Frank Mittelbach wrote: > I do want to try my hand on setting up some templates for headings and for > that the first step is to define a suitable > > \DeclareObjecttype{headings}{?} > > The initial question here is what are the arguments this object type should > carry? for that I hope some of you can help with some thoughts. > > Note that each of the mandatory arguments could well be receiving \NoValue > from the outside and or disregard the argument altogether in most document > classes. So we do have somepossibilities and we need to weight them as whether > something is too esoteric or okay to be made part of the standard even if, > say, it will only get used in 10% of the cases. > > Here is my current list of candiates: > > - title of the heading > - title version to go in the TOC > - title version to go in the running header > - subtitle of the heading (e.g., an author name, copyright notice ...) > - motto/quote text to display alongside the heading title > - flag to number heading > > do we need a way to specify that something is send to the TOC or to the > running header and if so how do we do that? > > what else is missing or which of the above aren't sensible in the first place? > <snip> In the memoir class (all LaTeX2e syntax) I have: o Book and Part divisions, plus user commands for creating new part-like title pages. There are hooks for adding book/part titles to running heads. (The Book division was at the request of a French user who needed a level above Part, which I understand to be not atypical in French books). o For \chapter through \subparagraph two optional args for ToC and running header and the mandatory text title. o For \chapter* an optional arg for running head. No number and no ToC entry. o For \section* through \subparagraph* just required arg. No number and no ToC or running head. o A \chapterprecis{<text>} for a synopsis of a chapter which will also go into the ToC. Or you can have a synopsis, just in the text, just in the ToC, or different ones in each. (This has also been used for author information instead). In the ToC a synopsis or author entry needs its own kind of formatting. o An \epigraph{<text>}{<source>} command which can be used anywhere. Typically at the start of a chapter (before or after the title). Remember that the TeXbook has epigraphs at the end of chapters. o Separately, declarations to switch off/on numbering of unstarred \chapter...\subparagraphs. Given the above, which has seemed to cover authors needs, I suggest that any equivalents of \chapterprecis and \epigraph be kept separate from the title and numbering controls for the divisions. They are used rarely and would only clutter a heading specification. BTW I have seen author information placed at the end of a section/chapter rather than with the title. Thinking about author information there could be quite a lot of it: Authors names, affiliations, where and when originally published, permission to reproduce, ... Peter W.