> -----Original Message----- > From: Bill Schneider [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 2:56 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: Tiles: multiple layers of layout > > > Thanks for the detailed explanation. So, if I want to > represent an HTML > page that has two levels of layout (a tile that extends a > layout tile, > which inserts another tile that also extends a layout tile) it sounds > like the "right" way to do the tiles definition is something > like this: > > <definition name=".mainLayout" page="/tiles/mainLayout.jsp"> > <parameter name="title" name="${title}"/> > <parameter name="body" name="${body}"/> > </definition> > <definition name=".subLayout" page="/tiles/subLayout.jsp"> > <parameter name="subContent" value="${subContent}"/> > </definition> > <definition name=".subFoo" extends=".subLayout"> > <parameter name="subContent" value="/tiles/subFoo.jsp"/> > </definition> > <definition name=".foo" extends=".mainLayout"> > <parameter name="title" value="Foo title"> > <parameter name="body" value=".subFoo"/> > </definition> > > This works perfectly without any importAttribute tricks and gives the > right resulting JSP (.foo==>mainLayout.jsp, inserting > .subFoo==>subLayout.jsp, finally inserting subFoo.jsp) > > The problem is, this doesn't scale well--if I want to add more pages > that use the same two-level layout I have to add *two* tiles defs for > each (bar + subBar, baz + subBaz, etc.). It gets worse as your > recursive tile insertion gets deeper. Note that the ".subFoo" > definition is only referenced from one other tile definition > (.foo) and > never reused.
Well, it depends on what problem you're trying to solve. If you're trying to solve the problem of having your site look consistent, then Tiles is beautiful. If you're trying to pretty format your data, then tiles is going to pretty much suck. Formatting data is the work of tags, not tiles, and from what I think you're saying that's what you want to do. > > It seems like there should be some way to define tiles that tie > recursive inserts together, as I was attempting to by defining .foo > extends .nestedLayout extends .mainLayout. It *almost* worked except > for the attribute-value environment scope. > > Is there a better way to do this? > > -- Bill > > > 1. A tile is a retangular area in a JSP page sometimes > referred to as a > > region. > > 2. Tiles are built recursively and can be represented as a > tree (upside > > down, of course). > > 3. Each tree "node" is a tile or region. > > 4. The root node is usually the page. > > 5. Final nodes or "leaves" contain the page content. [This is not > > wholly accurate. You can have as much content on the way > down the tree > > as you want.] > > 6. Layout nodes are utility tiles that position tiles > within pages, > > i.e. they have INSERTs <tiles:insert> or provide background markup. > > 7. Tiles support features, including "parameters" or > "ATTRIBUTES" and > > "DEFINITIONS". > > 8. Parameters are called "attributes" and accept variable > information > > at RUNTIME. > > 9. Tile attributes are defined WHEN INSERTING THE TILE and > are VISIBLE > > WITHIN THE TILE ONLY. (This avoids name conflicts.) > > 10. Tile attributes can be Strings or other types. > > 11. Definitions are a SET OF ATTRIBUTES (a SCREEN) which become a > > discrete object with its own IDENTITY. > > 12. You can create other screens from definitions. 13. > Definitions are > > optional. You can deploy a tile using a simple JSP tag. > > 14. Definitions allow simple overloading of attributes that change. > > 15. A definition is like an <tiles:insert> tag with a NAME. > > 16. Because of the name, you can: OVERLOAD (additional or > replacement > > attributes), EXTEND (using one definition as the base), and > REUSED (by > > storing in a jsp file or an XML document), and useit as the > TARGET of a > > Struts ActionForward. > > > > Attributes: > > > > 1. Can be specified statically or an action can pass the > value of an > > attribute to the tile at runtime. > > > > Michael > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
