Re: [Webware-discuss] TemplateServer / Velocity updato, code available

[Chuck E. <ec...@mi...>]

At 04:15 PM 4/23/2001 -0700, Tavis Rudd wrote:
[snip]
>#else##
>#elif $test2
>or #else if $test2
>
>#endif##
>or #endif
>
>#for i in $list
>or #for i in $list##
>#endfor##
>or #endfor

It's strange that you can say "else if", but not "end if" and "end for". 
Sometimes smooshing is required and other times it is not.

Also, I would axe "elif". That's just propagation of one of Python's poorer 
features.

My preference is no smooshing, ever:
         #else if
         #end if
         #end for


>comments
>============
><# multiline comment
>that contains nested logic #if $test##blarg#endif##
>#>
>### single line comment
>// single line comment

I prefer Velocity's ## single line comment over our ###.

That brings up a reminder of my earlier suggestion of using the semicolon 
for line termination.

Also, I'd prefer one choice for single line comments (out of the box). 
Given that we're already using #, I'd prefer not to add meaning to //.


Our syntax and grammar discussions will be interesting. I understand that 
much of this is probably easy to customize, but we should design the best 
default syntax possible for "out of the box" behavior. One benefit is that 
people will feel good about the design out of the box. Another benefit is 
that we'll be able to read each other's templates and get along on future 
collaborations.

I'd like to strive for:

   - consistency
   - ease of typing
   - visible in HTML editors and browsers
   - simplicity

Regarding simplicity, we should only provide multiple choices when there is 
value added. For example, terminating with newlines is convenient, but 
allowing some other terminator is also valuable to avoid <br>s in WYSIWIG 
mode or simply to put more than one thing on a line.

On the other hand, // single line comments don't provide something new 
over- or avoid some problem derived from- ##[#] comments.


-Chuck