Hello,
for the templates of pp2html, I had a look at the HTML::Template
module. I think it is definitely one of the modules to be taken into
account and only needs a few prerequisites.
But there might be other options like the Template::Toolkit which seems
to be the most powerful alternative, providing even the evaluation of
embedded Perl code. So I suggest the following (first thoughts for
discussion, by no means final or complete):
* Let's abstract the current pp2html output generator code in order to
establish a clear, documented, generic API. We'll have to figure out
what data needs to be passed to a generic generator.
* A pp2html option should configure which backend to use. For styles,
it can be set in the style option files.
* The current implementation could become the first API backend, both
as a proof of concept and to provide backwards compatibility.
* Another new API backend could use HTML::Template, another one
Template::Toolkit, etc., so everyone can use what he prefers.
Users will not even have to know which template system is used,
they still chose a style by -style.
HTML::Template backend in particular:
* It seems to be small, fast and powerful. If it's not fast enough,
according to CPAN there's even a JIT compiler around, and if I
understood it correctly, precompiled templates can be used even
without an installation of HTML::Template.
* Several additional modules add further features like regular
expression support.
* It is mostly based on variable substitution, right like the current
template system. Migration of existing styles should be pretty
straightforward. Everything possible today should be possible
with HTML::Template as well.
* Ease of use: in my opinion it is important that users can set up and
adapt layout styles without long studies. HTML::Template could
provide
this.
* I'm not sure yet how to support docstreams, possibly by loops and
conditions?
What do you think?
Jochen
for the templates of pp2html, I had a look at the HTML::Template
module. I think it is definitely one of the modules to be taken into
account and only needs a few prerequisites.
But there might be other options like the Template::Toolkit which seems
to be the most powerful alternative, providing even the evaluation of
embedded Perl code. So I suggest the following (first thoughts for
discussion, by no means final or complete):
* Let's abstract the current pp2html output generator code in order to
establish a clear, documented, generic API. We'll have to figure out
what data needs to be passed to a generic generator.
* A pp2html option should configure which backend to use. For styles,
it can be set in the style option files.
* The current implementation could become the first API backend, both
as a proof of concept and to provide backwards compatibility.
* Another new API backend could use HTML::Template, another one
Template::Toolkit, etc., so everyone can use what he prefers.
Users will not even have to know which template system is used,
they still chose a style by -style.
HTML::Template backend in particular:
* It seems to be small, fast and powerful. If it's not fast enough,
according to CPAN there's even a JIT compiler around, and if I
understood it correctly, precompiled templates can be used even
without an installation of HTML::Template.
* Several additional modules add further features like regular
expression support.
* It is mostly based on variable substitution, right like the current
template system. Migration of existing styles should be pretty
straightforward. Everything possible today should be possible
with HTML::Template as well.
* Ease of use: in my opinion it is important that users can set up and
adapt layout styles without long studies. HTML::Template could
provide
this.
* I'm not sure yet how to support docstreams, possibly by loops and
conditions?
What do you think?
Jochen