Re: [Xswt-developer] ID as tag

[David O. <dj...@co...>]

> I think I've suggested this before, but I don't think we made a decisio=
n:

I think I must have missed it; sorry!

> How about supporting IDs as tags, to make an existing object the "curre=
nt
> object". This will make it possible to set/change properties and add
> children to objects, without modifying the "original" element. I've oft=
en
> had to copy and comment out an element, to make a slight change without
> losing the original. Instead I could've added the "change" by using the=
 ID
> as the tag and adding whatever change I wanted there.

Hmmmm.... This is an interesting idea.  In the abstract it sounds like it
could be a good idea.  I'm interested in adding the feature but I don't
have a clear sense yet for the tradeoff between advantages and
disadvantages with having the feature.

Here are my thoughts:  the syntax we have right now forces you to put
everything related to a particular object in one place.  Most of the time=
,
this is a feature because the resulting code is generally much easier to
follow.

I think you're suggesting that some of the time this isn't a feature,
however.  So let's talk about the tradeoffs and see what consensus we get=
.

Can you provide a sample of the kind of code you want to write that this
would enable to put in concrete terms the benefit that this would provide=
?


Best Regards,

Dave Orme