MKR language introduction (two pages)

# KEHOME/doc/MKRintro.txt
# Mar/5/2003

#=======================#
# MKR introduction      #
# version 5.1           #
#                       #
# Richard H. McCullough #
#=======================#

An MKR proposition has the format
 at context { sentence };
where context is
 space=s, time=t, view=v
and sentence is
 subject verb object prepositionphrase;
View names the context, which is a list of
propositions.  A context is normally stored in
an entity-characteristic-proposition hierarchy.

The details of sentence structure depend on
the five types of sentence 
 statement
 question
 command
 assignment
 control statement
and the seven types of verb
 definition isa, iss, isu (& preposition "with")
 alias  is
 part  haspart
 attribute has
 action  do, do*  (& terminator "done")
 relation isa, iss, isu
 interaction causes
There are many other MKR relations, not shown here.

The basic seven statements are
 subject isa object with essential characteristics;
 subject is object;
 subject haspart part = partvalue;
 subject has attribute = value;
 subject do action = event
  with action characteristics
  out action products
  od action direct objects
  from initial characteristics
  to final characteristics
  done;
 subject rel object;
 event:1 causes event:2

The question format is the same as a statement,
with one or more elements replaced by a question
mark.  For example
 subject has ?;
 subject do ? done;

The command format is the same as an action statement,
with the subject omitted.  For example
 do classfiy od unknown to view done;

The assignment format is the same as an attribute statement,
with the subject omitted, and "has" replace by "set" or "unset".
For example
 set charformat = column;
 unset debug;

The two control statement formats are
 if propositionlist:1
  then propositionlist:2
  else propositionlist:3
 fi;
 every variable rel concept { propositionlist };

There are special definition formats for
 method
 relation (n-ary) 
 hierarchy
which are not shown here.

The comment format begins with "#" and extends to end of line.
For example
 MKRintro.txt has                   # this document
   author="Richard H. McCullough",  # dc:creator
   date="March 5, 2003";            # today

For more details see
 KEHOME/doc/MKRgrammar.txt
 KEHOME/doc/MKRtoken.txt
 KEHOME/doc/MKEtutorial.txt
============ 
Dick McCullough 
knowledge := man do identify od existent done;
knowledge haspart proposition list;