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pym4

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A GNU m4 1.4 compatible macro processor written in pure Python: no compiler, no m4.exe, no dependencies.

pym4 follows GNU m4's expansion model (rescanning, argument collection, quoting, comments, diversions) and implements the GNU builtins, including eval, regexp/patsubst with GNU regex semantics, translit, format, include and M4PATH. The shell builtins syscmd and esyscmd are disabled on purpose.

It was written to run Circuit Macros without installing GNU m4, and is one part of a pure-Python toolchain:

Package Replaces Role
pym4 GNU m4 m4 → pic
pppic dpic -p pic → PSTricks
m4cmpy m4cm.py m4 → PDF / PNG / JPG / SVG / EPS

Install

pip install pym4

Use

Command line (a subset of GNU m4's options):

pym4 [-I DIR] [-D NAME[=VALUE]] [-U NAME] [-Q] [-o OUTPUT] [FILE ...]
pym4 -I path/to/circuit_macros examples/circuit.m4

Python:

from pym4 import M4Lite, expand

print(expand("define(`greet', `Hello, $1!')greet(`world')"))

m4 = M4Lite(include_dirs=["path/to/circuit_macros"])
pic = m4.expand(open("circuit.m4").read(), "circuit.m4")

Tests

python -m unittest discover -s tests -v

CI also checks that pym4 gives the same output as GNU m4 for the files in examples, including a Circuit Macros diagram.

Licence

GPL-3.0-or-later; see LICENSE. pym4 reproduces the behaviour of GNU m4, Copyright (C) Free Software Foundation, Inc.

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