Re: Differences in `ne` and `bp` line-breaking behavior

[onf]

On Tue Dec 3, 2024 at 11:56 PM CET, Tadziu Hoffmann wrote:
> I was thinking of something similar to
>
>   .ne d    Advance drawing position to the next vertical
>            position trap and spring the trap, if it is
>            nearer than distance d (default scaling unit v).
>
> but I'm not sure whether the use of a comma is grammatically
> correct here.  The intent is to bind the two phrases joined
> by "and" tighter than the two parts separated by the comma.
> (Without the comma the "if" seems to bind tighter than the
> "and".)  In an ideal world we could use parentheses for
> grouping, like this:
>
>   (advance position; spring trap) if distance < value

Reversing their order might make the intended meaning more obvious:
  .ne d    If the next vertical position trap is nearer than
           distance d (default scaling unit v), advance drawing
           position to it and spring it.