Documentation for state

library/src/meta/counter.rs

@@ -165,6 +165,11 @@ use crate::prelude::*;
 ///   which one doesn't matter. After the heading follow two calls to `step()`,
 ///   so the final value is `{(6,)}`.
 ///
+/// ## Different kinds of state
+/// The `counter` function is closely related to [state]($func/state) function.
+/// Read its documentation for more details on state management in Typst and
+/// why it doesn't just use normal variables for counters.
+///
 /// ## Methods
 /// ### display()
 /// Display the value of the counter.
@@ -195,7 +200,7 @@ use crate::prelude::*;
 /// ### update()
 /// Update the value of the counter.
 ///
-/// Just like `step()`, the update only occurs if you put the resulting
+/// Just like with `step`, the update only occurs if you put the resulting
 /// content into the document.
 ///
 /// - value: integer or array or function (positional, required)
@@ -223,7 +228,7 @@ use crate::prelude::*;
 ///
 /// - location: location (positional, required)
 ///   Can be any location. Why is it required then? Typst has to evaluate parts
-///   of your code multiple times to find out all counter's values. By only
+///   of your code multiple times to determine all counter values. By only
 ///   allowing this method in [`locate`]($func/locate) calls, the amount of code
 ///   that can depend on the method's result is reduced. If you could call
 ///   `final` directly at the top level of a module, the evaluation of the whole

library/src/meta/state.rs

@@ -5,7 +5,231 @@ use typst::eval::Tracer;
 
 use crate::prelude::*;
 
-/// Handle stateful tasks.
+/// Manage stateful parts of your document.
+///
+/// Let's say you have some computations in your document and want to remember
+/// the result of your last computation to use it in the next one. You might try
+/// something similar the code below and would expect it to output 10, 13, 26,
+/// and 21. However this **does not work** in Typst. If you test this code, you
+/// will see that Typst complains with the following error message: _Variables
+/// from outside the function are read-only and cannot be modified._
+///
+/// ```typ
+/// #let x = 0
+/// #let compute(expr) = {
+///   x = eval(
+///     expr.replace("x", str(x))
+///   )
+///   [New value is #x. \ ]
+/// }
+///
+/// #compute("10")
+/// #compute("x + 3")
+/// #compute("x * 2")
+/// #compute("x - 5")
+/// ```
+///
+/// ## State and document markup
+/// Why does it do that? Because, in general, this kind of computation with side
+/// effects is problematic in document markup and Typst is upfront about that.
+/// For the results to make sense, the computation must proceed in the same
+/// order in which the results will be laid out in the document. In our simple
+/// example, that's the case, but in general it might not be.
+///
+/// Let's look at a slightly different, but similar kind of state: The heading
+/// numbering. We want to increase the heading counter at each heading. Easy
+/// enough, right? Just add one. Well, it's not that simple. Consider the
+/// following example:
+///
+/// ```example
+/// #set heading(numbering: "1.")
+/// #let template(body) = [
+///   = Outline
+///   ...
+///   #body
+/// ]
+///
+/// #show: template
+///
+/// = Introduction
+/// ...
+/// ```
+///
+/// Here, Typst first processes the body of the document after the show rule,
+/// sees the `Introduction` heading, then passes the resulting content to the
+/// `template` function and only then sees the `Outline`. Just counting up would
+/// number the `Introduction` with `1` and the `Outline` with `2`.
+///
+/// ## Managing state in Typst
+/// So what do we do instead? We use Typst's state management system. Calling
+/// the `state` function with an identifying string key and an optional initial
+/// value gives you a state value which exposes a few methods. The two most
+/// important ones are `display` and `update`:
+///
+/// - The `display` method shows the current value of the state. You can
+///   optionally give it a function that receives the value and formats it in
+///   some way.
+///
+/// - The `update` method modifies the state. You can give it any value. If
+///   given a non-function value, it sets the state to that value. If given a
+///   function, that function receives the previous state and has to return the
+///   new state.
+///
+/// Our initial example would now look like this:
+///
+/// ```example
+/// #let s = state("x", 0)
+/// #let compute(expr) = [
+///   #s.update(x =>
+///     eval(expr.replace("x", str(x)))
+///   )
+///   New value is #s.display(). \
+/// ]
+///
+/// #compute("10")
+/// #compute("x + 3")
+/// #compute("x * 2")
+/// #compute("x - 5")
+/// ```
+///
+/// State managed by Typst is always updated in layout order, not in evaluation
+/// order. The `update` method returns content and its effect occurs at the
+/// position where the returned content is inserted into the document.
+///
+/// As a result, we can now also store some of the computations in
+/// variables, but they still show the correct results:
+///
+/// ```example
+/// >>> #let s = state("x", 0)
+/// >>> #let compute(expr) = [
+/// >>>   #s.update(x =>
+/// >>>     eval(expr.replace("x", str(x)))
+/// >>>   )
+/// >>>   New value is #s.display(). \
+/// >>> ]
+/// <<< ...
+///
+/// #let more = [
+///   #compute("x * 2")
+///   #compute("x - 5")
+/// ]
+///
+/// #compute("10")
+/// #compute("x + 3")
+/// #more
+/// ```
+///
+/// This example is of course a bit silly, but in practice this is often exactly
+/// what you want! A good example are heading counters, which is why Typst's
+/// [counting system]($func/counter) is very similar to its state system.
+///
+/// ## Time Travel
+/// By using Typst's state management system you also get time travel
+/// capabilities! By combining the state system with [`locate`]($func/locate)
+/// and [`query`]($func/query), we can find out what the value of the state will
+/// be at any position in the document from anywhere else. In particular, the
+/// `at` method gives us the value of the state at any location and the `final`
+/// methods gives us the value of the state at the end of the document.
+///
+/// ```example
+/// >>> #let s = state("x", 0)
+/// >>> #let compute(expr) = [
+/// >>>   #s.update(x => {
+/// >>>     eval(expr.replace("x", str(x)))
+/// >>>   })
+/// >>>   New value is #s.display(). \
+/// >>> ]
+/// <<< ...
+///
+/// Value at `<here>` is
+/// #locate(loc => s.at(
+///   query(<here>, loc)
+///     .first()
+///     .location()
+/// ))
+///
+/// #compute("10")
+/// #compute("x + 3")
+/// *Here.* <here> \
+/// #compute("x * 2")
+/// #compute("x - 5")
+/// ```
+///
+/// ## A word of caution
+/// To resolve the values of all states, Typst evaluates parts of your code
+/// multiple times. However, there is no guarantee that your state manipulation
+/// can actually be completely resolved.
+///
+/// For instance, if you generate state updates depending on the final value of
+/// a state, the results might never converge. The example below illustrates
+/// this. We initialize our state with `1` and then update it to its own final
+/// value plus 1. So it should be `2`, but then its final value is `2`, so it
+/// should be `3`, and so on. This example display `4` because Typst simply
+/// gives up after a few attempts.
+///
+/// ```example
+/// #let s = state("x", 1)
+/// #locate(loc => {
+///   s.update(s.final(loc) + 1)
+/// })
+/// #s.display()
+/// ```
+///
+/// In general, you should _typically_ not generate state updates from within
+/// `locate` calls or `display` calls of state or counters. Instead pass a
+/// function to `update` that determines the value of the state based on its
+/// previous value.
+///
+/// ## Methods
+/// ### display()
+/// Display the value of the state.
+///
+/// - format: function (positional)
+///   A function which receives the value of the state and can return arbitrary
+///   content which is then displayed. If this is omitted, the value is directly
+///   displayed.
+///
+/// - returns: content
+///
+/// ### update()
+/// Update the value of the state.
+///
+/// The update will be in effect at the position where the returned content is
+/// inserted into the document. If you don't put the output into the document,
+/// nothing happens! This would be the case, for example, if you write
+/// `{let _ = state("key").update(7)}`. State updates are always applied in
+/// layout order and in that case, Typst wouldn't know when to update the state.
+///
+/// - value: any or function (positional, required)
+///   If given a non function-value, sets the state to that value. If given a
+///   function, that function receives the previous state and has to return the
+///   new state.
+///
+/// - returns: content
+///
+/// ### at()
+/// Get the value of the state at the given location.
+///
+/// - location: location (positional, required)
+///   The location at which the state's value should be retrieved. A suitable
+///   location can be retrieved from [`locate`]($func/locate) or
+///   [`query`]($func/query).
+///
+/// - returns: array
+///
+/// ### final()
+/// Get the value of the state at the end of the document.
+///
+/// - location: location (positional, required)
+///   Can be any location. Why is it required then? As noted before, Typst
+///   has to evaluate parts of your code multiple times to determine the values
+///   of all state. By only allowing this method in [`locate`]($func/locate)
+///   calls, the amount of code that can depend on the method's result is
+///   reduced. If you could call `final` directly at the top level of a module,
+///   the evaluation of the whole module and its exports could depend on the
+///   state's value.
+///
+/// - returns: array
 ///
 /// Display: State
 /// Category: meta