Just tossing a few ideas at the list before going home from work.
==========================================
=== A few possible selection semantics ===
(A)
if ((boolean)expression) ... then ...
(B)
if ((boolean)expression) ... then ... else ...
(C)
if ((boolean)expression_1) ... then ...
elseif ((boolean)expression_2) ...
(D)
if ((boolean)expression_1) ... then ...
elseif ((boolean)expression_2) ... else ...
(E)
// (Optional) Fall-through to contents of next case if
// there is no "break" statement in case that matched.
switch ((String|Int|etc.)expression) {
case value_1: ...
case value_2: ...
default: ...
}
(F)
// (Optional) Fall-through to contents of next case if
// there is no "break" statement in case that matched.
select_first_true_expression {
case ((boolean)expression_1): ...
case ((boolean)expression_2): ...
default: ...
}
(G)
select_all_true_expressions {
case ((boolean)expression_1): ...
case ((boolean)expression_2): ...
default: ...
}
===
The union model currently implements semantic (E), with a
string-valued expression and no fall-through logic.
The semantic (F), without fall-through logic, has been
discussed on this list as a possible alternative.
Lets pause to choose the selection of semantics that will
most naturally support simple forms, recursive forms, and
eventually multi-forms with multiple nested and overlapping
bindings and templates:
http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=xml-cocoon-dev&m=106965619705596&w=2
=========================================
=== Templates, Navigation, Evaluation ===
Separate navigation from evaluation and expression of values,
similar to how the binding currently operates.
Example adapting the "context" idea from the binding:
<wt:context select="some-repeater-id">
<wt:label/>
<wt:context select="rows">
<wt:context select="row">
<wt:context select="first-widget-id">
<wt:label/>
<wt:value/>
</wt:context>
<wt:context select="second-widget-id">
<wt:label/>
<wt:value/>
</wt:context>
</wt:context>
</wt:context>
<wt:context>
Same semantics as above, but more expressive syntax:
(This syntax allows some type checking to be performed.)
<wt:repeater id="some-repeater-id">
<wt:label/>
<wt:apply-templates id="rows"/>
<wt:rows>
<wt:row>
<wt:widget id="first-widget-id">
<wt:label/>
<wt:value/>
</wt:widget>
<wt:widget id="second-widget-id">
<wt:label/>
<wt:value/>
</wt:widget>
</wt:row>
</wt:rows>
</wt:repeater>
Allow model, binding, and template fragments to be
associated with each other. This leads to more concise
bindings and templates by borrowing the "apply-templates"
concept from XSL.
Progressively shorter template examples:
(A similar set of examples could be created
for bindings, using "apply-bindings".)
<wt:repeater id="some-repeater-id">
<wt:label/>
<wt:apply-templates id="rows"/>
<wt:rows>
<wt:row>
<wt:apply-templates select="first-widget-id"/>
<wt:apply-templates select="second-widget-id"/>
</wt:row>
</wt:rows>
</wt:repeater>
<wt:repeater id="some-repeater-id">
<wt:label/>
<wt:apply-templates select="rows"/>
</wt:repeater>
<wt:apply-templates select="some-repeater-id"/>
<wt:apply-templates select="form"/>
<!--
One more example: No explicit template file supplied.
This would cause cforms to implicitly "apply-templates"
the whole page into existence, without the need to
create a form-specific template file.
-->
========
More ideas waiting in line for later...
--Tim Larson
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