Assemble new documents from passages of existing works — the Xanadu EDL model, made visual
A compound document is a document assembled from passages of other documents. Instead of writing everything from scratch, you select relevant passages from existing works and arrange them with your own connecting text. Each transcluded passage maintains a live reference to its source — if the source changes, the transclusion updates.
This is Ted Nelson's EDL (Edit Decision List) concept: the document doesn't contain copies of text — it contains addresses pointing to text in other documents. When you read a compound document, the system fetches and assembles the referenced content in real time.
Transclusion replaces copy-paste. The passage stays connected to its source. No drift, no outdated copies.
Every transcluded passage carries its provenance. Readers can trace any quote back to its origin in one click.
If a source document is revised, the transcluded content updates in your compound — through span migration.
Assemble evidence from multiple sources, add your analysis between them. The structure IS the argument.
Because passages are live references, readers can verify they match the source. No cherry-picking or distortion.
Others can transclude from YOUR compound into theirs. Content flows through the docuverse with full provenance.
Open any document and click "Build" in the document toolbar (next to "Compare" and "Perspective"). The three-panel builder layout opens:
text (original) or transclusion (with source work ID, character positions, and resolved text).RangeElement::Transclusion
in the O-tree CRDT. The transclusion stores the source work ID, character span, and BLAKE3 content hash.
Span migration keeps positions valid through edits. Provenance chains trace each passage back to its origin.
You're writing a response to an essay. You want to quote specific passages and respond to each one.
Structure:
Each quote is a live transclusion. If the essay is revised, your document shows the updated quotes automatically. Readers can click any quote to verify it against the source.
You're surveying multiple papers on a topic. Each paper contributes a key finding.
Structure:
Four sources, one document. Each finding is traceable to its paper. The structure shows how ideas build on and challenge each other.
A legal brief is inherently a compound document — it assembles statutes, case law, and commentary into a coherent argument.
Structure:
Three source types: statute, case law, commentary. The lawyer's original analysis weaves them together. Every citation is verifiable — no misquotation possible.
You're assembling a collection of passages from different works that explore a common theme.
Structure:
Four authors in conversation. The curator's notes bridge the passages. Each quote is a live link to the source text — readers can explore the original context.
The structure outline (right panel) shows your document's composition. Each entry is either:
The outline tells you:
A document with 0 transclusions is just a regular document. A document with 1+ transclusions is a compound.
Every transcluded passage carries provenance — a chain showing where the content originated and how it reached your document. This is Gold's again() function: recursive tracing of content reuse.
To view the provenance chain for a transcluded passage, click the passage and select "Trace provenance". The chain shows each hop with the work title, author, and whether the content is original or derived.
A compound document is fundamentally an EDL — a list of content references. The structure can be exported as JSON:
{
"version": 1,
"title": "My Legal Brief",
"entries": [
{ "type": "text", "content": "Introduction paragraph..." },
{
"type": "transclusion",
"source_work_id": "0x415",
"source_title": "Penal Code",
"char_start": 120,
"char_end": 340,
"content_hash": "a1b2c3...",
"resolved_text": "Grand theft is theft committed when..."
},
{ "type": "text", "content": "Analysis paragraph..." }
]
}This format is compatible with the Xanadu EDL concept and could be imported by other systems that understand content-addressed transclusion.
Gold's primary document creation model was compound-based. The compound builder is the modern equivalent of Gold's assembly facilities:
| Gold concept | Xudanu equivalent | What it does |
|---|---|---|
Enfilade | O-tree CRDT | Stores document structure |
Tumbler | BeId + char position | Addresses content within works |
| Transclusion link | RangeElement::Transclusion | Inline reference to source passage |
again() | compute_provenance_chain | Recursive content origin tracing |
| Intercomparison | find_shared_regions + Perspective | Visual document comparison |
| Bazik (assembly) | Compound Builder | Visual document assembly |
The compound builder completes the loop: it provides the authoring tool that makes the docuverse structure buildable. Without it, users can link and view documents but can't easily build new documents from existing content. With it, the full Xanadu model — create, connect, transclude, trace — is available in a visual interface.
The current Compound Builder is Phase 1 — basic assembly. Here's what it could become:
Drag transcluded passages up/down to rearrange your document. The O-tree CRDT already supports position changes — we just need the drag UI.
Instead of select-then-click, drag selected text directly from a source panel into the document at the exact insertion point. Visual drop indicator shows where it lands.
Convert a trail (curated reading sequence) into a compound document. Each trail stop becomes a transcluded passage, with your connecting text between them. Result: a guided anthology built from the docuverse.
Enter Build mode directly from the Perspective view. Drag passages from neighbor columns into your center document. Sources auto-populate from Perspective neighbors. Build while you explore.
When you type text similar to a passage in another document, the Builder suggests: "This resembles a passage in [Source]. Transclude instead?" Turns accidental duplication into intentional structure.
When a source document is revised, the Builder shows which transclusions are affected. Option to update to latest source version, or keep the original. Diff view shows what changed.
Generate citations from transclusion provenance. Format as MLA, APA, Chicago, or legal (Bluebook). Inline citations auto-inserted. Bibliography auto-generated from all transclusion sources.
Pre-defined compound templates: Legal Brief (statute + precedent + analysis sections), Literature Review (paper + critique + synthesis), Debate Brief (claim + counter-claim + rebuttal). Template defines structure; user fills with transcluded content.
Import an EDL (Edit Decision List) from an external source. The Builder creates the compound from the EDL's content references, fetching each source passage. Interoperability with other Xanadu-lineage systems.
A compound document can itself be a source for another compound. The Builder shows nesting depth. Structure outline uses indentation to show hierarchy. Provenance chains trace through multiple levels of assembly.
Multiple users build the same compound simultaneously via CRDT. Each user sees the other's transclusions appear in real-time. Useful for team research projects, collaborative legal briefs, group anthologies.
The Builder analyzes your original text and suggests relevant passages from the docuverse using content fingerprinting. "You mentioned X — here are passages from 3 works that discuss X. Include any?"
| Feature | Effort | Impact | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drag to reorder | Small | High | Essential for document flow |
| Compound from Trail | Small | High | Connects two existing features |
| Perspective integration | Medium | High | Build while exploring |
| Fuzzy match suggestions | Medium | High | Proactive structure building |
| Auto-citation | Medium | High | Real-world academic use case |
| Version sync | Medium | Medium | Important for long-lived compounds |
| Templates | Medium | Medium | Lowers barrier for new users |
| EDL import | Small | Low | Interoperability |
| Nested compounds | Automatic | Low | Already works, needs UI |
| Collaborative assembly | Already works | Medium | CRDT handles it; needs testing |
| Smart compilation | Large | High | AI-assisted authoring |