https://git.spwbk.site/swatson/modmark/raw/master/README.org
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* Modmark

  This repo encapsulates an attempt to develop a markup language for describing modular synth patches.

  In future, this scope may be expanded to make available a language for describing arbitrary audio and
  data routing across a wide array of devices.

** Current Status and Goals

   This software is currently a prototype. Right now the "compiler" is a Perl script that translates a
   =.modmark= file into a flowchart via Graphviz.

   A rough road map looks something like:
   - [X] Prototype compiler in Perl
   - [ ] Test and stabilize syntax/grammar/prototype compiler
     - [ ] Bug with connections where similar connection names are not resolved properly,
       resulting in duplicate or merged connections
     - [ ] Clean up module naming, should support =-= chars, possibly other chars
   - [ ] Implement modmark as a source-to-source compiler in Racket ( "Real" implementation )
     - [ ] Implement =import as= semantics for brevity
     - [ ] Implement =import Module::MakeNoise::*= semantics for brevity
     - [ ] Implement importing specific module revisions, ie: =import Module::MakeNoise::Wogglebug::Rev1=
     - [ ] Standardize input/knob labeling semantics:
       #+BEGIN_SRC
       - Input: Foo
       -- Position: [1,12]

       - Knob: Foo
       -- Position: [1,12]

       # Currently both of above "compile", and work as expected, in the case where a
       # module parameter has both a knob and an input. It may be better to only have one way?
       #+END_SRC
   - [ ] Develop libraries for as many modules as possible

** Purpose

   In the past I've found it difficult to discuss discrete details of modular patches on the internet. This
   arises, I believe, from the large amount of effort and time it takes to describe the intricacies of a modular
   patch in long form plain English. This prototype language is an attempt to address that problem.

   By specifying a concise syntax that favors brevity over absolute human-readability, the hope is to get more
   modular synth users to document their patches and enable more knowledge sharing across the community.

   I know of one other attempt to solve this problem: https://github.com/SpektroAudio/Patchbook

   My problem with Patchbook is that it still requires a lot of "boilerplate", in that you have to specify
   modules yourself. Modmark aims to offload this task by having the community describe modules in a Library format
   (=.module= files) that can then be imported. In this way, we can specify a module /once/ and then not have
   to do that work again the next time we'd like to use it in a patch.

** Syntax
*** A Module File
    [[file:./module_lib/maths.module][Make Noise Maths]]
   
*** A Patch
    [[file:./patches/example.modmark][Example Patch]]