# [NTG-context] integral symbol

Alan Braslau alan.braslau at cea.fr
Wed Dec 28 18:14:11 CET 2016

Hi Hans, Hi list,

This is similar to what we have discussed earlier on this list and
elsewhere regarding \over vs. \frac. (I agree with Knuth that {a \over
b} is *much* more readable in running source code than \frac{a}{b} but
have resigned myself to use \frac{}{}, as this can be made better
behaved and gives a much better result.)

Other traditional TeX constructs like \int^a_b have their charm (and
need to remain supported, just like is \over), but I support
introducing and encouraging the use of new constructs like your example
below. An alternative syntax (that could co-exist) would be admitting
$\left\int ... \right.$, but I do not know what limitations there might
be with both the (luatex) engine and with ConTeXt.

The problem with extensions, like always, in straying from traditional
TeX is interchangeability of code, or, more importantly, in the
learning curve obstacles that this introduces to traditional TeX (and
LaTeX) thinking. I know that at some level we do not care, for we often
make (good) design choices that improve the syntax of ConTeXt.

Perhaps we can use this thread to discuss other cases (like \sum, ...)
that present difficulties and then decide on good solutions.

Just a suggestion.

Alan

On Wed, 28 Dec 2016 17:42:39 +0100
Hans Hagen <pragma at wxs.nl> wrote:

> The problem with integrals is that they don't adapt because they are
> not wrapped as delimiters (like left/right stuff). If \int were a
> command taking an argument it would be easier. As in:
>
>
> \starttext
>
> \setupmathextensible[integral][rightoffset=-3mu,exact=yes,factor=2]
>
> \startlines
> \ruledhbox{$\integral f\frac{1}{2}$}
> \ruledhbox{$\integral[factor=1] f\frac{1}{2}$}
> \ruledhbox{$\integral[factor=3] f\frac{1}{2}$}
> \stoplines
>
> \startformula
>      a =
>      \autointegral{t}{b}1 +
>      \autointegral{t}{b}{\frac{\frac{3}{4}}{\frac{1}{2}}} +
>      \autointegral{t}{b}{\frac{\frac{\frac{\frac{1}{2}}{2}}{2}}{2}}
> \stopformula
>
> \stoptext

--
Alan Braslau
CEA DSM-IRAMIS-SPEC
CNRS UMR 3680
Orme des Merisiers
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tel: +33 1 69 08 73 15
fax: +33 1 69 08 87 86
mailto:alan.braslau at cea.fr