Convert a list to an invocation with arguments

Summary

Convert comma-separated lists into semicolon-separated macro arguments, effectively “applying” list elements as individual macro parameters.

Syntax 

${apply;<macro-name>[;<list>...]}

Parameters

  • macro-name: Name of the macro to invoke (without ${})
  • list…: Zero or more comma-separated lists whose elements become macro arguments

Behavior

The macro:

  1. Takes the specified macro name
  2. Splits all provided lists into individual elements (using comma separation)
  3. Constructs a new macro invocation with elements as semicolon-separated arguments
  4. Expands the constructed macro

This is useful when you have arguments in a comma-separated list but need to pass them as separate parameters to a macro.

Examples 

# Basic example - convert list to macro arguments
args = com.example.foo, 3.12, HIGHEST
${apply;repo;${args}}
# Expands to: ${repo;com.example.foo;3.12;HIGHEST}

# Apply multiple lists
list1 = a, b
list2 = c, d
${apply;mymacro;${list1};${list2}}
# Expands to: ${mymacro;a;b;c;d}

# Use with filter macro
packages = com.example.*, org.sample.*, com.test.*
pattern = com\..*
${apply;filter;${packages};${pattern}}
# Expands to: ${filter;com.example.*,org.sample.*,com.test.*;com\..*}

# Repository lookup with dynamic arguments
repo-args = my.bundle, 1.0.0, HIGHEST
bundle-path = ${apply;repo;${repo-args}}

# Use with format macro
format-string = %s-%s-%s
values = group, artifact, version
${apply;format;${format-string};${values}}
# Expands to: ${format;%s-%s-%s;group;artifact;version}

# Complex example with multiple lists
deps1 = foo, bar
deps2 = baz
${apply;join;,;${deps1};${deps2}}
# Expands to: ${join;,;foo;bar;baz}

Use Cases

  1. Dynamic Macro Calls: Build macro invocations from list-based configuration
  2. Repository Queries: Pass artifact coordinates as a list
  3. Parameter Transformation: Convert comma-separated to semicolon-separated
  4. Configuration Flexibility: Store macro arguments in properties as lists
  5. Macro Composition: Combine multiple lists into a single macro call

Notes

  • The macro name is specified without ${} delimiters
  • Lists are split on commas (respects quoted strings)
  • All list elements become separate arguments to the target macro
  • The resulting macro is immediately expanded
  • Multiple lists are concatenated in order
  • Empty lists contribute no arguments
  • template - More sophisticated list-to-macro transformation
  • foreach - Iterate over list elements
  • join - Join list elements with a delimiter
  • list - Merge property lists

See test cases in MacroTestsForDocsExamples.java