Width and height argtypes, kdesc --argtypes from ref/, txt @define/@left_right/@columns, kdiag --check value validation (from dev d6993110e9b3)

Also: the klammertext argtype (descriptions kept as source), txt table
wrapping and :hpos/:offset, @c between ‹ ›, txt section headings, the
ktext newline-only trim, capitalize(), and the argtype test suite.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <noreply@anthropic.com>

sks/block/block.k

@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ vertical mode is a no-op.
 
 # Indented block
 
-@@indent.k s :left.int 8 :right.int -1 :ragged.bool false :
-Indented block. The *left* and *right* values are the number of characters for
-indentation (as roughtly defined by "ex"). By default, *right* is set to the
-*left* value (with -1 as the sentinel).
+@@indent.k s :left.width 8 :right.width :ragged.bool false :
+Indented block. *left* and *right* are widths: a bare number is that many
+characters (the width of a digit in a proportional typeface), or a width
+with a unit such as 2em. *right* defaults to the *left* value.
 @@
 @@indent.html,tex,txt :: @eval block.Indent(K) eval@ @@
 
@@ -124,13 +124,12 @@ indentation (as roughtly defined by "ex"). By default, *right* is set to the
 @@extendpage.tex :: \enlargethispage{*linecount*\baselineskip} @@
 @@extendpage.txt :: @@
 
-
 # Vertical space
 
-@@vspace.k lines.float : Vertical space, in multiples of the current line height @@
-@@vspace.tex :: \vspace{*lines*\baselineskip} @@
-@@vspace.html :: <div style="height: *lines*lh"></div> @@
-@@vspace.txt :: @eval phases.txt_vspace_marker() * round(*lines*) @ @@
+# The first parameter of the height type: a bare number is lines in every
+# target (as it always was here), and a unit may now be given.
+@@vspace.k lines.height : Vertical space: a number of lines, or a height such as 2em @@
+@@vspace.html,tex,txt :: @eval block.Vspace(K) @ @@
 
 # Vertical fill to end of page
 
@@ -146,6 +145,10 @@ only makes some vertical space. @@
 @@vfill.html :: <div class="vfill"></div> @@
 @@vfill.txt :: @vspace 3 @ @@
 
+# Horizontal space
+@@hspace.k width.width : Horizontal space of the given *width* (a bare number is characters) @@
+@@hspace.html,tex,txt :: @eval block.Hspace(K) @ @@
+
 
 # Questions and answers
 
@@ -202,7 +205,7 @@ bar (|) between each line. Then, two bars (||), and the right lines with a bar
 betwen them.
 @@
 
-@@left_right.html,tex :: @eval block.Left_right(K) @ @@
+@@left_right.html,tex,txt :: @eval block.Left_right(K) @ @@
 
 
 # Footnote

sks/block/block.py

@@ -11,35 +11,56 @@ from html_util import E
 import color
 
 class Indent(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
+    """An indented block (@indent).  :left and :right are widths: a bare
+    number is characters in every target (2026-09-16); :right defaults to
+    :left."""
     def __init__(self, K):
         super().__init__(K)
-        # Doesn't do anything now:
-        # self.s = kutil.escape(self.s)
-        if self.right < 0:
+        if not self.right:
             self.right = self.left
-        self.reduce = self.left + self.right
 
     def html(self):
         text_align = "justify" if not self.ragged else "left"
+        left = kutil.parse_width("html", self.left)[0]
+        right = kutil.parse_width("html", self.right)[0]
         return E("div").body(self.s)\
-                       .sty("margin", f"0.5rem {self.right}ex 0.5rem {self.left}ex")\
+                       .sty("margin", f"0.5rem {right} 0.5rem {left}")\
                        .sty("text-align", text_align)\
                        .str()
     def tex(self):
         if self.ragged:
             self.s = "\\raggedright " + self.s
-        result = rf"\hspace*{{{self.left}ex}}" + latex_util.minipage(
-            self.s, rf"\linewidth - {self.reduce}ex", center=False)
+        left = kutil.parse_width("tex", self.left)[0]
+        right = kutil.parse_width("tex", self.right)[0]
+        result = rf"\hspace*{{{left}}}" + latex_util.minipage(
+            self.s, rf"\linewidth - {left} - {right}", center=False)
         result = latex_util.block(result)
         return result
 
     def txt(self):
-        indent = phases.txt_nbsp_marker() * self.left  # a space that survives
-        width = int(self.Target_txt_width) - self.left - self.right + 1 # Off-by one for textwrap
-        result = self.s
-        result = re.sub("KK0022", '"', result)
-        result = indent + f"\n{indent}".join(textwrap.wrap(result, width=width, break_on_hyphens=True))
-        return result
+        left = int(kutil.parse_width("txt", self.left)[0])
+        right = int(kutil.parse_width("txt", self.right)[0])
+        indent = phases.txt_nbsp_marker() * left  # a space that survives
+        width = int(self.Target_txt_width) - left - right
+        result = re.sub("KK0022", '"', self.s)
+        return phases.txt_lay_out(indent + f"\n{indent}".join(phases.txt_wrap(result, width)))
+
+class Hspace(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
+    """Horizontal space (@hspace): a width, so a bare number is characters
+    in every target."""
+    def __init__(self, K):
+        super().__init__(K)
+
+    def html(self):
+        return f'<span style="display: inline-block; width: {kutil.parse_width("html", self.width)[0]}"></span>'
+
+    def tex(self):
+        return f"\\hspace{{{kutil.parse_width('tex', self.width)[0]}}}"
+
+    def txt(self):
+        # The nbsp marker, not spaces: an @eval result of only whitespace
+        # is trimmed away entirely.
+        return phases.txt_nbsp_marker() * int(kutil.parse_width("txt", self.width)[0])
     
 
 class Note(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
@@ -106,6 +127,26 @@ class Lines(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
     def txt(self):
         return self.lines
 
+class Vspace(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
+    """Vertical space (@vspace): the first parameter of the height type.  A
+    bare number is lines in every target, as it always was here; a unit
+    (2em, 12pt) is now accepted as well, under html and tex."""
+    def __init__(self, K):
+        super().__init__(K)
+
+    def html(self):
+        height = kutil.parse_height("html", self.lines)[0]
+        return f'<div style="{kutil.css_height("height", height)}"></div>'
+
+    def tex(self):
+        return f"\\vspace{{{kutil.parse_height('tex', self.lines)[0]}}}"
+
+    def txt(self):
+        # One marker per line; the justification phase turns them into
+        # blank lines after paragraph normalization (a whitespace-only
+        # @eval result would be trimmed away, hence the markers).
+        return phases.txt_vspace_marker() * int(kutil.parse_height("txt", self.lines)[0])
+
 class Left_right(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
     def __init__(self, K):
         super().__init__(K)
@@ -126,3 +167,23 @@ class Left_right(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
             result += rf"\parbox{{\linewidth}}{{{left} \hfill {right}}}" + " \\\\\n"
         result = result[:-3]
         return result
+
+    def txt(self):
+        # Plain text: the left text at the block indent, the right text ending
+        # at Target_txt_width, the gap filled with the nbsp marker (the only
+        # space that survives to the output, and what marks the block as laid
+        # out).  A pair that cannot share a line -- less than two columns
+        # between them -- goes on two lines, the right text still flush right.
+        nbsp = phases.txt_nbsp_marker()
+        indent = int(self.Target_txt_indent)
+        width = int(self.Target_txt_width)
+        lines = []
+        for left, right in self.rows:
+            left, right = left.strip(), right.strip()
+            gap = width - indent - phases.txt_visible_length(left) - phases.txt_visible_length(right)
+            if gap >= 2:
+                lines.append(nbsp * indent + left + nbsp * gap + right)
+            else:
+                lines.append(nbsp * indent + left)
+                lines.append(nbsp * max(indent, width - phases.txt_visible_length(right)) + right)
+        return phases.txt_lay_out("\n".join(lines))

sks/code/code.k

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ string, so a "^#" or a bare "^@" inside it was read as Klammertext and usually
 failed the file, which is not what "verbatim" can mean.
 @@
 
-@@c.html,tex :: @eval code_block.Code_fragment(K) eval@
+@@c.html,tex,txt :: @eval code_block.Code_fragment(K) eval@
 @@
 
 # :cwd makes the filename resolve against the DOCUMENT's directory, not

sks/code/code_block.py

@@ -349,6 +349,18 @@ class Code_fragment(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
     def tex(self):
         return f"{{\\tt {tex_line(self.code_text.strip())}}}"
 
+    def txt(self):
+        # Plain text has no face to switch to: the fragment is its own text.
+        # As in html_line/tex_line, the Klammertext specials are quoted for
+        # the @eval read-back (a bare "@" in the result would be a klammer
+        # without a beginning) and the typographically active characters
+        # hidden, so a "--" in code stays two hyphens.
+        result = klammer_base.hide_typographic(quote_specials(self.code_text.strip()))
+        # Surround code symbols with ‹ and ›, though there are conflicts in Swiss
+        # German, Italian and some Scandinavian languages. Should be clear in
+        # context, though.
+        result = "\u2039" + result + "\u203A"
+        return result
 
 def extract_marked_region(src, marker, filename):
     """The region of `src` between two lines that are exactly "//<marker>".

sks/image/image.k

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 @@image.k
   basename
   :id
-  :width.length .5w
+  :width.width .5w
   @caption_args@
   :vmargin.bool true
   @hpos_args@

sks/image/image.py

@@ -76,12 +76,16 @@ class Image(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
 
         # kutil.msg("rel: " + str(self.rel_fraction))
 
-        length,  value, ltype = kutil.parse_length("html", self.width, self.rel_fraction)
+        length,  value, ltype = kutil.parse_width("html", self.width, self.rel_fraction)
         if ltype == "w":
             percent = float(value) * 100
             result.sty(f"width: {percent}%")
-        else:
+        elif ltype == "px":
+            # The html width ATTRIBUTE takes pixels only; every other unit
+            # is a style (an attribute of "2em" was silently ignored).
             result.attr("width", length)
+        else:
+            result.sty(f"width: {length}")
 
         if self.border:
             result.cls("image_border")
@@ -124,7 +128,7 @@ class Image(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
         #if self.caption or self.number:
         #    width = "\\textwidth"
         #else:
-        width = kutil.parse_length("tex", self.width, self.rel_fraction)[0]
+        width = kutil.parse_width("tex", self.width, self.rel_fraction)[0]
         width = re.sub("px", "pt", width)
         #result = f'\\includegraphics[width={width}]{{{source}}}'
         if self.number or self.caption:

sks/kutil/kutil.k

@@ -14,6 +14,34 @@
   #  :python_cast (lambda s : __import__("kutil").parse_length("tex", s))
 @@@
 
+# Lengths on an axis (2026-09-16).  A width and a height are different
+# types so that a value can only name a unit of its own axis: "w" and "pw"
+# belong to widths, "h" and "ph" to heights, and a mistake is an argument
+# error rather than a silent misreading.  A BARE NUMBER is the natural
+# unit of the axis in every target -- characters for a width (a column in
+# txt, "ch" in html, the width of a digit in tex), lines for a height (a
+# newline in txt, "lh" in html, \baselineskip in tex) -- which is what lets
+# a klammer written for the page keep its meaning in a terminal.  "length"
+# stays for the quantities with no axis (a rule thickness).
+@@@argtype width |
+  a horizontal length.  A bare number is that many characters (one column
+  of plain text; in a proportional typeface, the width of a digit, so an
+  indent or a column lines up across lines even where the letters do not).
+  Otherwise a number with a unit: ^:width 2em, 12pt, 100px, .5w (that
+  fraction of the text width), .5pw (of the page width); f or none for an
+  element's natural width; a quoted string, whose set width is used where
+  the target can measure it.
+  :pattern 'float'^|'float'em^|'int'pt^|'int'px^|'float'w^|'float'pw^|f^|none^|"[^^"]+"
+@@@
+
+@@@argtype height |
+  a vertical length.  A bare number is that many lines (blank lines in
+  plain text; the line height of the surrounding text otherwise).
+  Otherwise a number with a unit: ^:height 2em, 12pt, 100px, .5h (that
+  fraction of the text height), .5ph (of the page height).
+  :pattern 'float'^|'float'em^|'int'pt^|'int'px^|'float'h^|'float'ph
+@@@
+
 @@@argtype lengths | a list of lengths
   :pattern ('length'^|\s+)*
   #:python_cast (lambda s : [__import__("kutil").parse_length("tex", e) for e in s.split()])
@@ -37,15 +65,18 @@
   An offset has no meaning for a centered element and is ignored there.
   Written alone, ^:offset is the standard indentation (e.g. ^:hpos left
   ^:offset), and a value overrides it (^:hpos right ^:offset 4em).
-  # A single-purpose type, not a use of "length", because the two values
+  # A single-purpose type, not a use of "width", because the two values
   # below are what the writer relies on and only a type can carry them: an
   # element is flush unless an offset is asked for (:default), and asking
   # without saying how much is the standard indentation (:alone).  A general
-  # length type must not declare :alone -- a bare option name has to read the
-  # same way wherever it appears, and "2em" is meaningless for :width.
-  :pattern 'length'
-  :default 0pt
-  :alone 2em
+  # width type must not declare :alone -- a bare option name has to read the
+  # same way wherever it appears, and "4" is meaningless for :width.
+  # Both values are BARE numbers -- characters -- so that they mean the same
+  # thing under txt as on the page (2026-09-16): four characters is about
+  # the 2em the alone value used to be, and 0 is flush everywhere.
+  :pattern 'width'
+  :default 0
+  :alone 4
 @@@
 
 

sks/kutil/kutil.py

@@ -112,10 +112,27 @@ def _rest_split_level(s, dimensions):
 def rest_args(s, dimensions=1):
     return rest_split(s, dimensions)
 
-def parse_length(target, s, rel_fraction):
-    def choose(html_value, tex_value):
+def parse_length(target, s, rel_fraction=1, axis="width"):
+    """A length argument as the target's own length.
+
+    Returns (text, number, unit).  `axis` is "width" or "height" and gives
+    a BARE number its meaning -- characters or lines, the natural unit of
+    the axis in every target (sks/kutil/kutil.k, the width and height
+    argtypes): under txt the integer count itself; under html "ch" and
+    "lh" (a consumer of "lh" writes the em fallback first, see
+    css_height); under tex the width of a digit in the current font
+    (\\fontcharwd) and \\baselineskip.  `target` "txt" is accepted for the
+    bare units only, since plain text has no other.
+    """
+    def choose(html_value, tex_value, txt_value=None):
+        if target == "txt" or target == "ansi":
+            if txt_value is None:
+                unit = "characters" if axis == "width" else "lines"
+                raise Exception(f'The {axis} "{s}" has no meaning in plain text: '
+                                f'give a bare number of {unit}')
+            return txt_value
         return html_value if target == "html" else tex_value
-    pat = re.compile(r'(?:([0-9.]+)([a-z]+))|(none|f)|(?:"([^"]+)")')
+    pat = re.compile(r'(?:([0-9.]+)([a-z]*))|(none|f)|(?:"([^"]+)")')
     #pat = re.compile(r'(?:([0-9.]+)([a-z]+))|(none|f)|(?:{([^}]+)})')
 
 
@@ -138,6 +155,14 @@ def parse_length(target, s, rel_fraction):
             result = choose("", f"\\textwidth - \\widthof{{  {text[1:]}}}")
         else:
             result = choose("", f"\\widthof{{  {text}}}")
+    elif units == "":
+        # The natural unit of the axis.
+        if axis == "height":
+            result = choose(f"{num}lh", f"{num}\\baselineskip", str(round(num)))
+            units = "lines"
+        else:
+            result = choose(f"{num}ch", f"{num}\\fontcharwd\\font`0 ", str(round(num)))
+            units = "ch"
     elif units == "w":
         result = choose(f"{100 * num}vw", f"{num}\\textwidth")
     elif units == "h":
@@ -149,11 +174,31 @@ def parse_length(target, s, rel_fraction):
     elif units == "px":
         result = choose(f"{round(num)}", f"{num}px")
     else:
-        result = f"{num}{units}"
+        # em, pt: the same text in html and tex; none in plain text.
+        result = choose(f"{num}{units}", f"{num}{units}")
     result = re.sub("\t", "\\t", result)
     return result, num, units
 
 
+def parse_width(target, s, rel_fraction=1):
+    return parse_length(target, s, rel_fraction, "width")
+
+def parse_height(target, s, rel_fraction=1):
+    return parse_length(target, s, rel_fraction, "height")
+
+def css_height(prop, value):
+    """A CSS declaration for a height from parse_height's html text.  The
+    "lh" unit is recent (2023 in every major browser); an older browser
+    ignores a declaration it cannot parse and keeps the previous one, so
+    the em equivalent is written FIRST and lh second -- the standard
+    fallback idiom, no detection needed."""
+    if value.endswith("lh"):
+        # A short decimal, not the float's full expansion (1.5 * 1.2 is
+        # 1.7999999999999998 in binary).
+        em = f"{float(value[:-2]) * 1.2:.4g}"
+        return f"{prop}: {em}em; {prop}: {value}"
+    return f"{prop}: {value}"
+
 def old_parse_length(target, s):
     pat = re.compile(r'(?:([0-9.]+)([a-z]+))|(none|f)|("([^"]+)")')
     match = pat.match(s)

sks/list/list.k

@@ -3,14 +3,24 @@
   :value 7
 @@@
 
-@@ul.k list_items.rest :cmp.bool false :bullet : Unordered list, with list elements preceeded by the *bullet* character. @@
+@@ul.k list_items.rest :cmp.bool false :bullet :
+  Unordered list, with list elements preceeded by the *bullet* character. @@
+
 @@ul.html,tex,txt :: @eval list.List(K, "ul") eval@ @@  
 
-@@ol.k list_items.rest :cmp.bool false :initial.int 1 : Ordered list, with numbered list elements. @@
+@@ol.k list_items.rest :cmp.bool false :initial.int 1 :
+  Ordered list, with numbered list elements. @@
+
 @@ol.html,tex,txt :: @eval list.List(K, "ol") eval@ @@
 
-@@define.k descriptions.rest(2) :style.style_code i : A list of words or phrases and their definitions or descriptions @@
-@@define.html,tex :: @eval list.Define(K) eval@ @@
+@@define.k descriptions.rest(2) :style.style_code i :
+  A list of words or phrases and their definitions or descriptions @@
 
-@@columns.k items :n.int 2 : Create two or more columns from the text @@
-@@columns.tex :: @eval list.columns(K) eval@ @@
+@@define.html,tex,txt :: @eval list.Define(K) eval@ @@
+
+@@columns.k items :n.int 2 :style.style_code r @hpos_args :hpos left @ :
+  Create two or more columns from the text.  Placed like a table: flush at
+  the left by default, ^:offset inset from that margin (a bare number is
+  characters). @@
+
+@@columns.html,tex,txt :: @eval list.Columns(K) eval@ @@

sks/list/list.py

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import re
 import textwrap
 import kutil
 import klammer_base
+import phases
 import itertools
 import math
 from html_util import E
@@ -81,17 +82,42 @@ class Define(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
                     'c' : r'\normalfont\ttfamily',
                     's' : r'\normalfont\sffamily'}[self.style]
             return f"{font} {s}"
-        # The "\hfill\newline" was to force the description to the next line even if the item was small:
-        # result = "\n\n".join([f"\\item[{{{fontify(term)}}}]\\hfill\n\\newline {definition}"
-        strut = r"\rule[-8pt]{0pt}{8pt}"
+        strut = r"\rule[-4pt]{0pt}{4pt}"
         result = "\n\n".join([f"\\item[{{{fontify(term)}{strut}}}] {definition}"
                               for term,definition in self.items])
-        result = f"\\begin{{description}}[labelindent=12pt,nosep,itemsep=6pt,parsep=.5\\parskip,style=nextline]\n{result}\n\\end{{description}}"
+        options = "style=nextline"  # See list/list.sty
+        result = f"\\begin{{description}}[{options}]\n{result}\n\\end{{description}}"
         return result
 
-# Needs to be implemented:
-#    def txt(self):
-#        return "TXT DEFINITIONS"
+    def txt(self):
+        # Plain text: each term on its own line at the block indent, its
+        # definition beneath it indented once more, items separated by a
+        # blank line.  Every line begins with the nbsp marker, which is what
+        # tells the justification pass the block is already laid out
+        # (phases.txt_justify_blocks); a definition's own paragraphs are
+        # wrapped to the remaining measure, and a paragraph that is already
+        # laid out (it begins with the marker -- a @table inside the
+        # definition) is only indented further.  The term takes :style as
+        # italic or bold, the styles a terminal can show.
+        nbsp = phases.txt_nbsp_marker()
+        indent = int(self.Target_txt_indent)
+        term_indent, def_indent = nbsp * indent, nbsp * (2 * indent)
+        measure = int(self.Target_txt_width) - 2 * indent
+        style = {"i": "italic", "b": "bold"}.get(self.style)
+        items = []
+        for term, definition in self.items:
+            term = term.strip()
+            if style and term:
+                term = phases.txt_style_marker(style) + term + phases.txt_style_marker(style, False)
+            paragraphs = []
+            for par in re.split(r"\n\s*\n", definition.strip()):
+                if phases.txt_is_laid_out(par):
+                    paragraphs.append("\n".join(def_indent + line for line in par.split("\n")))
+                else:
+                    paragraphs.append("\n".join(def_indent + line
+                                                for line in phases.txt_wrap(par, measure)))
+            items.append(term_indent + term + "\n" + "\n\n".join(paragraphs))
+        return phases.txt_lay_out("\n\n".join(items))
 
 
 class Lines(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
@@ -114,30 +140,32 @@ class Lines(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
         return self.s.strip()
 
 
+class Columns(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
+    def __init__(self, K):
+        super().__init__(K)
 
-def make_column_lists(lst, count):
-    cols = math.ceil(len(lst) / count)
-    result = []
-    for i in range(count):
-        #print(i * cols, (i + 1) * cols)
-        result.append(lst[i * cols : (i+1) * cols])
-    return list(itertools.zip_longest(*result, fillvalue=""))
+    def make_column_lists(self):
+        lst = [f"@{self.style} {e} {self.style}@" for e in self.items.split()]
+        cols = math.ceil(len(lst) / self.n)
+        result = []
+        for i in range(self.n):
+            result.append(lst[i * cols : (i+1) * cols])
+        return list(itertools.zip_longest(*result, fillvalue=""))
 
-def xmake_column_lists(lst, column_count):
-    count = len(lst)
-    row_count = math.ceil(count / column_count)
-    print(count, column_count, row_count)
-    i = 0
-    while i < count:
-        i += 1
+    def columns(self):
+        rows = self.make_column_lists()
+        result = (f"@table :header false :number false :leading 1.0 "
+                  f":hpos {self.hpos} :offset {self.offset} |\n")
+        for row in rows:
+            result += " | ".join(row) + " ||\n"
+        result += "table@\n"
+        return result
+    
+    def html(self):
+        return self.columns()
 
-def columns(K):
-    rows = make_column_lists(K.items.split(), K.n)
-    result = "@table\n"    # :lines false :header_line false :leading 1.1 :vmargin false |\n"
-    for row in rows:
-        #print("row:", row)
-        result += " | ".join(row) + " ||\n"
-    result += "table@\n"
-    if K.K_target == "latex":
-        result = f"\\vspace*{{-12pt}}\n{result}"
-    return result
+    def tex(self):
+        return self.columns()
+
+    def txt(self):
+        return self.columns()

sks/list/sty/list.sty

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 \setlistdepth{9}
 \renewlist{enumerate}{enumerate}{9}
 \renewlist{itemize}{itemize}{9}
-\setlist{topsep=0pt, partopsep=0pt, parsep=2pt, itemsep=0pt}
+\setlist{topsep=0pt, partopsep=0pt, parsep=.5\parskip, itemsep=0pt, labelindent=8pt, leftmargin=16pt}
 \setlist[enumerate]{label*=\arabic*.}
 \setlist[itemize,1]{label=\textbullet}
 \setlist[itemize,2]{label=\normalfont\bfseries\textendash}

sks/section/section.k

@@ -2,56 +2,53 @@
 # the front and back matter of a book):
 
 @@preface.k :id :name Preface : Preface text @@
-@@preface.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, "preface") eval@ @@
+@@preface.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, "preface") eval@ @@
 
 # Numbered section headings:
 
 @@part.k title :id :name Part : Part heading @@
-@@part.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 0) eval@ @@
+@@part.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 0) eval@ @@
 
 @@s1.k title :id :n : Top level division, numbered  @@
-@@s1.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 1) eval@ @@
-
-# Temporary hack for testing txt target; need to number section headings.
-@@s1.txt :: *title* @@
+@@s1.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 1) eval@ @@
 
 @@s2.k title :id :n : Second level division, numbered  @@
-@@s2.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 2) eval@ @@
+@@s2.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 2) eval@ @@
 
 @@s3.k title :id :n : Third level division, numbered  @@
-@@s3.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 3) eval@ @@
+@@s3.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 3) eval@ @@
 
 @@s4.k title :id :n : Fourth level division, numbered  @@
-@@s4.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 4) eval@ @@
+@@s4.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 4) eval@ @@
 
 @@s5.k title :id :n : Fifth level division, numbered  @@
-@@s5.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 5) eval@ @@
+@@s5.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 5) eval@ @@
 
 @@s6.k title :id :n : Sixth level division, numbered  @@
-@@s6.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 6) eval@ @@
+@@s6.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 6) eval@ @@
 
 @@s7.k title :id :n : Seventh level division, numbered  @@
-@@s7.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 7) eval@ @@
+@@s7.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 7) eval@ @@
 
 # Unnumbered section headings:
 
 @@h1.k title :id :n : Top level division, unnumbered @@
-@@h1.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 1, numbered=False) eval@ @@
+@@h1.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 1, numbered=False) eval@ @@
 
 @@h2.k title :id : Second level division, unnumbered @@
-@@h2.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 2, numbered=False) eval@ @@
+@@h2.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 2, numbered=False) eval@ @@
 
 @@h3.k title :id : Third level division, unnumbered @@
-@@h3.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 3, numbered=False) eval@ @@
+@@h3.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 3, numbered=False) eval@ @@
 
 @@h4.k title :id    : Fourth level division, unnumbered @@
-@@h4.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 4, numbered=False) eval@ @@
+@@h4.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 4, numbered=False) eval@ @@
 
 @@h5.k title :id    : Fifth level division, unnumbered @@
-@@h5.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 5, numbered=False) eval@ @@
+@@h5.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 5, numbered=False) eval@ @@
 
 @@h6.k title :id    : Sixth level division, unnumbered @@
-@@h6.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 6, numbered=False) eval@ @@
+@@h6.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 6, numbered=False) eval@ @@
 
 @@h7.k title :id    : Seventh level division, unnumbered @@
-@@h7.html,tex :: @eval section.Section(K, 7, numbered=False) eval@ @@
+@@h7.html,tex,txt :: @eval section.Section(K, 7, numbered=False) eval@ @@

sks/section/section.py

@@ -72,6 +72,5 @@ class Section(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
         result = f"%__sectionlink__{id}__{self.title}__" + "\n" + result
         return result
 
-# Need to implement the procedural numbering for the txt target
-#    def txt(self):
-#        return self.title
+    def txt(self):
+        return f"@b {self.title} @"

sks/table/table.k

@@ -232,3 +232,10 @@ column.
 
 @@tbl.k spec.figure_id : The caption title for a table @@
 @@tbl.html,tex,txt :: @reference *spec* | Table @ @@
+
+#[
+@@columns.k rows.rest :  A minimal table without a caption, header, or lines @@
+@@columns.html,tex,txt ::
+  @table rows :number false :header false @
+@@
+]#

sks/table/table.py

@@ -978,32 +978,71 @@ class Table(klammer_base.Klammer_base):
                 return (phases.txt_style_marker(STYLE[code]) + cell
                         + phases.txt_style_marker(STYLE[code], False))
             return cell
-        widths = self.txt_column_widths()
+        # A cell is one line of text: a newline written inside it is
+        # whitespace, as it is in html and tex.
+        rows = [[re.sub(r"\s*\n\s*", " ", cell) for cell in row] for row in self.rows]
+        widest = self.txt_column_widths()
         pos = [hpos(p) for p in self.cell_hpos]
-        result = ""
-        indent = txt_util.NBSP * int(self.Target_txt_indent)
-        colsep = "  "
-        # Horizontal lines are the same rule as the other targets (:hline,
-        # defaulting to under the header row and at the bottom when the
-        # table has a header): a rule of hyphens the width of the table at
-        # each boundary that has a line.  A line over part of the columns
-        # is drawn full width here -- a partial rule in a plain-text table
-        # reads as an accident.  Vertical lines have no plain-text form.
-        # The hyphens are HIDDEN (KTESC markers): a klammer's result is
-        # re-read as Klammertext and the txt target's dash transforms turn
-        # "--" into "-", so a bare run of hyphens came out a fraction of
-        # its length.  (The caption rule escapes this by being drawn in a
-        # phase, after the transforms.)
-        rule = (indent + klammer_base.hide_typographic(
+        # Placement under txt (2026-09-16): an explicit :hpos left takes its
+        # indent from :offset (characters; 0 = flush), :hpos none flows with
+        # no indent, and anything else -- including the default, center --
+        # keeps the block convention, Target_txt_indent.  (Centering and
+        # right-alignment are not attempted: a block that shifts with the
+        # width of its widest row reads as an accident in plain text.)
+        if self.hpos == "left":
+            indent = txt_util.NBSP * int(kutil.parse_width("txt", self.offset)[0])
+        elif self.hpos == "none":
+            indent = ""
+        else:
+            indent = txt_util.NBSP * int(self.Target_txt_indent)
+        colsep = "   "
+        # Column widths, by the same rules as the other targets
+        # (:column_width): 'fit' is the widest entry; a fraction is that part
+        # of the text width; '*' takes the remaining width; 'fill' takes the
+        # remaining width but no more than its widest entry -- and, unlike a
+        # 'fit' column, its cells WRAP to that width (2026-09-13; until then
+        # the txt table never wrapped a cell, so a description column ran off
+        # the page).  Several fill/'*' columns share the remainder in
+        # proportion to their widest entries.
+        text_width = (int(self.Target_txt_width) - int(self.Target_txt_indent)
+                      - len(colsep) * (self.row_size - 1))
+        specs = extend(self.column_width, self.row_size)
+        widths = [0] * self.row_size
+        for i, w in enumerate(specs):
+            if w in ("fit", "f"):
+                widths[i] = widest[i]
+            elif w not in ("fill", "*"):
+                widths[i] = max(1, int(float(w) * text_width))
+        flexible = [i for i, w in enumerate(specs) if w in ("fill", "*")]
+        if flexible:
+            remaining = max(len(flexible), text_width - sum(widths))
+            total = sum(max(1, widest[i]) for i in flexible)
+            for i in flexible:
+                share = max(1, remaining * max(1, widest[i]) // total)
+                widths[i] = min(share, widest[i]) if specs[i] == "fill" else share
+        wrapped = {i for i, w in enumerate(specs) if w not in ("fit", "f")}
+        mark = phases.txt_verbatim_marker()   # each line: already laid out
+        rule = (mark + indent + klammer_base.hide_typographic(
             "-" * (sum(widths) + len(colsep) * (len(widths) - 1))) + "\n")
-        for row_i, row in enumerate(self.rows):
+        result = ""
+        for row_i, row in enumerate(rows):
             if row_i in self.s_hline.by_index:
                 result += rule
-            result += indent + colsep.join(
-                [pad(styled(elt, row_i, cell_i), width, align)
-                 for cell_i, (elt, width, align) in enumerate(zip(row, widths, pos))])
-            result += "\n"
-        if len(self.rows) in self.s_hline.by_index:
+            # Each cell becomes its lines: wrapped to the column's width in a
+            # wrapping column, one line otherwise; the row is as tall as its
+            # tallest cell, short cells padded with empty lines.
+            cell_lines = []
+            for cell_i, (elt, width) in enumerate(zip(row, widths)):
+                text = styled(elt, row_i, cell_i)
+                lines = phases.txt_wrap(text, width) if cell_i in wrapped and text else [text]
+                cell_lines.append(lines or [""])
+            height = max(len(lines) for lines in cell_lines)
+            for n in range(height):
+                result += mark + indent + colsep.join(
+                    [pad(lines[n] if n < len(lines) else "", width, align)
+                     for lines, width, align in zip(cell_lines, widths, pos)])
+                result += "\n"
+        if len(rows) in self.s_hline.by_index:
             result += rule
         result = txt_util.add_caption(
             result, "Table", self.number, self.caption, self.caption_side, \

sks/target/html_util.py

@@ -223,11 +223,11 @@ def hpos_container(element, hpos, offset=None):
     # coded, and only in html.)
     styles = []
     if hpos not in ("left", "center", "right", "none"):
-        length, _, _ = kutil.parse_length("html", hpos, 1)
+        length, _, _ = kutil.parse_width("html", hpos)
         styles.append(f"margin-left: {length}")
         hpos = "indent"
     if offset and offset not in ("0", "0pt") and hpos in ("left", "right", "indent"):
-        length, _, _ = kutil.parse_length("html", offset, 1)
+        length, _, _ = kutil.parse_width("html", offset)
         side = "right" if hpos == "right" else "left"
         styles.append(f"padding-{side}: {length}")
     result = E("div").cls("hpos_" + hpos).body(element)

sks/target/latex_util.py

@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ def minipage(content, width="\\textwidth", vertical="c", center=True, vmargin=""
 
 def offset_length(offset):
     r"""An :offset as a LaTeX length, or "0pt" when there is none."""
-    if not offset or offset in ("0", "0pt"):
+    if not offset or offset in ("0", "0pt", "0.0"):
         return "0pt"
-    return kutil.parse_length("tex", offset, 1)[0]
+    return kutil.parse_width("tex", offset)[0]
 
 def offset_space(offset):
     r"""An :offset as an \hspace*, or "" when there is none."""
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def caption_wrapper(element, hpos, bottom_margin=0, offset=None):
         return minipage("\\hfill" + element + inset, vmargin=vmargin, center=False)
     if hpos == "none":
         return element
-    length, _, _ = kutil.parse_length("tex", hpos, 1)
+    length, _, _ = kutil.parse_width("tex", hpos)
     return minipage(f"\\hspace*{{{length}}}" + element + "\\hfill",
                     vmargin=vmargin, center=False)
 

sks/target/phases.py

@@ -25,6 +25,26 @@ def txt_vspace_marker():
 def txt_nbsp_marker():
     return "__KTEXTNBSP__"
 
+# A ZERO-WIDTH mark that says "this line is already laid out" (2026-09-16).
+# The justification pass takes a paragraph beginning with a space or the
+# nbsp marker as verbatim, and until now that was the only way a block
+# could say so -- which broke the moment a block was flush left: a @table
+# with :hpos left :offset 0 (what @columns emits) began with its first
+# cell, so its rows were re-flowed into one line.  A block that lays itself
+# out puts this at the start of every line (txt_lay_out); it is nothing to
+# txt_visible_length and is removed at the end of txt_justify_blocks.
+def txt_verbatim_marker():
+    return "__KTEXTVERBATIM__"
+
+def txt_lay_out(text):
+    """text with every line marked as already laid out."""
+    mark = txt_verbatim_marker()
+    return "\n".join(mark + line for line in text.split("\n"))
+
+def txt_is_laid_out(par):
+    """True for a paragraph the justification pass must leave alone."""
+    return par.startswith((" ", txt_nbsp_marker(), txt_verbatim_marker()))
+
 # The type-style markers, emitted by @b.txt, @i.txt, @u.txt and @ri.txt
 # (sks/font/font.k) around their text.  Plain text has no bold, but a
 # terminal does: the txt target STRIPS these in its last phase
@@ -68,7 +88,7 @@ def txt_visible_length(s):
     """How many columns s occupies once its markers resolve: a KTESC
     marker is one glyph, an nbsp marker one space, a style marker nothing.
     len() is the wrong measure for anything laid out (see txt_util)."""
-    s = _STYLE_MARKER_RGX.sub("", s)
+    s = _STYLE_MARKER_RGX.sub("", s).replace(txt_verbatim_marker(), "")
     return len(klammer_base.unescape_ktesc(s).replace(txt_nbsp_marker(), " "))
 
 def txt_wrap(text, width, subsequent_indent=""):
@@ -159,7 +179,7 @@ def txt_justify_blocks(text, K):
         # branch that had nothing to do also did not copy the text through.
         # An indented paragraph vanished from the output with no error.
         nbsp = txt_nbsp_marker()
-        if par and par[0] != ' ' and not par.startswith(nbsp):
+        if par and not txt_is_laid_out(par):
             label = re.match("(?:" + re.escape(nbsp) + r")*\[\d+\] ", par)
             par = "\n".join(txt_wrap(
                 par, int(K.Target_txt_width),
@@ -167,6 +187,7 @@ def txt_justify_blocks(text, K):
         result += par + "\n\n"
     result = re.sub(" *" + txt_vspace_marker() + " *", "\n", result)
     result = re.sub(r"\n? *" + txt_nl_marker() + r" *\n?", "\n", result)
+    result = result.replace(txt_verbatim_marker(), "")
     result = result.replace(txt_nbsp_marker(), " ")
     return result
 

sks/target/target.k

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ of this: neither the transforms nor the quoting reach it.
 
 @@@state Target_txt_indent
   :desc Width of indentation in the plain text target (txt)
-  :value 3
+  :value 2
 @@@
 
 # The txt target is not fully implemented in the SKS yet.
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ of this: neither the transforms nor the quoting reach it.
   --- -- |
   ``  "  |
   ''  "  |
-  `   `  |
+  `   '  |
   '   '  |
   ~   __KTEXTNBSP__
   :after_apply