--- In xpl-dev@y..., Robert A Hopkins <p061949c@p...> wrote:
Are we doing a wish list as a new mailing list as a convenient way to
index items? I think it's a lot of work to plough through email
archives,
and I don't see how there's enough volume on this list to justify
splitting it. What I had in mind was more like a simple html page
with
literally a list of ideas, and a link or two if anyone wants to
provide
more information. Is this do-able? Maintainable? (I have mail lists
coming out of my ears.) Michael, do we have a web site?
Jonathan (11 May):
"Would you like to see
the addition example re-expressed using simplifications like that?"
I think the more we express & re-express this language that doesn't
exist
yet, the more fluent we will become. (What does "<stdout>" mean? And
"<stdin>"?) (Jonathan, is there a reason you're using the form
"<comment></comment>" rather than "<!--comment here...-->"?)
Jonathan:
<if>
<false>
<verify>
mylist
</verify>
</false>
abort <comment> Handy things, macros. </comment>
</if>
I like this. I think if I would argue for anything it would be for
rigorously applying one of the fundamental concepts of xml, and that
is
of containment. Elements are containers into which you stick things.
So
the "if" container (or "conditional" or
"what-the-heck-is-if-then-called-in-formal-logic" container holds a
container for the condition to be tested and a container for the
action
to be taken. Everything else is an attribute.)
Jonathan:
<comment>
Here we define a program variable to contain
a list of integers.
<comment>
<variable type=intList>
<name>
mylist
</name>
</variable>
<comment>
Somehow I'm not comfortable with the idea of a container called
"variable". How about "<xpl:variable-type name=intList>"
As for the substance of what you're saying, I'm still working on it.
As I
understand it, the gist of it is that you want to define a complex
data
type in a DTD rather than in some sort of TYPE statement. (With
namespace
we can link your variable to a different DTD. Name it something on the
order of "int:intlist", then it or any int:variable would belong to a
different namespace and different DTD than the default xmlns:xpl (it
would
be linked to xmlns:int). That obviates my previous suggestion of
"xpl:variable-type".)
ps: Oh my! I just saw what eGroups does to angle brackets in the
archives! ("View source" works.)
pps: Don't be alarmed, Jonathan, I'm still working on the (larger)
gist of
it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
* ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( *
* ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) *
* ( ( ( A l y H o p k i n s ( ( ( *
* ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) *
* ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( *
* ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) *
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
--- End forwarded message ---
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