Add option to emit Annotated Source (and units) in Markdown format

[delphidabbler]

There's already the option to format annotated source code in RTF and XHTML.

Being able to render the source in Markdown format could be useful too.

[delphidabbler]

There's already the option to format annotated source code in RTF and XHTML.

While annotated source can be written to file in both XHTML & RTF only RTF is used in writing to the clipboard.

Since there is no special Markdown clipboard format that I can find, there's no way of writing Markdown to the clipboard without overwriting the plain text format version.

[delphidabbler]

I'm wondering whether there's any point saving annotated source or units in Markdown format. Since only compilable Pascal is saved in either case, there's very little different between the plain text version and the Markdown version.

For example, take the annotated source code for the ArrayToStringList snippet, when saved in plain text format. It is

{
 * This code snippet was generated by DelphiDabbler CodeSnip Release 4.23.0 on
 * Wed, 23 Oct 2024 08:22:05 GMT.
 * 
 * It includes code taken from the DelphiDabbler Code Snippets database that is
 * copyright © 2005-2024 by Peter Johnson & Contributors and is licensed under
 * the MIT License (https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT).
}

{
  Required unit(s):
    Classes
}

{
  Copies the elements of string array Strings to string list SL, replacing any
  existing contents of SL.
}
procedure ArrayToStringList(const Strings: array of string;
  const SL: Classes.TStrings);
var
  Idx: Integer; // loops thru each string in array
begin
  SL.Clear;
  for Idx := 0 to Pred(Length(Strings)) do
    SL.Add(Strings[Idx]);
end;

whereas the Markdown equivalent, would be exactly the same as above except it would be wrapped in triple backtick (```) tokens .

[delphidabbler]

I'm wondering whether there's any point saving annotated source or units in Markdown format. Since only compilable Pascal is saved in either case, there's very little different between the plain text version and the Markdown version.

Because of the above I'm moving this issue back to "considering".

[delphidabbler]

Another point against implementation is that to render a view from the save dialogue boxes, a Markdown to HTML converter would be needed. To render highlighted wouldn't use the CodeSnip highlighter but would need a third party add in that worked with HTML (maybe in JavaScript).

It is an option that the preview button would be disabled or that raw Markdown would be displayed as plain text.

Finally, how would Markdown be rendered? Should the code fencing use plain text fencing:

```
code
```

or annotated fencing?

```pascal
code
```

[delphidabbler]

Markdown format might be more appropriate for saving snippet information, with the File | Save Snippet Information option? Note: as this issue is created this menu option is not released, but is in the develop branch.

[delphidabbler]

Markdown format might be more appropriate for saving snippet information, with the File | Save Snippet Information option? Note: as this issue is created this menu option is not released, but is in the develop branch.

See isssue #155 which proposes this option.

[delphidabbler]

All in all, there isn't much point in implementing this issue now that the File | Save Snippet Information option has been proposed in issue #155.

So, I'm rejecting this issue.