[luatex] macros to invoke lua in LaTeX

[Heiko Oberdiek]

On Fri, Mar 06, 2009 at 08:48:49AM +0100, Hans Hagen wrote:

> 
> >There are quite some applications in LaTeX, that are based on
> >the possibility to redefine a primitive command, e.g.
> >\shipout is redefined in various packages (atbegshi, everyshi,
> >pdftex.def for background color, ...).
> >  Another application is debugging, e.g. \special is a candidate,
> >that can be redefined to print its contents to the .log file
> >additionally.
> >  All these wouldn't be possible, if \(pdf)primitive was used.
> 
> i assume that if the core engine uses \primitive\shipout that it doe 
> with a purpose; actually the core should provide a proper way to 
> overload its behaviour then;

In opposite to ConTeXt the core of LaTeX(2e) is frozen and
it doesn't provide proper ways. :-(

> i woul dnot be surprised that when packages 
> overload primitives, that when users load several in (an arbitrary) 
> order, problems show up anyway

Of course it would reduce the amount of trouble, if the core
would provide more proper ways. Perhaps LaTeX3 will be better.

Yours sincerely
  Heiko <oberdiek at uni-freiburg.de>