[pmwiki-users] Math/Php markup... ZAPbeta 2007-03 tweaks...

The Editor editor at fast.st
Sun Mar 18 11:47:13 CDT 2007


On 3/18/07, Patrick R. Michaud <pmichaud at pobox.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 18, 2007 at 12:26:10AM -0400, The Editor wrote:
> > {#c substr|How are you today, 5,3} and get something like "you" back.
>
> Nitpick:  I would hope that this would return "are", not "you".  :-) :-)
>
> Some other thoughts/reactions...
>
> I think I would caution against this particular markup, because it
> seems likely to run into some problems.  First, depending on how
> you're parsing the string, it would seem that one would run into
> difficulty performing operations on strings containing curly
> braces or commas.  Instead of the single curly brace closer,
> I'd suggest a 2-character closing sequence, such as "#}".

Commas are no problem in this case.  I could try the closing character
sequence--though it would break a lot of stuff in my snippets...

> Beyond that, I don't quite see the purpose of the "#c" at
> the beginning of the markup.  It seems to me that one could
> just as easily do the clearer:
>
>     {#substr How are you today, 5, 3 #}
>     {#strftime %Y-%d-%m #}
>     {#date#}
>     {#time#}
>     {#crypt foo#}
>     {#math (2+3)*5/2.5 #}
>
> But then this makes me wonder if we really need a new
> syntax marker for this, and if we couldn't just use
> the (:...:) syntax we already have for selected functions:
>
>     (:substr "How are you today" 5 3:)
>     (:strftime %Y-%d-%m:)
>     (:date:)
>     (:time:)
>     (:crypt foo:)
>     (:math 2+3*5/2.5 :)

As ZAP escapes :) this would mean these could not be stored in text
vars.  Another important use...

> I do admit there seems to be something subtly different
> between these functions and what we normally think of as
> "directives".  But there's also something to be said with
> avoiding the question of "am I supposed to use (:...:)
> or {#...#} here?"
>
> It's also the case that we've tended to use curlies
> to indicate things that are "inline substitutions" --
> page variables come to mind, as well as the various
> math markups {$...$}.
>
> I'm also not sure that someone might want to use {#...#}
> some day for another purpose, especially since we already
> have things like {-...-}, {+...+}, etc.  The '#' character
> doesn't read "function" to me.  Perhaps a better syntax
> would be something like {(...)}, as in:
>
>     {(substr "How are you today" 5 3)}
>     {(strftime %Y-%d-%m)}
>     {(date)}
>     {(time)}
>     {(crypt foo)}
>     {(math 2+3*5/2.5 )}
>
> Just some thoughts...
>
> Pm


Thanks Pm, here's the reason behind this syntax.  I actually have
several markups in ZAPmarkups.php that introduce what I call ZAP
variables.  They process just after Page and Text vars and before the
if's so you can kind of nest them (a page in a text in a zap variable)
which is quite useful for some advanced applications.  I chose the #
symbol for lack of something better.

Each of the different markups functions are trigger by a different key
letter so:

{#t parameter}  deals with time
{#g parameter} deals with groups (count and threads)
{#c parameter} deals with math/php commands
{#r parameter}  random number plus $captcha

This allows me to keep a consistent syntax gives me room to expand.
It's also simple and easy to use.  And for me at least, sticks in my
head pretty easily.

On the other hand, I do like

{(math 2+3*5/2.5 )} quite well, and would be willing to stake out some
territory here if that's acceptable with you.  I could even make it
one function perhaps, with a switch/cases:  something like:

{(timeset  )}  For my time functions
{(count  )}     Or groupcount
{(thread  )}
{(captcha  )}
{(math  )}
{(substr, etc )}  In approved SDV list

I like it.  It has the suggestion of a variable and a function.  Which
is what it really is.

Any other thoughts before I make the change?  You have a knack for
markup syntax Pm!

Cheers,
Dan



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