Changes

Modules are extensions to ConTeXt's core functions.

There are not as many modules for ConTeXt as packages for LaTeX, because a lot of LaTeX package features are in ConTeXt's core.

The installation of extra files in TeX (called modules in ConTeXt) can be difficult

but their existence depends on the TeX distribution; among these, texmf-local is the most common.

When you want to install a new module which is available as file only create

context --generate

Users of the ConTeXt standalone (formerly "minimals") distribution don't have to download the module files and unzip them in the local directory, because they can use the <tt>first-setup</tt> script for this.

(some of these are obsolete...)

As of 2020-06-06, the ConTeXt LMTX distribution does not provide a built-in way to install or update modules. However, (something like) the following can be used to install and update all modules together with the rest of the distribution. The snippet must be run from the toplevel directory of the ConTeXt LMTX distribution, i.e. the directory that contains <tt>install.sh</tt>.

sh ./install.sh

TeX Live is a large TeX distribution for most Linux and BSD based operating systems. It provides binaries and many other files necessary to run TeX and its flavors. Many ConTeXt modules are included.

* context-vim

When you load a module with <code>\usemodule[modulename]</code> ConTeXt looks for a file with the following names:

<code>\usemodule[<prefix>][modulename]</code>

* {{code|bibl-bib.lua}} ({{src|bibl-bib.mkiv}}): [[Bibliography]] (maintained by Taco)

* {{code|m-zint}} ({{src|m-zint.mkiv}}): Generate barcodes using [http://www.zint.org.uk zint.exe]

For a list of contributed modules see [http://tlcontrib.metatex.org/ tlcontrib] and/or [http://modules.contextgarden.net the modules section] on contextgarden.net.

* [[Modules/Maps|maps]] Articles for [http://www.ntg.nl/maps.html MAPS], the publication of NTG (Nederlandstalige TeX Gebruikersgroep or Netherlands TeX Group)

All modules should start with a block containing ''meta information'' about that module.

There is a [[module template]] available to help setting up that header correctly.

After releasing a module its namespace[s] should be registered in the [[Module_Namespaces#List_of_Module_Namespaces|list]] for other module authors to know.

Each module should have an associated XML specification file

(as in [http://source.contextgarden.net/tex/context/interface/cont-en.xml /tex/context/interface/cont-en.xml]).

the [[Mailing list|mailing list]].

Source files are supposed to contain explanatory comments that document

implementation details and other peculiarities the reader should be

Go there for examples of the output.)

<!-- This info is obsolete, the section could be kicked out, doesn’t it? -->

Prior to release ''2005.05.25'', ConTeXt silently truncated all file names in <cmd>usemodule</cmd> commands to 8 characters long and lowercased them to "prevent cross platform problems with filenames". Thus, module files that are to be used with older versions of ConTeXt must have filenames that fit those restrictions, or they will (somewhat cryptically) not be found.