Why the new DTML syntax uses a hyphen rather than a colon
I'd like to clarify a point that keeps coming up in the DTML syntax discussion, namely, the use of a hyphen, rather than a colon, as the prefix delimiter for DTML tags in the new DTML syntax. The existing DTML syntaxes are *not* XML compliant. DTML code is not XML well-formed in a whole host of ways. We absolutely intend, probably in the near future, to provide an XML variant of DTML. I think that there will always be XML and non-XML variants of DTML. When coming up with the new DTML syntax, I chose not to use a colon because I thought, and still think, that using a colon would imply XML compatability that simply wasn't there. Further, in the future, I want it to be easy to distinguish between XML and non-XML versions of DTML code. So, in summary, the new DTML syntax doesn't use a colon because it isn't XML. The future XML-variant *will* make use of XML namespaces and will use colons (e.g. <dtml:in>....). Jim Note that an advantage of the XML DTML syntax will be that people will be able to use whatever nick-name they want for DTML tags. People will be able to use '<dtml:in>', '<z:in>', '<jim:in>', '<zope-is-the-coolest-thing-since-sliced-bread:in>' or whatever. <jim:wink> -- Jim Fulton mailto:jim@digicool.com Python Powered! Technical Director (888) 344-4332 http://www.python.org Digital Creations http://www.digicool.com http://www.zope.org Under US Code Title 47, Sec.227(b)(1)(C), Sec.227(a)(2)(B) This email address may not be added to any commercial mail list with out my permission. Violation of my privacy with advertising or SPAM will result in a suit for a MINIMUM of $500 damages/incident, $1500 for repeats.
Ah, this I find a nice, correct and good explenation! Thanks for letting us to see inside-your-spaghetti-alike-mass-kept-together-with-the-help-of-your-skull. (Please, don't think anything behind this comment). I find you were correct to make these syntax descission. Hope this will end discussion about new syntax. Although, some documentation would be nice. wink :-). Tom.
I'd like to clarify a point that keeps coming up in the DTML syntax discussion, namely, the use of a hyphen, rather than a colon, as the prefix delimiter for DTML tags in the new DTML syntax.
The existing DTML syntaxes are *not* XML compliant. DTML code is not XML well-formed in a whole host of ways. We absolutely intend, probably in the near future, to provide an XML variant of DTML. I think that there will always be XML and non-XML variants of DTML.
When coming up with the new DTML syntax, I chose not to use a colon because I thought, and still think, that using a colon would imply XML compatability that simply wasn't there. Further, in the future, I want it to be easy to distinguish between XML and non-XML versions of DTML code.
So, in summary, the new DTML syntax doesn't use a colon because it isn't XML. The future XML-variant *will* make use of XML namespaces and will use colons (e.g. <dtml:in>....).
Jim
Note that an advantage of the XML DTML syntax will be that people will be able to use whatever nick-name they want for DTML tags. People will be able to use '<dtml:in>', '<z:in>', '<jim:in>', '<zope-is-the-coolest-thing-since-sliced-bread:in>' or whatever. <jim:wink>
-- Jim Fulton mailto:jim@digicool.com Python Powered! Technical Director (888) 344-4332 http://www.python.org Digital Creations http://www.digicool.com http://www.zope.org
Under US Code Title 47, Sec.227(b)(1)(C), Sec.227(a)(2)(B) This email address may not be added to any commercial mail list with out my permission. Violation of my privacy with advertising or SPAM will result in a suit for a MINIMUM of $500 damages/incident, $1500 for repeats.
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On Mon, 9 Aug 1999, Jim Fulton wrote:
Note that an advantage of the XML DTML syntax will be that people will be able to use whatever nick-name they want for DTML tags. People will be able to use '<dtml:in>', '<z:in>', '<jim:in>', '<zope-is-the-coolest-thing-since-sliced-bread:in>' or whatever. <jim:wink>
Now we can stop arguing over DTML syntax and get ready to argue over XML syntax ;) Cheers, Anthony Pfrunder
participants (3)
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Anthony Pfrunder -
Jim Fulton -
Tom Deprez