[NTG-context] Question about t-ancientgreek module

[Thomas A. Schmitz]

On Thu, 2006-05-25 at 13:37 +0000, jeffdod at netzero.net wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I have a question about the t-ancientgreek module for typesetting
> ancient Greek.
> 
> I am using DroppedCaps (although I am dropping a numeral instead of a
> letter in a paragraph...I modified the DroppedString to contain the
> numerals 0-9) in a paragraph of ancient Greek typeset in the
> GreekGentiumAlt font. Most paragraphs look fine, but occasionally a
> word will extend out into the margin instead of being hyphenated or
> wrapped over into the next line.
> 
> Here is a bit of sample code that shows this:
> 
> % Use t-ancientgreek module for typesetting ancient Koine Greek
> \usemodule[ancientgreek][font=GreekGentiumAlt,scale=1]
> 
> % Set up indentation parameters
> \setupindenting[medium]
> \indenting[always]
> 
> % Set up inter-paragraph spacing
> \setupwhitespace[medium]
> 
> % Set up macros to handle drop-cap chapter numbers
> \def\DropChapOne{\DroppedCaps{}{Serif}{3.8\baselineskip}{2pt}{2
> \baselineskip}{3}}
> \def\DropChap{\DroppedCaps{}{Serif}{2.3\baselineskip}{3pt}{1
> \baselineskip}{2}}
> 
> % Set up book start macro...Syntax: book[Chapter][Verse]{Text}
> \def\book[#1][#2]#3{\par\DropChapOne{#1}\localgreek{#3}}
> 
> % Set up chapter start macro...Syntax: chapt[Chapter][Verse]{Text}
> \def\chap[#1][#2]#3{\par\DropChap{#1}\localgreek{#3}}
> 
> % Set up verse macro...Syntax: verse[Chapter][Verse]{Text}
> \def\verse[#1][#2]#3{\high{\tfxx \bf #2}\localgreek{#3}}
> 
> \starttext
> \book[1][1]{Ὃ ἦ ἀ'' ἀῆ, ὃ ἀ, ὃ ἑ ῖ ὀῖ ἡῶ, ὃ ἐ, ὶ ἱ ῖ ἡῶ ἐ ὶ ῦ ῆ ῆ.}
> \verse[1][2]{ὶ ἡ ὴ ἐ, ὶ ἑ, ὶ ῦ, ὶ ἀ ὑῖ ὴ ὴ ὴ ἰ, ἥ ἦ ὸ ὸ , ὶ ἐ ἡῖ.}
> \verse[1][3]{Ὃ ἑ ὶ ἀ, ἀ ὑῖ, ἵ ὶ ὑῖ ἔ '' ἡῶ· ὶ ἡ ὲ ἡ ἡ ὰ ῦ ὸ ὶ ὰ ῦ ἱῦ
> ὐῦ Ἰῦ ῦ·}\stoptext
> 
> Note also that some fonts show this problem while others do not. For
> instance, the Aristarcoj font does not show this problem. Also, if I
> remove the dropped cap numeral from any given paragraph, the problem
> does away.
> 
> Does anyone know what I might be doing wrong, or how I can correct
> this problem? Any help anyone is able to give will be greatly
> appreciated!
> 
> Jeff Dodson
> 
Jeff,

what exactly is wrong with the output you get? Your file compiles
perfectly here, I have no words sticking out in the margins. Also note
that in your example file ConTeXt will not be able to find any
hyphenation points because  these are not Greek words. I have never used
Dropped Caps, so I don't know whether there's any interference with the
ancientgreek module. The way you describe the problem, it simply looks
like (Con)TeX(t) just cannot find the right place to break lines; this
may happen if, e.g., your paragraphs are very narrow. So here's a couple
of questions and suggestions to help you troubleshoot:

1. Do you get any hyphenation in the Greek text at all (assuming you are
using "real" Greek text, not dummy text like in your sample)? Test with
something like 
\startgreek
\hyphenatedword{filosfo'umena}
\stopgreek

2. Check if patterns for ancient Greek are included in the format you
use. Go to the directory where your formats are located (kpsewhich
cont-en.fmt) and run
grep agr cont-en.log
Here's what I get on my box:
 grep agr cont-en.log
encoding        : coding agr is loaded
(/usr/local/share/texmf/tex/context/base/enco-agr.tex)
language        : patterns for agr not loaded
language        : patterns for agr not loaded
language        : patterns agr for agr loaded (n=24,e=agr,m=agr)
(/usr/local/share/texmf/tex/context/patterns/lang-agr.pat)
language        : hyphenations agr for agr loaded (n=24,e=agr,m=agr)
(/usr/local/share/texmf/tex/context/patterns/lang-agr.hyp)

3. Check that the patterns for ancient Greek are actually used when you
compile your file (I just see that there's a problem in my installation
on Suse 10.1 while everyhting works fine in Fedora Core 5:

grep agr testfile.log
>22->2:3 us->ec:ec->23->2:3 agr->agr:agr->24->2:3 da->ec:ec->25->2:3
sv->ec:ec-
[snip]

This is the line that shows that agr patterns are used.

4. If you do get hyphenation, try setting the tolerance a bit higher in
your preamble:

\setuptolerance[strict]

HTH

Thomas