Multiple documents from a single dtx

Question

The DTX format allows to generate both the package code (.sty file) and documentation (.pdf file) from a single dtx file.

Is it possible to generate several PDFs (for example for different languages) from a single dtx file?

Answer 1

My answers is split in two parts: first I show how DTX files, i.e. docstrip tags, can be used to extract different parts for different language and then I discuss the issue that you have in a real DTX file for a package.

In general you can use the docstrip tags <*lang1> ... </lang1> to mark all file sections which contain the text for the first language etc., e.g. <*de> .. </de> for German. Then use a INS file (has you should already have for you DTX file) to extract this parts to a TEX file which can then be compiled separately. A "DTX" file which only holds these texts would look something like:

<*en>
 Hello!
</en>
<*de>
 Hallo!
</de>
<*klingon>
 Qapla’!
</klingon>
Common part

Then have a INS file like this:

\input docstrip.tex
\generate{%
  \file{<name>-en.tex}{\from{<name>.dtx}{en}}%
  \file{<name>-de.tex}{\from{<name>.dtx}{de}}%
  \file{<name>-klingon.tex}{\from{<name>.dtx}{klingon}}%
}

And compile it as follows:

tex <name>.ins
latex <name>-en
latex <name>-de
latex <name>-klingon

---

However, note that the normal documentation in a DTX file is commented out, so that it is not (and cannot) be extracted. If you want to have multiple languages in one DTX file you could use some if-switches in the documentation part and then have a small wrapper which sets this if-switch accordantly. I did something like this for my adjustbox package.

There I have at the beginning of the DTX file, just before \documentclass the following code which define the if-switch if it doesn't exists and sets it to true:

\expandafter\ifx\csname ifenglish\endcsname\relax
    \expandafter\newif\csname ifenglish\endcsname
    \englishtrue
\fi

In the document I use it like this:

\ifenglish
   Do you wish a cup of tea?    % (British) English
\else
   Wie willst du deinen Kaffee? % German (we drink coffee!)
\fi

Then at the end I have the following wrapper code which sets the if-switch to false which enables the German parts and simply inputs the DTX file. For this to work you need to use an explicit name in \DocInput{<name>.dtx} and not \jobname.

% \iffalse
%<*de>
%% Wrapper to set language to German.
\expandafter\newif\csname ifenglish\endcsname
\englishfalse
\input{adjustbox.dtx}
%</de>
% \fi

The INS file contains instructions to extract this to to a TEX file:

\input docstrip.tex
\generate{%
  \file{<name>.sty}{\from{<name>.dtx}{<name>.sty}}%
  \file{<name>-de.tex}{\from{<name>.dtx}{de}}%
}

Then to compile the manual in English run latex <name>.dtx, to extract the STY and other TEX file use: tex <name>.ins and then latex <name>-de to compile the German manual.

Answer 2

You can use .dtx file to generate several .tex files, and compile them separately. Then you'll get multiple documents.