[OS X TeX] Re: syntax checking, quick fixes, (was: Focus...)

[Joachim Kock]

Hello Curtis

Some of the things you request exist in Alpha, some others are under
development:

>What I would love to have is a TeX-aware text editor that puts unobtrusive markings under syntax errors in the source, similar to the various integrated development environments for programming like Eclipse or IntelliJ IDEA.  These environments also offer suggested "quick fixes" for errors.

I don't know about true syntax checking --- it would be cool! -- but I know
that a latex command checker is under development in Alpha: it underlines
unknown \commands as you type, that's all.  There will be a corresponding
quick-fixer for the error browser: if there is an error

! Undefined control sequence.
l.651 \Rightarro

then you are given the choice to correct to \Rightarrow by pressing OK,
instead of having to go to the source file.

>In a LaTeX context, this might mean that I could type "\begin{tab" and have a pop-up list appear with tabbing, tabular, tabular*, tabularc, tabularx, tabulary, tabwindow, etc. 

This already exists in Alpha.  The template resulting from such a completion
comes with tab stops (bullets) at all the places where you are required to
fill in something (e.g. the cells of a array environment), and you jump
from one tab stop to the next by pressing TAB (which then eats the bullets).

>Mousing over the suggestion (or some keyboard equivalent) would pop-up brief documentation on the particular environment.

This does not currently exist for TeX mode in Alpha (as far as I know),
but it might not be that difficult to implement, because the corresponding
functionality does exist in Tcl mode: Cmd-double-clicking on a command
opens the appropriate place in the man pages if it is a built-in command,
and shows the definition of the proc if it is found in the project.

If you are interested in beta testing new developments in Alpha's TeX
mode, or merely make feature requests, you should subscribe to the
Alpha Users' Mailing list at
http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/alphatcl-users

Cheers,
Joachim.
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