Subversion Repositories wimsdev

!endif

!endif

<h2>Symtext documentation</h2>

<h2>Symtext documentation</h2>

!href cmd=help&special_parm=symtext,list List of symtext styles

!href cmd=help&special_parm=symtext,list List of symtext styles

<p>

<p>

Symtext is a natural language parsing syntax. It is designed to make it

Symtext is a natural language parsing syntax. It is designed to make it

easier to identify different ways to say the same thing in natural language,

easier to identify different ways to say the same thing in natural language,

and its main purpose is for the recognition of freely typed or composed

and its main purpose is for the recognition of freely typed or composed

correct use of this feature can solve most of the problems related to typing

correct use of this feature can solve most of the problems related to typing

errors and unexpected answers.

errors and unexpected answers.

</li>

</li>

</ul>

</ul>

How it works</h3>

How it works</h3>

<p>

<p>

Symtext deals with the problem of comparing two sentences. The first is the

Symtext deals with the problem of comparing two sentences. The first is the

<em>sample</em> which is typically the answer given to an exercise. It is

<em>sample</em> which is typically the answer given to an exercise. It is

compared to the second sentence, the <em>tester</em>, which is typically the

compared to the second sentence, the <em>tester</em>, which is typically the

characters will be reduced to one space.

characters will be reduced to one space.

</p><p>

</p><p>

A set of basic <em>builtin rules</em> are defined in the symtext syntax. For

A set of basic <em>builtin rules</em> are defined in the symtext syntax. For

example, the rule <span class="tt">[Iperm:x,and,y]</span> matches both samples "x and y"

example, the rule <span class="tt">[Iperm:x,and,y]</span> matches both samples "x and y"

<pre>neither [Aperm:[Alt:I,me,we,us],nor,our teacher]</pre>

<pre>neither [Aperm:[Alt:I,me,we,us],nor,our teacher]</pre>

matches the following 8 cases.

matches the following 8 cases.

</p><p>

</p><p>

"neither I nor our teacher", "neither our teacher nor I", "neither me nor

"neither I nor our teacher", "neither our teacher nor I", "neither me nor

the whole sample. Match does not occur if the tester only matches a part of

the whole sample. Match does not occur if the tester only matches a part of

the sample. However, wildcard rules can be included in the tester if part of

the sample. However, wildcard rules can be included in the tester if part of

the sample needs to be ignored.

the sample needs to be ignored.

</p>

</p>

<b>Definitions</b>. <ul>

<b>Definitions</b>. <ul>

<li>A <em>tstring</em> is a succession of <em>atoms</em>.

<li>A <em>tstring</em> is a succession of <em>atoms</em>.

</li><li>An <em>atom</em> is either a <em>word</em>, a <em>bracket block</em> or

</li><li>An <em>atom</em> is either a <em>word</em>, a <em>bracket block</em> or

a positional macro name.

a positional macro name.

Syntax of the matching rule: <span class="tt">[rule_name:parameters]</span>.

Syntax of the matching rule: <span class="tt">[rule_name:parameters]</span>.

<em>rule_name</em> must start with the first character of the block, it must

<em>rule_name</em> must start with the first character of the block, it must

be a valid rule name, and the colon must immediately follow the name (no

be a valid rule name, and the colon must immediately follow the name (no

spaces inserted). Otherwise the block will be treated as a normal tstring

spaces inserted). Otherwise the block will be treated as a normal tstring

</p><p>

</p><p>

<em>Parameters</em> is a comma-separated list of strings. Each parameter can

<em>Parameters</em> is a comma-separated list of strings. Each parameter can

be a tstring itself (hence can contain nested subrules), except in some

be a tstring itself (hence can contain nested subrules), except in some

special cases of builtin rules where some of the parameter has a special

special cases of builtin rules where some of the parameter has a special

equivalent to <span class="tt">[Wild:* *]</span>, etc. A block falls into this category if

equivalent to <span class="tt">[Wild:* *]</span>, etc. A block falls into this category if

the first character is a '<span class="tt">*</span>'.

the first character is a '<span class="tt">*</span>'.

</ul>

</ul>

<p>

<p>

</p><p>

</p><p>

Any parameter may include the comma character, as long as it is enclosed by

Any parameter may include the comma character, as long as it is enclosed by

</p>

</p>

!read tabletheme

!read tabletheme

!set wims_backslash_insmath=yes

!set wims_backslash_insmath=yes

$table_header

$table_header

$table_hdtr

$table_hdtr

<th>name</th>

<th>name</th>

<th>Effect</th>

<th>Effect</th>

<th>Detail</th>

<th>Detail</th>

</tr>

</tr>

$table_tr

$table_tr

<td>Alt</td>

<td>Alt</td>

<td>Dic</td>

<td>Dic</td>

<td align=middle>\(1)</td>

<td align=middle>\(1)</td>

<td>Dictionary check</td>

<td>Dictionary check</td>

<td><span class="tt">[Dic:wordtype transitive verb]</span> matches any word or group of

<td><span class="tt">[Dic:wordtype transitive verb]</span> matches any word or group of

words that is defined in the dictionary "wordtype", with a definition that

words that is defined in the dictionary "wordtype", with a definition that

Note. No word transformation is performed on the parameter of this rule.

Note. No word transformation is performed on the parameter of this rule.

</td></tr>

</td></tr>

$table_tr

$table_tr

<td>Dperm</td>

<td>Dperm</td>

arbitrary words. For example, <br/>

arbitrary words. For example, <br/>

<span class="tt">[Wild:* * **3]</span> matches between 2 to 5 words (inclusive).

<span class="tt">[Wild:* * **3]</span> matches between 2 to 5 words (inclusive).

</td></tr>

</td></tr>

$table_end

$table_end

<p>

<p>

A style corresponds to a directory and its contents. Under WIMS, the style

A style corresponds to a directory and its contents. Under WIMS, the style

can either be shared among all modules in the public_html/scripts/symtext

can either be shared among all modules in the public_html/scripts/symtext

directory, or be special to one module, in the module's directory.

directory, or be special to one module, in the module's directory.

</p><p>

</p><p>

The style must contain an index file, named <span class="tt">def</span>. It defines the

The style must contain an index file, named <span class="tt">def</span>. It defines the

basic configuration choices of the style. Every line of the file is a

basic configuration choices of the style. Every line of the file is a

</p><p>

</p><p>

The <span class="tt">def</span> file must contain a definition <span class="tt">style_exists=yes</span>,

The <span class="tt">def</span> file must contain a definition <span class="tt">style_exists=yes</span>,

otherwise the existence of the style will not be recognized. All the rest is

otherwise the existence of the style will not be recognized. All the rest is

optional.

optional.

</p><p>

</p><p>

It may contain a definition of <em>option</em>, that lists option words that

It may contain a definition of <em>option</em>, that lists option words that

</p><p>

</p><p>

It can also define general dictionaries using the name

It can also define general dictionaries using the name

<em>dictionaries</em>. The value must be a list of words, each corresponding

<em>dictionaries</em>. The value must be a list of words, each corresponding

to a dictionary file in the style. The number of general dictionaries is

to a dictionary file in the style. The number of general dictionaries is

if one of the items in the definition is equal to the value given in the

if one of the items in the definition is equal to the value given in the

parameter of the rule.

parameter of the rule.

</p>

</p>

The command line program <em>symtext</em> is specially built for WIMS, so that

The command line program <em>symtext</em> is specially built for WIMS, so that

all the input data are sent through environment variables. It can also be

all the input data are sent through environment variables. It can also be

used as a standalone program, but in this case it is better that a wrapper

used as a standalone program, but in this case it is better that a wrapper

script be used to put the input-output into a more *nix flavor.

script be used to put the input-output into a more *nix flavor.

<th>Comments</th>

<th>Comments</th>

</tr>

</tr>

$table_tr

$table_tr

<td>wims_exec_parm</td>

<td>wims_exec_parm</td>

<td>The main data input</td>

<td>The main data input</td>

<ul>

<ul>

 <ul>

 <ul>

  <li><span class="tt">match</span> check matching.

  <li><span class="tt">match</span> check matching.

  </li>

  </li>

  <li><span class="tt">debug</span> check matching with debug information.

  <li><span class="tt">debug</span> check matching with debug information.

  </li>

  </li>

</td></tr>

</td></tr>

$table_tr

$table_tr

<td>module_dir</td>

<td>module_dir</td>

<td>Directory to current module</td>

<td>Directory to current module</td>

then w_symtext must give the complete path of the style.

then w_symtext must give the complete path of the style.

</td></tr>

</td></tr>

$table_tr

$table_tr

<td>w_module_language</td>

<td>w_module_language</td>