On 3/14/06, Nathan Bubna <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > 1. I don't see how I can use tags with body content.  Freemarker
> > syntactally supports tag invocations similar to a foreach loop, but
> > without changing velocity's syntax, I can't see any way to provide
> > similar capabilities.  Do you have any ideas on this?
>
> i think i'd have to see some of the code before i can suggest many
> ideas.  Velocity does support custom directives that take body
> content.  i think WebWork took this route when creating their tag
> support for Velocity.

Can you point me to how custom directives could take body content (a
doc page, some sample code, whatever)?

> > 2. Do you have any ideas on syntax for how to access a tag invoker?
>
> very tough call.  it feels like there are only three options:

The idea of passing body content to a tag opens my mind a lot.  I had
been thinking of more limited ideas.

In broad strokes, this is what my code is doing right now:
- creates the tag instance
- sets user attributes using beanutils (a new dependency I realize)
- creates a fake pageContext object based on a provided request object
- sets tag attributes that the JSP page usually would (parent, pagecontext)
- inits the tag
- runs the tag without support for body content
- destroys the tag
- returns what the tag spat out to its writer as a String

What is needed is:
- support for bodycontent
- support for looping (which wasn't necessary before body content was an option)
- reading a TLD to understand the tag mappings
- figure out how you reference that you're using a TLD (what is this
library's equivalent of a taglib page declaration in JSP)
- instantiate a tag based on its short name in the TLD
- validate what attributes are passed according to the TLD

Some other thoughts:
- EL won't be supported.
- nesting tags would be good... again I hadn't thought about this at
all because of no understanding that body content would be an option.
- syntax is completely up in the air still.  I have to think about the
options you gave.
- .tag file support that Will mentioned... My 2 cents... I'm not that
concerned about this since Velocity can do the equivalent with macros.
 I figure the best benefit of this (entire) feature is giving Velocity
developer access to some feature in a JSP taglib (like ajaxtags or
displaytag or jodatag), and I don't see anyone distributing these as
.tag files yet.

What I'll do is mockup the code I have and create a little war (or
something) that shows what at this point.

--
Serge Knystautas
Lokitech >> software . strategy . design >> http://www.lokitech.com
p. 301.656.5501
e. [EMAIL PROTECTED]

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