ConTeXt XML: How do I typeset blank lines, leading spaces

Question

I have the following example, where one <Line> is blank and one has leading spaces. ConTeXt is ignoring the blank line and trimming the leading spaces. How do I turn this off?

\startbuffer[demo]
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Reading>
<Header>Foo</Header>
<Line>Line #1</Line>
<Line>Line #2</Line>
<Line></Line>
<Line>  Line #3</Line>
</Reading>
\stopbuffer

\startxmlsetups xml:initialize
  \xmlsetsetup{#1}{*}{-}
  \xmlsetsetup{#1}{Book|Reading|Header|Line}{xml:*}
\stopxmlsetups

\xmlregistersetup{xml:initialize}

\startxmlsetups xml:Reading
  \startdocument
    \xmlflush{#1}
  \stopdocument
\stopxmlsetups

\startxmlsetups xml:Line
    \xmlflush{#1}\par
\stopxmlsetups

\xmlprocessbuffer{main}{demo}{}

I'm sure you are aware of it, but for other readers it might be interesting to point out that there is an exhaustive XML manual for ConTeXt. See also The definitive guide to ConTeXt MkIV documentation. — Henri Menke, Jan 20 '19 at 05:39

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 19 '19 at 19:18

Use \xmlflushspacewise to obey spaces and newline inside the nodes and use \dontleavehmode before so that successive \par can't be collapsed.

\startbuffer[demo]
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Reading>
<Header>Foo</Header>
<Line>Line #1</Line>
<Line>Line #2</Line>
<Line></Line>
<Line>  Line #3</Line>
</Reading>
\stopbuffer

\startxmlsetups xml:initialize
  \xmlsetsetup{#1}{*}{-}
  \xmlsetsetup{#1}{Book|Reading|Header|Line}{xml:*}
\stopxmlsetups

\xmlregistersetup{xml:initialize}

\startxmlsetups xml:Reading
  \startdocument
    \xmlflush{#1}
  \stopdocument
\stopxmlsetups

\startxmlsetups xml:Line
    \dontleavehmode\xmlflushspacewise{#1}\par
\stopxmlsetups

\xmlprocessbuffer{main}{demo}{}

ConTeXt XML: How do I typeset blank lines, leading spaces

1 Answers1