Book: Many Pages with a very specific shared layout? (Web + PDF)

[cycomachead]

Description

I have a book, which is a reference manual for a programming language (@snap-cloud/manual)
In this book, I want to have ~200 pages, one page per function which essentially follow a common layout.

I was thinking I'd have some .qmd files which look like this:

---
toc: false
block_description: Moves a sprite a set number of steps (one coordinate) in whichever direction the sprite is facing
label: "move _ steps"
block_spec: "move %n steps"
help_screen: "forward.png"
selector: "forward"
type: command
category: motion
arguments:
  - name: distance
    type: number
    default: 10
    description: The distance to move forward
returns: None
exmaple_projects:
  - title: Example Project 1
    url: https://example.com/project1
example_images:
  - image: move_forward.png
    description: Move forward by 10 steps
---

# Move {.unnumbered}

{{< include ../_block.qmd >}}

The _block.qmd template mostly uses a much of {{< meta block_description >}} type replacements.

I have run into two issues, and a 3rd future problem.

1. The meta replacements do not seem to be rended in the process of compiling the PDF file.
2. I could use some more advanced things like loops over some keys.
3. Eventually, I'd also like to output some of this data as JSON.

What is the best way in Quarto to go abut this?

There seem to be templates, but I don't want to redo the entire book layout, just the contents for 1 type of page.
I've considered going for a pre-render script that uses something like Jinja or liquid to render qmd files with everything filled in... that (or a post-render script) would easily let me output JSON, too.

However, a pre-render script to essentially render to a custom format seems like an anti-pattern?

[mcanouil]

The meta replacements do not seem to be rended in the process of compiling the PDF file.

The PDF format is one single document contrary to the HTML format.

Maybe look at the "partials" Quarto extension: https://github.com/gadenbuie/quarto-partials
(Found on https://m.canouil.dev/quarto-extensions/)

[cycomachead]

Thanks! I think that might work.

The PDF format is one single document contrary to the HTML format.

Yeah, I get that... It wasn't clear from the docs whether this was intentional or not.

[mcanouil]

That's a constraint from LaTeX which requires a single document.
So the LaTeX processing (cross-reference, etc.) happens on the aggregated document.

Side note: don't close discussions, mark a reply as the answer if appropriate.