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computers / comp.text.tex / Plain TeX TOC Macros

Plain TeX TOC Macros

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Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2023 16:43:02 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: Plain TeX TOC Macros
From: texuser@gmail.com (Bob Kerstetter)
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by: Bob Kerstetter - Fri, 3 Nov 2023 23:43 UTC

After using LaTeX for 20-ish years, I am attempting to learn TeX, starting with macros for the document structure and table of contents.
Document section titles format and print as expected.
The \jobname.toc file contains the same page number for every entry.
The toc does not show up in the document.

I have searched here, the general web, stack,Tugboat archives. I have also read docs for ePlain, OPmac, plus other. Of course, I have read The TeXBook..

I am a journalist by education and practice, but I developed software some in Basic years ago. I use the Templar static site generator for my website, so I have a tiny bit of Perl knowledge. The point being, I am not a programmer, but somewhat tuned in to development ways and means.

The sample contains everything. Using \show did not help.

%start macros
% open toc file
\newwrite\TOCfile
\immediate\openout\TOCfile=\jobname.toc

\def\writeTOC#1#2{%
\immediate\write\TOCfile{#2\quad\leaders\hbox{.}\hfill#1\par}%
}

% input toc
\def\toc{%
\closeout\TOCfile
\input \jobname.toc
}