Re: Re[2]: Auto-Generated HTML and Authoring Tools

Hi Mark,

I skimmed the  htmlscript spec.  It is close to what we want to do
but is not quite it.  (Our syntax is similar!) Let me describe what 
we want to do, maybe you could tell me how to do this with htmlscript.

I want to display one to ten airplane flights. Some of these are
direct, some of these stop over in one or more connecting cities.
The data for actual city names, etc. comes from a very complex
cgi script.

Thus, we are envisioning something like the following:

<html>
<h1>Possible Flight Choices</h1>
Please pick one of these flights:

<loop numflights>
   <if numsegements = directflight>
      depart <put name=fromcity> 
      and arrive at <put name=tocity>
      on carrier <put name=carriername>
   <else if numsegments = connectingflight>
      leaving <put name=fromcity> 
      connecting through <put name=viacity>
      and landing at <put name=tocity> 
      on the <put name=traveldate>.
   </if>
</loop>

Have a great flight!
</html>

Our cgi-script parses through this, and supplies appropriate 
values for fromcity, tocity, etc.  The loop is repeated until 
all flights have been displayed.

How would I do this with htmlscript?

--linas


>From: markg@webtechs.com (Mark Gaither)
>Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 22:44:19 -0500 (CDT)
>Subject: Re[2]: Auto-Generated HTML and Authoring Tools
>To: papresco@calum.csclub.uwaterloo.ca
>
>Paul Prescod <papresco@calum.csclub.uwaterloo.ca> wrote:
>> > The problem is an ancient one: Programmer wants to generate HTML
>> > automatically. The actual HTML generated depends on some formula, the
>> > contents of a database, and the lunar calander.  Programmer's buddy is
>> > an artist, and is going to make the HTML purty. Programmer doesn't want
>> > to give the artist his raw C++/perl code, so instead creates
>> > a pseudo-html thing which is almost pure html, except that it has
>> > "variables" or "paramters" that the program will automatically fill
>> > in with the right values.  Problem: the artist's WYSIWYG html tool
>> > doesn't understand the pseudo-html extensions.  What to do?
>> 
>> HTML is a language based on SGML, a meta-language. SGML can define
>> an infinite number of different languages, including HTML plus your
>> funny extra data types. There are several HTML extensions defined
>> this way. There are several WYSIWYGish tools that can work with the
>> documents in this way (SoftQuad Author/Editor, Emacs PSGML, InContext
>> 2, Arbortext AdeptEditor, etc.).
>> 
>> Despite the fact that this has always been the case and that people
>> are doing this now, you might be interested to know that a subset
>> of SGML (a simpler subset) is being standardized by the W3C so 
>> there may one day be even more choice of editors and tools. In the
>> meantime, though, the SGML tools do an excellent job.
>> 
>>  Paul Prescod
>> 
>
>	Howdy from Austin, TX.
>
>	Your message was passed along to me by Dan Connolly.
>
>	My experience might prove helpful in this thread. I've developed
>	a DTD which incorporates HTML 3.2 (Wilbur) with Htmlscript, Corp.'s 
>	new Jyve language. Jyve includes HTML 32. plus Htmlscript extensions.
>	(see http://www.htmlscript.com/). 
>
>	What does this mean? It means that SoftQuad's Author/Editor and
>	HotMetal can be used to edit an Htmlscript template. This template
>	contains traditional HTML plus the Htmlscript extensions. The
>	addition of Htmlscript extensions to the HTML 3.2 spec results
>	in the Jyve language. The template is interpreted by Htmlscripts
>	language interpreter.
>
>	Why did this happen? Htmlscript figured out (with a lot of prodding
>	from WebTechs and from very large and successful SGML software developer
>	plus a myriad of Htmlscript users) that	it would actually be benficial 
>	to their users. These users are heavy users of already deployed and 
>	understood tools such as Author/Editor, Arbor Text, and DynaText.
>
>	When will this happen? The grapevine says by the end of the summer
>	of 1997. 
>
>	I hope this casts a brighter light on the dilema.
>
>	Mark Gaither
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>Mark Gaither                           1809 Azalea Dr.
>WebTechs                               Cedar Park, TX USA 78613
>markg@webtechs.com                     Voice: (512) 918-2832
>http://www.webtechs.com/
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>

Received on Thursday, 30 January 1997 12:50:58 UTC