collatex-critical

collatex-critical helps scholars prepare critical editions from multiple textual witnesses, producing outputs suitable for publication.

Unlike python-collatex, which focuses on column-based difference visualization in XML, SVG, or HTML, collatex-critical produces Markdown, PDF, HTML, and LaTeX outputs where the majority reading appears in the main text, and variant readings are recorded in footnotes or endnotes.

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Features

• Multi-witness collation with clear footnote apparatus
• Output in Markdown, PDF, HTML, and LaTeX
• Supports multiple transliteration schemes: Devanagari, IAST, SLP1
• Integrates seamlessly with CollateX
• Designed specifically for critical editions and scholarly texts

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Installation

From PyPI

pip install collatex-critical

From GitHub (development version)

pip install git+https://github.com/drdhaval2785/collatex-critical.git

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Dependencies

1. Java - Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version 8 or higher is needed to run Collatex jar file.

2. CollateX (1.7.1 or later) Download here. Example: collatex-tools-1.7.1.jar

3. Pandoc Install from https://pandoc.org/installing.html

4. Indic Transliteration

   pip install indic-transliteration
   

   Provides indic_transliteration Python library and sanscript CLI tool.

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Project Structure

input/projectName/devanagari
input/projectName/iast
input/projectName/slp1

output/projectName/devanagari
output/projectName/iast
output/projectName/slp1

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Setting Up a Project

1. Place witness texts in input/projectName/devanagari.

2. Name witness files according to precedence:

   • Less than 10 witnesses: 1.txt, 2.txt, 3.txt …
   • 10 or more witnesses: 01.txt, 02.txt, 03.txt …

3. File order indicates descending precedence (first file = highest authority).

4. Make sure that collatex-tools/1.7.1/collatex-tools-1.7.1.jar is in the same folder as generate.sh file.

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Running the Project

collatex-critical generate projectId

It generates output MD files for slp1, devanagari and iast transliteration.

• projectName.md, projectName.pdf, projectName.tex, projectName.html are generated in output/projectName/devanagari/ and also similar files in iast and slp1 folders.

collatex-critical generate projectId -t telugu,tamil,slp1

comma separated transliteration schemes for specific transliterations. Supported ones are devanagari, telugu, tamil, kannada, bengali, gurmukhi, velthuis, wx, itrans, slp1, iast.

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Collation Logic

1. Majority Rule: Reading preferred by the majority appears in the main text; others appear in footnotes.
2. Tie-Breaker: If no clear majority, the order of precedence determines the main reading (01.txt > 02.txt > …).

The choice of the most faithful witness is left to the editor’s discretion (e.g., oldest, most accurate, or scholarly judgment).

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Example output

PDF

HTML

Contributing

Contributions are welcome:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/my-feature
3. Commit your changes: git commit -m "Add feature"
4. Push your branch: git push origin feature/my-feature
5. Open a pull request

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License

GNU GPL v3.0. See LICENSE for details.

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