This file contains an unsorted list of tasks to be done on the
MetaPost manual.  Feel free to add new, move or remove finished
items.

Where to put new items?
-----------------------
Section 'Wanted For Release' contains items that we want to be
finished before the next release.  Even minor issues can and
should be added here.

Items in section 'Mid Term Issues' have no dead-line, but should
be self-contained enough to be done independent from other stuff.

Items in section 'Long Term Issues' are less actively worked on.
The reason they are less actively worked on is not lack of
importance, but lack of developer resources.  Nevertheless, they
are on the agenda.  Contributions are welcome!

How to pick items?
------------------
You can indicate interest or active work on an item by putting your
initials in parenthese in front of that item and checking the
modified TODO file into the repository.  That way, anybody who is
subscribed to the metapost-commits list is notified of your
interest.  Additionally, it is wise to communicate that you're
working on an issue (you didn't remember adding yourself) on the
mp-implementors list or alternatively the metapost list.


*****************************
***   Wanted For Release  ***
*****************************

* Discussion of floating point vs. fixed point numbers:

  + needs complete review of the manual ...

  + description of new command-line option

* Describe PNG backend.

* Describe prescriptpart/postscriptpart.

* Describe envelope primitive/macro.




*****************************
***   Short term issues   ***
*****************************

Integrating Text and Graphics:
* Fix bad description of prologues in table ivartab.
* Move discussion of prologues to sec. workflow2.

Advanced Graphics:
* Describe turningnumber (mention differences in sec. 'MetaPost
  Versus METAFONT').

Notes on the MetaPost Workflow:
* Describe variables jobname, charcode.

Reference Manual:
* Describe environment variables and configuration files.

Legacy Information:
* Cite original Hobby papers.




*****************************
***   Mid Term Issues     ***
*****************************

Introduction:
* Revise introduction.

Integrating Text and Graphics:
* Completely revise this section and consolidate information
    scattered around mpman.
* More information and examples on alternatives for calling TeX
    or LaTeX from within MetaPost.
* Revise (and add more) flow charts for MetaPost workflow.
* Describe whitespace handling of verbatimtex/btex/etex.
* Why is verbatimtex\end{document}etex "safer", cf. sec. 13.1?
* Discuss difference between "draw <pic> withpen" and
    "label(<pic>, ...) withpen" (when label bug is fixed).

Advanced Graphics:
* Add a sub-section discussing colours.
* Colour cars and change code example in section piccomp.

Reference Manual:
* Describe missing variables, constants, and operators.
* Add description of interaction mode.

Legacy Information:
* Describe mpware (currently scattered around in mpman).




*****************************
***   Long Term Issues    ***
*****************************

Title page:
* Add decent title graphics.

Reference Manual:
* Review presentation of primitives and plain macros in appendix A.
* Build reference manual automatically from mp.web (as a separate manual?).

General:
* Make mpman self-contained (no need to look-up sth. in 'The MetaFontbook').
* Make manual sources compatible with preview mode (Emacs).
* Make manual sources LaTeX2e conform.
* Make manual sources look nice in Emacs (AUCTeX font-locking).
* Review overall layout of the manuals (type area, float placement,
  listing presentation etc.)

