ikiwiki/doc/forum/Formatting_algorithms.mdwn

I'm using ikiwiki for a software project, and in the design process one of the things I sometimes write  
algorithms. It doesn't happen much, but for components of functional nature it's very useful.

I've been thinking how to write them in the wiki. I can use a numbered list and manually make  
keywords __bold__, but it's not optimal. I could also use plain text formatting and indent using tabs,  
but again there is no highlighting of any keywords or formatting of structures.  
Before I do that, I'd like to know if there are better options.

One option I know is LaTeX, which has some very nice packages. You write pseudo-code which looks  
very much like source code, and the result looks great, very readable and high quality.

I saw the [[plugins/teximg]] plugin, but the explanation there is poor: Does the plugin handle things  
that aren't formulas? Could it work with a LaTeX document or with an algorithm environment?

Of course, of you have other suggestions I'll be happy to hear. I want to make a careful choice before  
I start writing many algorithms :-)

> You may try to see if you can select a pseudo-code languages in one of the
> highlight plugins ([[plugins/contrib/highlightcode]],
> [[plugins/contrib/sourcehighlight]], [[plugins/highlight]], other ?). The
> list of supported languages with the [[plugins/highlight]] plugin is
> [[here|http://www.andre-simon.de/doku/highlight/en/langs.php]], and if you
> cannot find your languages, I think you can define your own
> [[here|http://www.andre-simon.de/doku/highlight/en/plugins.php]].
>
> -- [[Louis|spalax]]

>> Thanks, I looked at it. I don't think there's any special language for algorithms
>> (anyway I couldn't find any), but for the record I found the following possibilities:
>>
>> 1. LaTeX: Not very readable in source form, but could be highlighted, didn't try
>> 2. Writing in a subset of Python/Pascal/Fortran and using their highlighting
>> 3. Define a new highlight syntax
>>
>> What about [[plugins/teximg]]? If it can be used to generate algorithms from LaTeX, it would be
>> an easy excellent solution.
>>
>> --[[fr33domlover]]

> [[plugins/teximg]] is the best thing that currently exists. Since it isn't
> enabled on this wiki, and the author's ikiwiki has disappeared, I put one of
> the test formulas into a private test wiki of mine. Here's a screenshot:
> <http://imgur.com/nT6mefx>
> 
> I think it would be great if someone [[wrote a
> plugin for something nicer|todo/Add_nicer_math_formatting]]. -- [[Jon]]

>> [[plugins/teximg]] is fine for math (al least for GUI browsers, I didn't try with w3m etc.),
>> but what I'm looking for is a solution for formatting **algorithms**. If teximg can help
>> with that, great, otherwise there's the 3 workarounds I mentioned above.
>>
>> Do you have any ideas not mentioned? :-)
>>
>> -- [[fr33domlover]]