From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Nicolas Goaziou Subject: Re: Formal description of Org files Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 14:43:43 +0200 Message-ID: <87ha0187pc.fsf@nicolasgoaziou.fr> References: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Return-path: Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:4830:134:3::10]:33164) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XVgU0-00060K-Rb for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 21 Sep 2014 08:43:26 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XVgTq-000717-NH for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 21 Sep 2014 08:43:16 -0400 Received: from relay6-d.mail.gandi.net ([2001:4b98:c:538::198]:44554) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1XVgTq-00070n-Ht for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 21 Sep 2014 08:43:06 -0400 In-Reply-To: ("Gustav \=\?utf-8\?Q\?Wikstr\=C3\=B6m\=22's\?\= message of "Sun, 21 Sep 2014 14:10:03 +0200") List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: Gustav =?utf-8?Q?Wikstr=C3=B6m?= Cc: Org Mode List Hello, Gustav Wikstr=C3=B6m writes: > There was a discussion many years back about a formal description of > Org files [1]. In some way that might be achieved now in org-elements, > but that still is heavily bound to elisp. > > So my question is; have there been more discussions of constructing > such a formal grammar? Maybe in EBNF form. I suspect getting every > aspect of Org mode into such a description would be difficult. But > imagine the possibilities. Tools such as ANTLR and similar would > straight away have a way of parsing Org mode. Org mode source files > could be parsed in many other languages, simplifying the process of > expanding Org mode to other platforms ( Android & iOS, web ). > > Further rant; To me Org mode should be less about Emacs and more about > the source file format. Let Emacs be the main carrier, but let Org > mode also expand into other domains. One way to simplify this might be > to provide the formal description so that other tools might be easier > to develop based on this grammar. > > (For me, the biggest limitation of Org mode is lacking tools to > utilize it on the run. The aim of this is thus to feed thoughts on how > to simplify processes that can expand Org mode into those "more > mobile" domains). See (info "(org) Org syntax") Regards, --=20 Nicolas Goaziou