Define & use a Conversion object.  It's still really ugly, but at
least there's a token object in here now!  ;-)
diff --git a/Doc/tools/sgmlconv/latex2esis.py b/Doc/tools/sgmlconv/latex2esis.py
index 43ed2c5..1ea928d 100755
--- a/Doc/tools/sgmlconv/latex2esis.py
+++ b/Doc/tools/sgmlconv/latex2esis.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 _begin_env_rx = re.compile(r"[\\]begin{([^}]*)}")
 _end_env_rx = re.compile(r"[\\]end{([^}]*)}")
 _begin_macro_rx = re.compile("[\\\\]([a-zA-Z]+[*]?)({|\\s*\n?)")
-_comment_rx = re.compile("%+ ?(.*)\n *")
+_comment_rx = re.compile("%+ ?(.*)\n[ \t]*")
 _text_rx = re.compile(r"[^]%\\{}]+")
 _optional_rx = re.compile(r"\s*[[]([^]]*)[]]")
 # _parameter_rx is this complicated to allow {...} inside a parameter;
@@ -50,248 +50,276 @@
         sys.stderr.write("%s</%s> at %s\n" % (" "*depth, name, point))
 
 
-def subconvert(line, ofp, table, discards, autoclosing, endchar=None, depth=0):
-    if DEBUG and endchar:
-        sys.stderr.write("subconvert(%s, ..., endchar=%s)\n"
-                         % (`line[:20]`, `endchar`))
-    stack = []
-    while line:
-        if line[0] == endchar and not stack:
-            if DEBUG:
-                sys.stderr.write("subconvert() --> %s\n" % `line[1:21]`)
-            return line[1:]
-        m = _comment_rx.match(line)
-        if m:
-            text = m.group(1)
-            if text:
-                ofp.write("(COMMENT\n- %s \n)COMMENT\n-\\n\n" % encode(text))
-            line = line[m.end():]
-            continue
-        m = _begin_env_rx.match(line)
-        if m:
-            # re-write to use the macro handler
-            line = r"\%s %s" % (m.group(1), line[m.end():])
-            continue
-        m = _end_env_rx.match(line)
-        if m:
-            # end of environment
-            envname = m.group(1)
-            if envname == "document":
-                # special magic
-                for n in stack[1:]:
-                    if n not in autoclosing:
-                        raise LaTeXFormatError("open element on stack: " + `n`)
-                # should be more careful, but this is easier to code:
-                stack = []
-                ofp.write(")document\n")
-            elif envname == stack[-1]:
-                ofp.write(")%s\n" % envname)
-                del stack[-1]
-                popping(envname, "a", len(stack) + depth)
-            else:
-                sys.stderr.write("stack: %s\n" % `stack`)
-                raise LaTeXFormatError(
-                    "environment close for %s doesn't match" % envname)
-            line = line[m.end():]
-            continue
-        m = _begin_macro_rx.match(line)
-        if m:
-            # start of macro
-            macroname = m.group(1)
-            if macroname == "verbatim":
-                # really magic case!
-                pos = string.find(line, "\\end{verbatim}")
-                text = line[m.end(1):pos]
-                ofp.write("(verbatim\n")
-                ofp.write("-%s\n" % encode(text))
-                ofp.write(")verbatim\n")
-                line = line[pos + len("\\end{verbatim}"):]
-                continue
-            numbered = 1
-            if macroname[-1] == "*":
-                macroname = macroname[:-1]
-                numbered = 0
-            if macroname in autoclosing and macroname in stack:
-                while stack[-1] != macroname:
-                    if stack[-1] and stack[-1] not in discards:
-                        ofp.write(")%s\n-\\n\n" % stack[-1])
-                    popping(stack[-1], "b", len(stack) + depth - 1)
-                    del stack[-1]
-                if macroname not in discards:
-                    ofp.write("-\\n\n)%s\n-\\n\n" % macroname)
-                popping(macroname, "c", len(stack) + depth - 1)
-                del stack[-1]
-            real_ofp = ofp
-            if macroname in discards:
-                ofp = StringIO.StringIO()
-            #
-            conversion = table.get(macroname, ([], 0, 0, 0, 0))
-            params, optional, empty, environ, nocontent = conversion
-            if empty:
-                ofp.write("e\n")
-            elif nocontent:
-                empty = 1
-            if not numbered:
-                ofp.write("Anumbered TOKEN no\n")
-            opened = 0
-            # rip off the macroname
-            if params:
-                if optional and len(params) == 1:
-                    line = line = line[m.end():]
-                else:
-                    line = line[m.end(1):]
-            elif empty:
-                line = line[m.end(1):]
-            else:
+class Conversion:
+    def __init__(self, ifp, ofp, table=None, discards=(), autoclosing=()):
+        self.ofp_stack = [ofp]
+        self.pop_output()
+        self.table = table
+        self.discards = discards
+        self.autoclosing = autoclosing
+        self.line = string.join(map(string.rstrip, ifp.readlines()), "\n")
+        self.err_write = sys.stderr.write
+        self.preamble = 1
+
+    def push_output(self, ofp):
+        self.ofp_stack.append(self.ofp)
+        self.ofp = ofp
+        self.write = ofp.write
+
+    def pop_output(self):
+        self.ofp = self.ofp_stack.pop()
+        self.write = self.ofp.write
+
+    def subconvert(self, endchar=None, depth=0):
+        if DEBUG and endchar:
+            self.err_write(
+                "subconvert(%s)\n  line = %s\n" % (`endchar`, `line[:20]`))
+        stack = []
+        line = self.line
+        while line:
+            if line[0] == endchar and not stack:
+                if DEBUG:
+                    self.err_write("subconvert() --> %s\n" % `line[1:21]`)
+                self.line = line
+                return line
+            m = _comment_rx.match(line)
+            if m:
+                text = m.group(1)
+                if text:
+                    self.write("(COMMENT\n- %s \n)COMMENT\n-\\n\n"
+                               % encode(text))
                 line = line[m.end():]
-            #
-            # Very ugly special case to deal with \item[].  The catch is that
-            # this needs to occur outside the for loop that handles attribute
-            # parsing so we can 'continue' the outer loop.
-            #
-            if optional and type(params[0]) is type(()):
-                # the attribute name isn't used in this special case
-                pushing(macroname, "a", depth + len(stack))
-                stack.append(macroname)
-                ofp.write("(%s\n" % macroname)
-                m = _start_optional_rx.match(line)
-                if m:
-                    line = line[m.end():]
-                    line = subconvert(line, ofp, table, discards,
-                                      autoclosing, endchar="]",
-                                      depth=depth + len(stack))
-                line = "}" + line
                 continue
-            # handle attribute mappings here:
-            for attrname in params:
-                if optional:
-                    optional = 0
-                    if type(attrname) is type(""):
-                        m = _optional_rx.match(line)
+            m = _begin_env_rx.match(line)
+            if m:
+                # re-write to use the macro handler
+                line = r"\%s %s" % (m.group(1), line[m.end():])
+                continue
+            m = _end_env_rx.match(line)
+            if m:
+                # end of environment
+                envname = m.group(1)
+                if envname == "document":
+                    # special magic
+                    for n in stack[1:]:
+                        if n not in self.autoclosing:
+                            raise LaTeXFormatError(
+                                "open element on stack: " + `n`)
+                    # should be more careful, but this is easier to code:
+                    stack = []
+                    self.write(")document\n")
+                elif envname == stack[-1]:
+                    self.write(")%s\n" % envname)
+                    del stack[-1]
+                    popping(envname, "a", len(stack) + depth)
+                else:
+                    self.err_write("stack: %s\n" % `stack`)
+                    raise LaTeXFormatError(
+                        "environment close for %s doesn't match" % envname)
+                line = line[m.end():]
+                continue
+            m = _begin_macro_rx.match(line)
+            if m:
+                # start of macro
+                macroname = m.group(1)
+                if macroname == "verbatim":
+                    # really magic case!
+                    pos = string.find(line, "\\end{verbatim}")
+                    text = line[m.end(1):pos]
+                    self.write("(verbatim\n")
+                    self.write("-%s\n" % encode(text))
+                    self.write(")verbatim\n")
+                    line = line[pos + len("\\end{verbatim}"):]
+                    continue
+                numbered = 1
+                opened = 0
+                if macroname[-1] == "*":
+                    macroname = macroname[:-1]
+                    numbered = 0
+                if macroname in self.autoclosing and macroname in stack:
+                    while stack[-1] != macroname:
+                        top = stack.pop()
+                        if top and top not in self.discards:
+                            self.write(")%s\n-\\n\n" % top)
+                        popping(top, "b", len(stack) + depth)
+                    if macroname not in self.discards:
+                        self.write("-\\n\n)%s\n-\\n\n" % macroname)
+                    popping(macroname, "c", len(stack) + depth - 1)
+                    del stack[-1]
+                #
+                if macroname in self.discards:
+                    self.push_output(StringIO.StringIO())
+                else:
+                    self.push_output(self.ofp)
+                #
+                params, optional, empty, environ = self.start_macro(macroname)
+                if not numbered:
+                    self.write("Anumbered TOKEN no\n")
+                # rip off the macroname
+                if params:
+                    if optional and len(params) == 1:
+                        line = line[m.end():]
+                    else:
+                        line = line[m.end(1):]
+                elif empty:
+                    line = line[m.end(1):]
+                else:
+                    line = line[m.end():]
+                #
+                # Very ugly special case to deal with \item[].  The catch
+                # is that this needs to occur outside the for loop that
+                # handles attribute parsing so we can 'continue' the outer
+                # loop.
+                #
+                if optional and type(params[0]) is type(()):
+                    # the attribute name isn't used in this special case
+                    pushing(macroname, "a", depth + len(stack))
+                    stack.append(macroname)
+                    self.write("(%s\n" % macroname)
+                    m = _start_optional_rx.match(line)
+                    if m:
+                        self.line = line[m.end():]
+                        line = self.subconvert("]", depth + len(stack))
+                    line = "}" + line
+                    continue
+                # handle attribute mappings here:
+                for attrname in params:
+                    if optional:
+                        optional = 0
+                        if type(attrname) is type(""):
+                            m = _optional_rx.match(line)
+                            if m:
+                                line = line[m.end():]
+                                self.write("A%s TOKEN %s\n"
+                                           % (attrname, encode(m.group(1))))
+                    elif type(attrname) is type(()):
+                        # This is a sub-element; but don't place the
+                        # element we found on the stack (\section-like)
+                        pushing(macroname, "b", len(stack) + depth)
+                        stack.append(macroname)
+                        self.write("(%s\n" % macroname)
+                        macroname = attrname[0]
+                        m = _start_group_rx.match(line)
                         if m:
                             line = line[m.end():]
-                            ofp.write("A%s TOKEN %s\n"
-                                      % (attrname, encode(m.group(1))))
-                elif type(attrname) is type(()):
-                    # This is a sub-element; but don't place the
-                    # element we found on the stack (\section-like)
-                    pushing(macroname, "b", len(stack) + depth)
-                    stack.append(macroname)
-                    ofp.write("(%s\n" % macroname)
-                    macroname = attrname[0]
-                    m = _start_group_rx.match(line)
-                    if m:
+                    elif type(attrname) is type([]):
+                        # A normal subelement.
+                        attrname = attrname[0]
+                        if not opened:
+                            opened = 1
+                            self.write("(%s\n" % macroname)
+                            pushing(macroname, "c", len(stack) + depth)
+                        self.write("(%s\n" % attrname)
+                        pushing(attrname, "sub-elem", len(stack) + depth + 1)
+                        self.line = skip_white(line)[1:]
+                        line = subconvert("}", depth + len(stack) + 2)
+                        popping(attrname, "sub-elem", len(stack) + depth + 1)
+                        self.write(")%s\n" % attrname)
+                    else:
+                        m = _parameter_rx.match(line)
+                        if not m:
+                            raise LaTeXFormatError(
+                                "could not extract parameter %s for %s: %s"
+                                % (attrname, macroname, `line[:100]`))
+                        value = m.group(1)
+                        if _token_rx.match(value):
+                            dtype = "TOKEN"
+                        else:
+                            dtype = "CDATA"
+                        self.write("A%s %s %s\n"
+                                   % (attrname, dtype, encode(value)))
                         line = line[m.end():]
-                elif type(attrname) is type([]):
-                    # A normal subelement.
-                    attrname = attrname[0]
-                    if not opened:
-                        opened = 1
-                        ofp.write("(%s\n" % macroname)
-                        pushing(macroname, "c", len(stack) + depth)
-                    ofp.write("(%s\n" % attrname)
-                    pushing(attrname, "sub-elem", len(stack) + depth + 1)
-                    line = subconvert(skip_white(line)[1:], ofp, table,
-                                      discards, autoclosing, endchar="}",
-                                      depth=depth + len(stack) + 2)
-                    popping(attrname, "sub-elem", len(stack) + depth + 1)
-                    ofp.write(")%s\n" % attrname)
-                else:
-                    m = _parameter_rx.match(line)
+                if params and type(params[-1]) is type('') \
+                   and (not empty) and not environ:
+                    # attempt to strip off next '{'
+                    m = _start_group_rx.match(line)
                     if not m:
                         raise LaTeXFormatError(
-                            "could not extract parameter %s for %s: %s"
-                            % (attrname, macroname, `line[:100]`))
-                    value = m.group(1)
-                    if _token_rx.match(value):
-                        dtype = "TOKEN"
-                    else:
-                        dtype = "CDATA"
-                    ofp.write("A%s %s %s\n"
-                              % (attrname, dtype, encode(value)))
+                            "non-empty element '%s' has no content: %s"
+                            % (macroname, line[:12]))
                     line = line[m.end():]
-            if params and type(params[-1]) is type('') \
-               and (not empty) and not environ:
-                # attempt to strip off next '{'
-                m = _start_group_rx.match(line)
-                if not m:
-                    raise LaTeXFormatError(
-                        "non-empty element '%s' has no content: %s"
-                        % (macroname, line[:12]))
+                if not opened:
+                    self.write("(%s\n" % macroname)
+                    pushing(macroname, "d", len(stack) + depth)
+                if empty:
+                    line = "}" + line
+                stack.append(macroname)
+                self.pop_output()
+                continue
+            if line[0] == endchar and not stack:
+                if DEBUG:
+                    self.err_write("subconvert() --> %s\n" % `line[1:21]`)
+                self.line = line[1:]
+                return self.line
+            if line[0] == "}":
+                # end of macro or group
+                macroname = stack[-1]
+                conversion = self.table.get(macroname)
+                if macroname \
+                   and macroname not in self.discards \
+                   and type(conversion) is not type(""):
+                    # otherwise, it was just a bare group
+                    self.write(")%s\n" % stack[-1])
+                popping(macroname, "d", len(stack) + depth - 1)
+                del stack[-1]
+                line = line[1:]
+                continue
+            if line[0] == "{":
+                pushing("", "e", len(stack) + depth)
+                stack.append("")
+                line = line[1:]
+                continue
+            if line[0] == "\\" and line[1] in ESCAPED_CHARS:
+                self.write("-%s\n" % encode(line[1]))
+                line = line[2:]
+                continue
+            if line[:2] == r"\\":
+                self.write("(BREAK\n)BREAK\n")
+                line = line[2:]
+                continue
+            m = _text_rx.match(line)
+            if m:
+                text = encode(m.group())
+                self.write("-%s\n" % text)
                 line = line[m.end():]
-            if not opened:
-                ofp.write("(%s\n" % macroname)
-                pushing(macroname, "d", len(stack) + depth)
-            if empty:
-                line = "}" + line
-            stack.append(macroname)
-            ofp = real_ofp
-            continue
-        if line[0] == endchar and not stack:
-            if DEBUG:
-                sys.stderr.write("subconvert() --> %s\n" % `line[1:21]`)
-            return line[1:]
-        if line[0] == "}":
-            # end of macro
-            macroname = stack[-1]
-            conversion = table.get(macroname)
-            if macroname \
-               and macroname not in discards \
-               and type(conversion) is not type(""):
-                # otherwise, it was just a bare group
-                ofp.write(")%s\n" % stack[-1])
-            popping(macroname, "d", len(stack) + depth - 1)
-            del stack[-1]
-            line = line[1:]
-            continue
-        if line[0] == "{":
-            pushing("", "e", len(stack) + depth)
-            stack.append("")
-            line = line[1:]
-            continue
-        if line[0] == "\\" and line[1] in ESCAPED_CHARS:
-            ofp.write("-%s\n" % encode(line[1]))
-            line = line[2:]
-            continue
-        if line[:2] == r"\\":
-            ofp.write("(BREAK\n)BREAK\n")
-            line = line[2:]
-            continue
-        m = _text_rx.match(line)
-        if m:
-            text = encode(m.group())
-            ofp.write("-%s\n" % text)
-            line = line[m.end():]
-            continue
-        # special case because of \item[]
-        if line[0] == "]":
-            ofp.write("-]\n")
-            line = line[1:]
-            continue
-        # avoid infinite loops
-        extra = ""
-        if len(line) > 100:
-            extra = "..."
-        raise LaTeXFormatError("could not identify markup: %s%s"
-                               % (`line[:100]`, extra))
-    while stack and stack[-1] in autoclosing:
-        ofp.write("-\\n\n")
-        ofp.write(")%s\n" % stack[-1])
-        popping(stack[-1], "e", len(stack) + depth - 1)
-        del stack[-1]
-    if stack:
-        raise LaTeXFormatError("elements remain on stack: "
-                               + string.join(stack))
-    # otherwise we just ran out of input here...
+                continue
+            # special case because of \item[]
+            if line[0] == "]":
+                self.write("-]\n")
+                line = line[1:]
+                continue
+            # avoid infinite loops
+            extra = ""
+            if len(line) > 100:
+                extra = "..."
+            raise LaTeXFormatError("could not identify markup: %s%s"
+                                   % (`line[:100]`, extra))
+        while stack and stack[-1] in self.autoclosing:
+            self.write("-\\n\n")
+            self.write(")%s\n" % stack[-1])
+            popping(stack.pop(), "e", len(stack) + depth - 1)
+        if stack:
+            raise LaTeXFormatError("elements remain on stack: "
+                                   + string.join(stack, ", "))
+        # otherwise we just ran out of input here...
+
+    def convert(self):
+        self.subconvert()
+
+    def start_macro(self, name):
+        conversion = self.table.get(name, ([], 0, 0, 0, 0))
+        params, optional, empty, environ, nocontent = conversion
+        if empty:
+            self.write("e\n")
+        elif nocontent:
+            empty = 1
+        return params, optional, empty, environ
 
 
 def convert(ifp, ofp, table={}, discards=(), autoclosing=()):
-    lines = string.split(ifp.read(), "\n")
-    for i in range(len(lines)):
-        lines[i] = string.rstrip(lines[i])
-    data = string.join(lines, "\n")
+    c = Conversion(ifp, ofp, table, discards, autoclosing)
     try:
-        subconvert(data, ofp, table, discards, autoclosing)
+        c.convert()
     except IOError, (err, msg):
         if err != errno.EPIPE:
             raise