[Zope-dev] ZPT is young

[Casey Duncan]

On Wednesday 08 May 2002 08:54 am, Adrian Hungate allegedly wrote:
> Vi/Emacs war anyone? :)
>=20
> Seriously though, what, exactly, was so broken about DTML that fixing i=
t
> became so vital?

It was mostly motivated by the desire to be able to edit dynamic template=
s=20
with WYSIWIG tools (like dreamweaver), something that is not possible wit=
h=20
DTML.=20

Also it was an implementation of the desire to acheive greater separation=
 of=20
presentation and logic. Something not encouraged by DTML.

Another reason was the desire to increase the explicitness of the languag=
e.=20
IOW, make it less magical, less unpredictable.

DTML also encourages a mixing of content with logic (ala DTML Document),=20
something ZPT does not. Although I am befuddled by the whole ZPTPage thin=
g in=20
Zope 3....Hmmm, maybe I'm wrong here 8^/
=20
> Given the strengths of DTML I still maintain that ZPT is no (yet?) a
> complete replacement, and given the comfortable, familiar syntax, I dou=
bt
> that it should ever replace DTML completely, even if most pages are ZPT=
=2E I
> would be very supprised (Not to mention impressed) if by 2.6 ZPT can
> comfortably replace every aspect of DTML without having to employ Pytho=
n
> scripts, or some arcane incantations.

ZPT is not a complete replacement for DTML. It is just another way to do=20
templating. By design, it is less powerful than DTML. It is better suited=
 to=20
templating most SGML documents tho IMHO, which are often in the majority =
in=20
Zope apps.

That said, ZPT sux for templating plain text documents.
=20
> Don't get me wrong, ZPT is likely to be a very useful supliment to the
> existing Zope tools, but I would no more suggest replacing Python Scrip=
ts,
> than DTML.

DTML is not going anywhere. Its just not the only game in town anymore.
=20
-Casey