word processor based on a style
sheet approach, a mechanism to extract parts of the text in a document,
and a project management system that handles multi-document projects.
The system is designed to be used in conjunction with MPW: it prepares
raw source text for the MPW compilers, accepts MPW error messages, and
shows them in the context of the original documents. Automatic indexing
and hypertext features allow for easy access to both source text and
documentation.
Support: Shareware, so I assume that the authors will support
their product.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- MapleWEB
----------
Developer: Unknown
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unknown
Languages: Maple
Formatter: Unknown
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/maple
Readme: Unknown
Description: None
Support: Unknown
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- MWEB (Schrod/Detig)
---------------------
Developer: Joachim Schrod
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unknown
Languages: Modula-2
Formatter: Unknown
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/modula-2
Readme: Unknown
Description: None
Support: Not supported.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- MWEB (Sewell)
---------------
Developer: Sewell
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unknown
Languages: Modula-2
Formatter: Unknown
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/modula-2
Readme: Unknown
Description: None
Support: Not supported.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- noweb
-------
Developer: Norman Ramsey <norman@bellcore.com>
Version: 2.5
Hardware: Unix and DOS platforms.
Languages: All programming languages.
Formatter: Plain TeX and LaTeX formatters.
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
csservices.princeton.edu:/pub/noweb.shar.Z
bellcore.com:/pub/norman/noweb.shar.Z
CTAN:/web/independent/noweb
LPA:/independent
DOS version in LPA:/machines/ms-dos
Readme: With bundle above.
Description:
noweb is designed to meet the needs of literate programmers while
remaining as simple as possible. Its primary advantages are
simplicity, extensibility, and language-independence. noweb uses 5
control sequences to WEB's 27. noweb now supports indexing and
identifier cross-reference. The simple noweb manual is only 2 pages;
documenting the full power of noweave and notangle requires another 3
pages. noweb works ``out of the box'' with any programming language,
and its formatter-dependent part is a 60-line nawk program. The
primary sacrifice relative to WEB is the loss of prettyprinting.
Support: email to the author
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- nuweb
-------
Developer: Preston Briggs: preston@cs.rice.edu
Version: 0.87
Hardware: Unix systems; Sparcs, RS/6000s, HPs, and (!) MSDOS.
Languages: Any programming language or combination of programming
languages.
Formatter: Latex
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
Unix: CTAN:/web/nuweb
DOS: CTAN:/web/nuweb-pc
LPA:/independent
Readme: Send mail to preston@cs.rice.edu
Description:
A single program that takes a web file written in a combination of
latex and any programming language(s) and produces a latex file that
can be pretty printed and a set of files containing code for
compilation/interpretation by the appropriate language processors.
Strengths include speed, simplicity, multiple languages, nice indices
and cross-references, latex. Doesn't require any special macros or
macro files.
Drawbacks: latex-dependent, no code pretty printing, harder to make
indices than cweb.
More good stuff: nice support for make, doesn't reformat source files,
so they're easy to debug. Lots of control without too much effort.
That is, it doesn't do too much!
Future directions... Very little change planned, except perhaps
refinements in the indexing software.
Support: Hack it yourself or send e-mail to preston@cs.rice.edu
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- RWEB
------
Developer: Unknown
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unknown
Languages: Unknown
Formatter: Unknown
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/reduce
Readme: Unknown
Description: Web generator in AWK.
Support: Unknown
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- SchemeWEB
-----------
Developer: John D. Ramsdell
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unix and DOS platforms
Languages: Any dialect of Lisp.
Formatter: LaTeX.
Availability: The Unix version is in the Scheme Repository and it is
available via anonymous ftp from:
nexus.yorku.ca:/pub/scheme/utl
LPA:/lisp
The DOS version is part of the PCS/Geneva Scheme system
which is available via anonymous ftp from:
cui.unige.ch:/pub/pcs
LPA:/machines/ms-dos
Readme: In bundle with above.
Description:
SchemeWEB is a Unix or DOS filter that translates SchemeWEB source
into LaTeX source or Lisp source. Lisp code is formatted in typewriter
type font and the comments are passed to LaTeX unchanged.
Support: Bug reports to ramsdell@mitre.org.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- SpideryWEB
------------
Developer: Norman Ramsey <norman@bellcore.com>
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unix and DOS platforms
Languages: Most Algol-like languages, including C, Ada, Pascal,
Awk, and many others.
Formatter: Plain TeX and latex for text formatters.
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
CTAN
LPA:/spiderweb
Readme: In distribution.
Description:
A system for building language-dependent WEBs. Spider is frozen; no
further development is planned.
Support: Bug reports to spider-bugs@oracorp.com.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- WEB
-----
Developer: Donald Knuth
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unknown
Languages: Pascal
Formatter: TeX (of course! ;-)
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/pascal
Readme: Unknown
Description:
This is the original software that started it all. The original TeX
processor was written in WEB.
Support: None known.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- WinWordWEB
------------
Developer: Lee Wittenberg <leew@pilot.njin.net>
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Needs Microsoft Word for Windows, v.2.x, and, of course,
MS-Windows 3.x.
Languages: Any programming language.
Formatter: Word for Windows 2.x for text formatting and file
maintenance.
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
bart.kean.edu:pub/leew
LPA:/machines/ms-dos
World-Wide Web (WWW)
Readme: WORDWEB.DOC in the downloadable package describes the
system.
Description:
WinWordWEB is a set of a Word for Windows macros (plus a paragraph
style) that provide a crude literate programming environment. The
``look and feel'' of the system is based on Norman Ramsey's noweb, but
can easily be modified to suit individual tastes.
Support:
None. WinWordWEB was written as a prototype to see if a WYSIWYG
literate programming system was possible. It is intended as a jumping
off point for future work by others. However, the system is
surprisingly usable as it stands, and the author is interested in
hearing from users (satisfied and dissatisfied).
Anyone interested in actively supporting (and improving) the product
should contact the author via email.
= ======================================================================
* Are there other tools I should know about?
--------------------------------------------
First of all, I'll list some not-quite-literate-programming tools.
Some may consider these to be pretty-printers. Others may call them
literate programming tools. In any event, they don't seem to be quite
in the same category as the tools listed above, so I'll include them
here.
- C2LaTeX
---------
Developer: John D. Ramsdell
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unix
Languages: C
Formatter: LaTeX but it's easy to change the formatter.
Availability: Anonymous ftp from
omnigate.clarkson.edu:/pub/tex/tex-programs/c2latex.
Readme: Absent. Documentation is in the C source for c2latex.
Description:
C2latex provides simple support for literate programming in C. Given
a C source file in which the comments have been written in LaTeX,
c2latex converts the C source file into a LaTeX source file. It can
be used to produce typeset listings of C programs and/or documentation
associated with the program.
C2latex produces LaTeX source by implementing a small number of rules.
A C comment that starts at the beginning of a line is copied
unmodified into the LaTeX source file. Otherwise, non-blank lines are
surrounded by a pair of formatting commands (\begin{flushleft} and
\end{flushleft}), and the lines are separated by \\*. Each non-blank
line is formatted using LaTeX's \verb command, except comments within
the line are formatted in an \mbox.
Support: Send bug reports to ramsdell@mitre.org.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- c2man
-------
Developer: Graham Stoney
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Presumably anything with a C compiler.
Languages: C
Formatter: nroff -man, texinfo
Availability: Anonymous ftp from
ftp.wustl.edu:
/usenet/comp.sources.reviewed/volume03/c2man*
ftp.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de:
/pub/archive/comp.sources/reviewed/c2man*
Readme: Unknown
Description:
The primary philosophy here is to use the programming language as far
as possible to express the programmer's intentions, and to use
comments only when the programming language is not sufficiently
expressive. A comment can then become part of the language grammar
which is recognised by a "documentation compiler". This tool parses a
superset of the programming language and can automatically generate
documentation in human-readable form by associating the programmer's
comments with the objects in the code by their context.
Support: Unknown.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- cnoweb
--------
Developer: Jim Fox
Version: 1.4 (January 4, 1991)
Hardware: Anything with C and TeX.
Languages: C
Formatter: Plain TeX.
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
CTAN
LPA:/c.c++
Readme: Unknown, cnoweb.tex contains documentation.
Description:
cnoweb is as it's name describes: write C, not web. No tangling or
weaving is implemented. Documentation (between standard /* */
delimiteres) is written in TeX. cnoweb provides typesetting of
documentation, an table of contents of routines, and pretty-printing
of C source.
Support: None known.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- ProTeX
--------
Developer: Unknown
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unknown
Languages: Unknown
Formatter: TeX
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/independent
Readme: Unknown
Description: Unknown
Support: Unknown
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- TIE
-----
Developer: Unknown
Version: Unknown
Hardware: Unknown
Availability: Anonymous ftp from:
LPA:/Tools
Readme: Unknown
Description:
This software merges change files.
Support: Unknown
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
There are other tools useful to literate programmers. These generally
revolve around the editing process.
- nuweb.el
----------
Developer: D. deWaffelette
Version: Unknown
Availability: Unknown
Description:
This is a major mode (whatever that is) for Emacs that supports use of
nuweb. [DBT--I can't help it, I'm not an Emacs user. Don't flame me!]
Support: Unknown.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Web mode
----------
Developer: Bart Childs
Version: Unknown
Availability: Unknown
Description:
This is an Emacs extension for working with FWEB, CWEB, and WEB files.
Support: Unknown
= ======================================================================
* What other resources are available?
-------------------------------------
- World Wide Web
----------------
An untapped resource (by me anyway ;-) is the World Wide Web. Marcus
Speh has expended considerable effort in this regard. If you're
connected to WWW, then access:
http://info.desy.de/user/projects/LitProg.html
If you aren't connected to WWW, telnet to info.cern.ch and explore.
You can reach Marcus' literate programming pages by typing:
go http://info.desy.de/user/projects/LitProg.html
Help for people who have only Email and neither WWW nor telnet, can be
obtained by Email from LISTSERV@INFO.CERN.CH by sending a message
containing the command HELP. Instructions will be returned by email.
For literate programming documents, you can try anonymous ftp to
ftp.desy.de [131.169.10.115] and attach to directory:
/pub/userWWW/projects/Announce
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- TeX Resources
---------------
Another resource of interest to literate programmers is the info-tex
mailing list. If you're using (La)TeX as your typsetting system and
have access to internet, then you should investigate this mailing list.
Mail list service is available through the SHSU list-server. To
subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV@SHSU.EDU (LISTSERV@SHSU.BITNET),
and include in the message one line of text:
SUBSCRIBE INFO-TEX "your name in quotes"
The list is unmoderated; messages sent to info-tex@shsu.edu are
automatically distributed to all subscribers and cross-posted to
comp.text.tex.
Archives of the mailing list and newsgroup are maintained on
niord.shsu.edu [192.92.115.8] in the directory info-tex.
Another reason the TeX resources should be important is that so many of
the literate programming tools rely on either plain TeX or LaTeX as
their text formatter. (La)TeX software systems exist for most computing
platforms. These systems can be found on CTAN and other major archive
sites. Use archie to find them or simply ftp to one of the CTAN
sites and browse.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Virtual Coursework
--------------------
Marcus Speh plans an introductory course on Literate Programming on the
Internet, part of the first semester of "Global Network Academy" [GNA],
a non-profit corporation incorporated in the state of Texas, affilated
with the Usenet University project. The texts/sample programs for this
class will be made available via anonymous FTP. A special room on GNA
Virtual Campus will be staffed by a consultant in one to two hour
shifts. Students with questions can telnet to the virtual campus and
ask questions of the staff there. Tuition: Students should agree to work
for Global Network Academy in some capacity. This may include agreeing
to serve as a consultant next term, donating computing resources which
belong to them, helping with programming, etc. If you are interested in
registering for the course either as a student or as a consultant,
please contact marcus@x4u.desy.de. You will receive a standard reply
message; no further action will be taken until January 94.
[Editor's note: Because of workload, Marcus requests that email
inquiries be limited to a statement of interest for either a student or
consultant position until January 1994.]
= ======================================================================
* Are there any code examples?
------------------------------
Examples of web programs are included with the FWEB, CWEB, and noweb
distributions. nuweb is written in itself.
Cameron Smith converted the K&R calculator program into a literate
program. It can be retrieved by anonymous ftp from:
niord.shsu.edu [192.92.115.8] directory kr-cweb-sample as
krcwsamp.zip
or from
LPA/Documentation
Ross Williams has released a funnelweb example. You can retrieve this
file from node ftp.adelaide.edu.au [129.127.40.3] as
/pub/funnelweb/examples/except.*
This file should be on CTAN as well.
Lee Wittenberg has posted two examples written in CWEB. They are
available via anonymous ftp from:
bart.kean.edu:~/pub/leew/samples.LP
= ======================================================================
* Bibliographies
----------------
Nelson Beebe has collected an extensive bibliography treating literate
programming. His work is available for anonymous ftp from
ftp.math.utah.edu [128.110.198.2] in directory /pub/tex/bib as files:
litprog.bib
litprog.ltx.
Although I have not verified this, LPA is an alternate source for these
files. Note that they are updated frequently (Nelson says several times
each week), so be sure to get a fresh copy before extensive use.
Joachim Schrod indicates that these files may be updated daily and can
be retrieved via anonymous ftp at LPA/documentation.
= ======================================================================
* How to anonymously ftp
------------------------
Pretty much everything mentioned here is available by anonymous FTP.
FAQ lists cross-posted to news.answers and rec.answers can be gotten
from rtfm.mit.edu [18.70.0.209], under /pub/usenet/news.answers or under
/pub/usenet/more.specific.group.name
"anonymous FTP" is just a way for files to be stored where anyone
can retrieve them over the Net. For example, to retrieve the
latest version of the literate programming FAQ, do the following:
> ftp rtfm.mit.edu /* connect to the site; message follows */
> anonymous /* type this when it asks for your name */
> <your email address> /* type your address as the password */
> cd /pub/usenet /* go to the directory you want to be */
> cd comp.programming.literate /* one level down (no slash). */
> dir /* look at what's there */
> get literate-progamming-faq /* get the file; case-sensitive */
> quit /* stop this mysterious thing */
If your FTP program complains that it doesn't know where the site you
want to use is, type the numerical address instead of the sitename:
> ftp 18.70.0.209 /* connect with numerical address */
If you don't have ftp access, send e-mail to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu
with the single word "help" in the body of the message.
Getting binary files (executables, or any compressed files) is only
slightly more difficult. You need to set binary mode inside FTP before
you transfer the file.
> binary /* set binary transfer mode */
> ascii /* set back to text transfer mode */
FAQs and spoiler lists are generally ascii files; everything else is
generally binary files.
Some common extensions on binary files in archive sites are:
.Z Compressed; extract with uncompress
.tar.Z Compressed 'tape archive'; uncompress then untar or tar -xvf
.gz or .z Gnu gzip; use gunzip (available from prep.gnu.ai.mit.edu)
.sit (Mac) StufIt archive
.zip Extract with Zip or Unzip
.zoo Yet another archive/compress program
.lhe (Amiga) ?
.lzh Lha archive program.
.arj (PC) Arj archive program.
.exe (PC) Sometimes self-extracting archives-just execute them.
.uue or .UUE Transfer as text file; use uudecode to convert to binary
.hqx (Mac) BinHex format; transfer in text mode
Generic help can be found in the FAQs of comp.binaries.<your_system_type>
for how to transfer, extract, and virus-check binary files. (At
rtfm.mit.edu)
If you can't FTP from your site, use one of the following ftp-by-mail
servers:
ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com
ftpmail@src.doc.ic.ac.uk
ftpmail@cs.uow.edu.au
ftpmail@grasp.insa-lyon.fr
For complete instructions, send a message reading "help" to the server.
If you don't know exactly what you're looking for, or exactly where it
is, there are programs and servers that can help you. For more info,
send e-mail to mail-server@rtfm.mit.with with the body of the
message reading send usenet/news.answers/finding-sources
Thanks to Aliza R. Panitz (the "buglady") for this text. I copied it
verbatim from her post on faq-maintainers with only minor modifications.
= ======================================================================
* Acknowledgements
------------------
This document would not have happened without the help of many people.
Among them are Marcus Speh, George Greenwade, Rob Beezer, Joachim
Schrod, Piet van Oostrum, and Ross N. Williams. A special thanks to
Aliza R. Panitz for the text describing how to execute an anonymous ftp
for files of interest.
Any omissions from these acknowledgements should be considered an act of
stupidity on my part. Of course, the authors of literate programming
tools mentioned above all play a vital role in the vitality of literate
programming. Furthermore, participants in the comp.programming.literate
newsgroup (and associated mailing list) all contributed in various
fashions. Thank all of you.
= ======================================================================
* End notes
-----------
This document will be evolving over the next few months. I'm planning
on adding entries for additional literate programming tools and will
expand the sections on examples as more examples become available. Tools
I will include are WEB (the original pascal version) for starters.
Others will be added as I find and document them. Omission of a
particular tool should not be considered a snub in any sense--simply an
error or oversight on my part.
History:
First release: Fri 10/15/1993 -- Yep, I finally did it!
Thu 10/21/93 -- Minor change to ftp instructions.
Fri 10/22/93 -- Minor change to stuttgart ip and fweb.faq version.
Made reader-recommended changes, lots of re-
organization, and added a few tools.
Mon 11/01/93 -- Corrected typo in address.
Thu 11/11/93 -- Minor change to www.
Fri 11/12/93 -- Fixed CLiP entry, spiderweb entry.
Wed 01/05/94 -- Lots of minor updates. Reformatting of tool entries
deserves a minor revision update.
Thu 01/06/94 -- Added Schrod's pointers for noweb, spideryweb,
WinWordWeb.
= End of File ==========================================================