CTAN update: xpackages - ctan-ann

5 Jan 2011

      i'm hoping the daemon's coup de grace, for the day, is:
...
The following information was provided by the package's contributor.
Name of contribution: xpackages
Author's name: LaTeX3 Project
Location on CTAN: /macros/latex/contrib/xpackages
Summary description: High-level LaTeX3 concepts
License type: lppl
Announcement text given by the package's contributor:

The xpackages bundle: high-Level LaTeX3 concepts
The xpackages are experimental, high-level parts of LaTeX3. They
are designed to provide a link between the programming system 
(expl3) and the user. Each xpackage is focussed in a different
area, for example creating document commands (xparse), 
producing flexible formatting functions (xtemplate), etc.
At present, the xpackages are designed to be loaded on top 
of LaTeX2e:
usepackage{xparse}
  usepackage{xtemplate}
  usepackage{xcoffins}
In time, a LaTeX3 format will be produced based on this code.
This allows the code to be used in LaTeX2e packages now while a
stand-alone LaTeX3 is developed.
To use the xpackages, you will need to have the expl3 package
available. This provides the LaTeX3 coding environment on which
the xpackages are built.

This release (SVN 2119)
This release adds a first CTAN snapshot of the xcoffins
package. The xcoffins package allows the alignment of boxed 
materials using a series of handle positions, supplementing
the single TeX reference point. At present, the basic coffin
concept is secure but further work may take place on
functionality and interface as the package is applied to a
variety of design scenarios.

The LaTeX3 Project
thanks for the upload.  i've installed the new stuff, and made a
preliminary stab at cataloguing the xcoffins detail (i will review that
work tomorrow, in the cold light of day).
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Users may view the package catalogue entry at
  http://www.tex.ac.uk/tex-archive/help/Catalogue/entries/xpackages.html
or they may browse the package directory at
  http://www.tex.ac.uk/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/xpackages/
The catalogue entry will change (somewhat) overnight tonight.
Robin Fairbairns
For the CTAN team