On Apr 29, 2013, at 6:13 PM, Thomas Mortagne <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at 12:27 AM, Thomas Mortagne > <[email protected]> wrote: >> On Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 8:27 PM, Vincent Massol <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> On Apr 28, 2013, at 6:43 PM, Thomas Mortagne <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> On Fri, Apr 26, 2013 at 10:11 AM, Vincent Massol <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>>> Hi devs, >>>>> >>>>> I've started implementing XRENDERING-290 (I've spent already 1 day on it >>>>> and have most of it done) but as I progressed I've realized we need to >>>>> decide on something. >>>>> >>>>> It's an interesting problem! :) >>>>> >>>>> So the issues asks for support a "user" prefix in links to link to user >>>>> profiles such as in: [[label>>user:evalica]] >>>>> >>>>> Explanation of Problem >>>>> ================== >>>>> >>>>> I started with implementing a new Reference Type Parser to add support >>>>> for the "user" prefix. I soon realized that we cannot implement this in >>>>> XWiki Syntax 2.1 since it means if a user currently has >>>>> [[label>>user:evalica]] it means pointing to the "user" wiki and to the >>>>> page named "evalica". >>>> >>>> No this is not what this reference mean, this reference mean current >>>> wiki, current space and page names "user:evalica". >>> >>> Indeed, good remark :) >>> >>> Now I don't think it changes the rest of the email. For example you could >>> imagine a user named "vincent.massol" and the reference would be: >>> "user:vincent.massol"… :) >> >> Right now a user with a dot would not work well but nothing prevent >> having a document named "user:evalica" so yes it does not change the >> issue. >> >>> >>> Thanks >>> -Vincent >>> >>>>> Thus we need to add this in a new syntax only (i.e. XWiki Syntax 2.2). >>>>> >>>>> Now the problem is that currently Reference Type Parsers are components >>>>> and implementing a new component means it's going to be available to >>>>> XWiki Syntax 2.1. So I spent a substantial amount of time to allow >>>>> syntaxes to specifically specify the list of prefixes that they support. >>>>> This is done, I just need to push it. >>>>> >>>>> Now this all looked good till I started implementing the >>>>> UserXHTMLLinkTypeRenderer… I realized that I would need to be able to >>>>> transform a String (supposed to represent a username) into a User >>>>> reference and even though we don't have an API for this ATM this would >>>>> normally mean to depend on the Platform User module… which is a big no go >>>>> since Rendering cannot depend on Platform. >>>>> >>>>> Side Note:I also realized that XRENDERING-290 could also be extended to >>>>> support displaying the user's avatar with image:user:evalica. This is >>>>> currently done with the {{useravatar}} macro (which is also wrongly >>>>> located in Rendering and should be in platform for the reason >>>>> explained!!). >>>>> >>>>> So I thought I could just have the UserResourceReferenceTypeParser and >>>>> UserXHTMLLinkTypeRenderer classes implemented in the Platform User module >>>>> but that still meant that the XWiki Syntax 2.2 needs to reserve the >>>>> "user" prefix. >>>>> >>>>> Then I realized that any time we will want to add support for a new >>>>> prefix we would need to introduce a new Syntax version which is a huge >>>>> PITA and a pity. >>>>> >>>>> I thought about several solutions. >>>>> >>>>> Solution 1 >>>>> ======== >>>>> >>>>> * Consider that each syntax can reserve prefix type namespaces and this >>>>> just means that if the user wants to write a link to a document a wiki >>>>> named after one of these prefixes then he needs to use the full format: >>>>> [[label>>doc:<wikiname>:….]] >>>>> * Thus XWiki Syntax 2.2 would just add the "user" prefix to the reserved >>>>> list of prefix type namespaces. >>>>> >>>>> PRO: >>>>> * I have this code ready to be pushed on my computer >>>>> * Doesn't change the current XWiki Syntax notation >>>>> >>>>> CONS: >>>>> * Requires a new syntax whenever a new type parser is added (after a >>>>> syntax has been released as final) >>>>> * Creates a relationship between the syntax and implementations (the User >>>>> module will provide an impl. for supporting the reserved "user" >>>>> namespace). > > -1, does not make any sense to me. Link type is supposed to be > expendable and is not supposed to be finite list of types. > >>>>> >>>>> Solution 2 >>>>> ======== >>>>> >>>>> * Don't implement support for linking to users using resource types and >>>>> add a {{userlink}} macro and move both macros in platform. >>>>> >>>>> PRO: >>>>> * Simple, no need for a new XWiki Syntax >>>>> >>>>> CONS: >>>>> * Not integrated in the syntax >>>>> * Not very logical since as a user you would want to write: >>>>> [[label>>user:evalica]] > > This "solution" is the same as not doing anything. I don't really care > about having user reference but we will need to introduce new link > types that's for sure so we will have to find a solution to make link > type syntax stronger at some point. > >>>>> >>>>> Solution 3 >>>>> ======== >>>>> >>>>> Force XWiki Syntax 2.2 to *ALWAYS* use the full form when creating a >>>>> link, i.e. all links to doc would need to be written: >>>>> [[label>>doc:reference]] >>>>> >>>>> PRO: >>>>> * Solves all future needs for new reference types and makes the syntax >>>>> extensible for this. >>>>> >>>>> CONS: >>>>> * Harder to write links to documents and users will need to get used to it >>>>> >>>>> Solution 4 >>>>> ======== >>>>> >>>>> Invent a new syntax when you wish to write links using a type prefix and >>>>> keep the current link syntax for references to documents: >>>>> * Ref to a doc: [[label>>docref]] (e.g. [[label>>xwiki:Main.WebHome]]) >>>>> * Ref to anything but using the type prefix: [[label>>>prefix:reference]] >>>>> (e.g. [[label>>>doc:doc:Main.WebHome]]: link to a wiki named "doc") >>>>> >>>>> PRO: >>>>> * Still easy to make refs to documents >>>>> * Makes the syntax extensible by allowing new types to be added >>>>> >>>>> CONS: >>>>> * Changes the syntaxes since it means introducing a new link notation >>>>> [[label>>>ref]]. Also means that references to docs cannot start with ">" >>>>> anymore (but that's not a real issue IMO) >>>>> * A bit more complex to implement obviously since it needs a change to >>>>> the javacc parser > > Solution 5 > ======== > > Separate the type from the first level type and keep the same fallack > we have now when the type is not explicitely provide. > > Here are some example: > * [[label>>docref]] > * [[label>>http://someexternalurl]] > * [[label>>docref||type="doc"]] > * [[label>>/bin/view/Space/Page||type="path"]] Just to be sure we understand fully, you're proposing to remove the support for prefixes as part of the reference, right? The fallback would only be for URL and if no URL is found then it would be considered as a doc reference. So for example the following: [[label>>wiki:space.page]] would become a link to a document named "wiki:space.page" and not a link to a document in the wiki wiki, space space and page page, right? > PROS: > * does not break all the current document ref without explicit type > * makes clear what is the type of the reference and what is the actual type > > CONS: > * change the syntax of explicitly typed links (but not really bigger than 4) > * harder to type reference in non xwiki/2.x syntax that would not > support link parameters Other CONs: * Makes it longer/harder to create a link. Compare: [[label>>evalica||type="user"]] to [[label>>user:evalica]] * Makes it harder to read (see example from previous line) Thanks -Vincent PS: You still didn't say which one you prefer. Since you added Solution 5, should we assume that it's your preference so far? :) >>>>> >>>>> Conclusion >>>>> ========== >>>>> >>>>> My POV: >>>>> * The more correct solution is solution 3 but it makes harder to write >>>>> links to documents so I believe that's going to be a problem since it's >>>>> the main use case. >>>>> * Solution 1 is already implemented on my computer and I just need to >>>>> make a push to have it so the simplest for me. I think it could be >>>>> acceptable since we don't introduce new type parsers all the time. But >>>>> it's not perfect obviously. >>>>> * Solution 4 is the most tempting for me even though it's more work. I've >>>>> suggested ">>>" but we could imagine a different notation. Other ideas >>>>> include using [[label>>doc:doc:Main.WebHome||typed="true"]] (ie setting a >>>>> "type" param to mention that it's referring to a typed reference). It has >>>>> the advantage of not requiring changes to the javacc parser but it has >>>>> more chars to type for the user and is thus more complex for the user. >>>>> >>>>> Do you have an opinion? WDYT? Should I push what I have for now and make >>>>> changes later? >>>>> >>>>> Thanks >>>>> -Vincent _______________________________________________ devs mailing list [email protected] http://lists.xwiki.org/mailman/listinfo/devs
