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3.10. Formatting language to define output styles: FL
Formatting language to define output styles - FL | ||||
| Library Master | Procite | EndNote | Reference Manager | Papyrus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LM: there exist two "languages" : one for the Format -which determines the overall page layout- and one for the style --the actual citation format.
As a matter of fact, the complexity and goal of the Format go far beyond setting the page layout, for it can contain conditional commands, loops, tokens, counters, headings for subject bibliographies; to a given extent it can even print a report replacing a style file via its own style specifications, whereas you cannot print a report just with a style without a Format. A style is mostly made up of:1 field names 2 one formal instruction: field/string separator + text replacement for empty field (if the field is missing, display "this") 3 text strings, punctuation, spacing, style (B I U etc.): as written 4 many options for names, dates, pages numbers, call numbers 5 < minus sign < (ASCII 60) marks reserved chars as < | > (FL recognizes field names belonging to each individual RT) |
Pr: mostly made up of:
1 field names 2 two formal instructions: field/string separator, group command «...» (i.e. if more elements -fields- are included in a group, one is enough for the relevant surrounding punctuation to be output) 3 text strings, punctuation (automatic control on double punct.), spacing, style (B I U etc.): as written 4 many options for names, titles, dates, pages keywords 5 back slash \ (ASCII 92) marks any string as mere text, e.g.: " \« " FL recognizes RT specific, not generic, workform fields names and not numbers (therefore be careful when copying definitions from one workform to another) |
En: mostly made up of:
1 field names 2 field/string separator (|), link adjacent text (nonbreaking space) 3 text strings, punctuation, spacing, tab, style B I U etc. 4 many options for names, titles, pages 5 ` (ASCII 96) marks strings as mere text e.g. overlapping field names `Journal` 6 handles singular vs plural, e.g. p^pp. ed.^eds. special provisions for anonymous works; recognizes generic field names |
RM: mostly made up of:
1 field names; 2 two formal instructions: field/string separator, group command «...» (i.e. if more elements -fields- are included in a group, one is enough for the relevant surrounding punctuation to be output); 3 text strings, punctuation (automatic control on double punct.), spacing, style (B I U etc.): as written; 4 many options for names, titles, dates, pages keywords; 5 back slash \ (ASCII 92) marks any string as mere text, e.g.: " \« " same as ProCite, but FL recognizes fields generic names and numbers |
Papyrus:
1 fields names 2 main commands: [ ] [[ ]] < > out of these commands' control, strings are always appended 3 text strings, punctuation, | paragraph, { } to capitalize; 4 many options for: names, year, pages et al. |
1 Selection
| ||||
| LM: 1; 2: only "surname, name, qualification", internal date format | Pr: 1; 2: only "surname, name, qualification", internal date format | En: 1; 2: only "surname, name" | RM: 1; 2: only "surname, name", internal date format | Papyrus: 2: only "surname, name" |
2 Add text
| ||||
| LM: 1 2 3 (4 partially in the Formats) | Pr: 1 2 3 | En: 1 2 3 4
4 as noted above: can handle singular vs plural: p^pp. ed.^eds if start-end pages or more authors are present |
RM: 1 2 3 | Papyrus: 1 2 3 4 can handle singular vs plural, (p^pp.) if start-end pages are present |
3 Distinguishes among occurrences of a repeatable field:
| ||||
| LM: 1 2 3 (for any repeatable field -i.e. names and subjects- : first, last, all the others) | Pr: 1; 2 only partially names i.e. as far as output and sort are concerned | En: 1 names; 2 partially names, as far as output is concerned; 3: can count number of names to sort references with same first author | RM: 1; 2 only partially: names, as far as output is concerned | Papyrus: 1; 2 only partially: names, as far as output is concerned |
4 Produces tagged format output --apart from built-in export routines | ||||
| LM: yes | Pr: yes (e.g. ^pKW: as keywords separator, where ^p are two characters) | En: to a limited extent
can handle a repeatable field like authors field, but not keywords labelled on consecutive lines, does not handle <CR> as format specification within the same field |
RM: yes (e.g. ¶KW: as keywords separator where ¶ is [ASCII 20]) | Papyrus: yes |
5 Displays RT (reference type via field token not as static text) | ||||
| LM: via a format, not in the style; yes in the Record list | Pr: not in the styles; yes in the Record list | En: not in the styles; yes in the Record list | RM: yes | Papyrus: no |
6 Produces permuted indexes (words in/out/and context) | ||||
| LM: no | Pr: no | En: no | RM: no | Papyrus: no |
7 Offers conditional commands (IF ... THEN ...) | ||||
| LM: yes, in the Formats, not in the styles :
(a) if a field is present -or absent (b) if the field content is the same as -or different from- the previous (c) if the record type is one of the specified (d) implied by various style options (e.g. names) |
Pr: not explicitly, but implied by various options (e.g. names) | En: not explicitly, but implied by various options (e.g. names) | RM: not explicitly, but implied by various options (e.g. names) | Papyrus: not explicitly, but implied by various options (e.g. names) |
8 Upper/lowercase conversion | ||||
| LM: yes (on any field; customizable list : all upper, all lower, beginning of word, field, sentence) | Pr: yes (names, titles, sort headings) | En: yes : names -small caps also- titles + list of words that should not be altered | RM: yes (names, titles) | Papyrus: yes --headline style for any field |
9 Look-up tables to expand acronyms, abbreviations, replace text | ||||
| LM: yes: puts in relation field content and a table's terms : a table's record is made up of an entry and three correspondent strings, most often abbreviations; this way you can handle periodical titles and abbreviations | Pr: yes: a) text between "«...»" ; b) field 10: "Journal title" and relevant list(s) | En: Journal field ("Secondary title") and relevant list
puts in relation Journal's field content and the Journal list's table: a table's record is made up by an entry and three correspondent strings, most often abbreviations; this way you can handle periodical titles and their abbreviations |
RM: Periodical synonyms list | Papyrus: Journal titles and relevant list(s) |
10 Contextual Record Preview | ||||
| LM: not while designing a style, or a Format | Pr: yes | En: not while designing a style | RM: yes | Papyrus: yes, both in input and format design |
11 Text added in styles can be language dependent for each record
| ||||
| LM: no (but can use months' names from selected Windows language table) | Pr: no | En: no | RM: no | Papyrus: no |
12 Checks format syntax |
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| LM: yes (but messages are not expressive enough) | Pr: no | En: no | RM: yes | Papyrus: yes |
13 Level of difficulty of the formatting language | ||||
| LM: rather easy, as far as styles are concerned. Format here language is definitely more coded and more complex, thus, to be fully exploited, it requires a really skillfull user | Pr: rather easy, does not require programming skills | En: rather easy, does not require programming skills | RM: rather easy, does not require programming skills (offers a Wizard function, plus the abovementioned syntax control) | Papyrus: rather easy, does not require programming skills |
