Thread to clear up agree on naming conventions for the tools subproject(s).
First a quick summary of where we are now: ---- Tools subproject lists 5 areas: http://jakarta.apache.org/velocity/toolsubproject.html View -> "a standalone servlet that can be used for template rendering in Web Applications" references the VelocityViewServlet, and the ToolBox Manager Struts -> "set of tools, examples and documentation" references the View package Tools -> "library of generic tools" Utilities-> "library of Velocity-related utilities" Velocimacros ---- Gabriel Sidler's whiteboard has the following sub-sub-projects: http://www.teamup.com/jakarta-velocity-tools/docs/index.html VelocityLibrary tools/tools "a library of reuseable and well documented view tools. Most tools are optimized for use with an automatically managed toolbox (see VelocityServlet). " VelocityStruts tools/struts "a set of view tools, examples and documentation for using the Velocity template engine as a view layer technology for the Jakarta Struts web application framework. It is based on the VelocityServlet project." VelocityServlet tools/view "a standalone servlet that can be used for template rendering in Web applications. It offers automatic population of the Velocity context and automatic, configurable management of view tools. Other efforts within this project are the development of a toolbox manager and the definition of a set of interfaces for view tools, thereby enabling the efficient handling and reuse of view tools." Utilities tbd Velocimacros tbd ---- Now a quick look at where Tim Colson's whiteboard went: VelocityViewServlet "A standalone servlet that can render templates for Web applications. It offers automatic population of the Velocity context and configurable management of tools. Within this project, a toolbox manager component and defined interfaces are under development to enable efficiecy and reusability. Also included is a subclassed servlet (VelocityLayoutServlet) that will render primary content inside a common shared screen layout template." StrutsView "A packaged set of tools for using the Velocity template engine as a view layer technology for the Jakarta Struts web application framework. This work extends the VelocityViewServlet to make it easy to integrate the two technologies. Several example hybrid applications are included in the distribution." VelocityLibrary "A library of reuseable and documented tools that can be added to a Velocity context. A tool is simply a class which can perform various tasks when made available to the Velocity engine. Most tools are optimized for use with an automatically managed toolbox (see VelocityViewServlet)." VelocityUtilities "A repository of Velocity-related utilities - under development. " Velocimacros "A repository of useful Velocity macros for Velocity templates - under development. " ------ Some thoughts brought up by Mr. Nathan Bubna on consolidation: > > Nathan wrote: > > > i think it'd be nice to cut things down to just VelocityView > > > and VelocityStruts (or whatever [we] want to call them). > > > can anyone give a really good reason to maintain a separate > > > library just for these tools? after all, they are "view tools." > > Aren't the tools supposed to be able to live without > > VelocityViewServlet, so folks using other frameworks can > leverage them without the extra baggage? > > yes, that's the idea. but as i said, one of the four tools in there > (ParameterParser) is already dependent on the view package > (the home of the > VVS). so, if they want to compile the tools library or use the > ParameterParser, they already need the view package. so > what's the harm in > combining the two? if they don't want to use the > servlet-tied stuff, then > they can just ignore it and use only the tools they want. ------ Other thoughts just to confuse things: The Struts integration requires the View package(specifically the ToolboxMgr, VelocityViewServlet) and some specific Tools (ex. link/mesg/form/errors). Saying "VelocityStruts" may not provide a clear picture to Struts folks of using Velocity for the Struts View Layer. One tool already in the VelocityLibrary requires the View package. "VelocityServlet" as mentioned here in the subproject is NOT the same as the "VelocityServlet" in the Velocity Developer's Guide - confusing, eh? (The tools subproject is really talking about the "VelocityViewServlet" which is an extension of the "VelocityServlet" from Velocity proper.) ------- ------- Some possible changes (grab-bag, not all mutually exclusive): = leave all well enough alone, stick with Sidlers names. = rename tools/tools to tools/toolbox (or tools/something) and label "Toolbox" = REMOVE tools/tools -> roll it into tools/view +1 from Tim (the more I look at it, this would be simple and clean) = move org.apache.velocity.tools.tools.* to pkg org.apache.velocity.tools.view.?.? +1 = label tools/view - "VelocityViewServlet" = label tools/view - "VelocityView" +1 = label tools/struts - "StrutsView" +1 (answers the question "What is this thing? A StrutsView tool." = label tools/struts - "StrutsVelocity" (i.e. leave alone) Whew...whole lotta typin' goin' on... where's Gabe I wonder? Cheers, Tim --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
