1. Alternative for XML
I've created a markup language as an alternative for XML. I call it SMEL
(Some Modest Extensible Language). It behaves a bit like XML, but it's more
compact, and has some advanced features that XML doesn't have. To my
opinion, it's also more human-readable, especially for programmers.
I'm also making a Euphoria-library for reading and writing SMEL-documents.
Is this a good idea? Would Euphoria-programmers use SMEL, or would they
prefer using XML?
Example: the XML-fragment:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<data>
<element attribute="value" attribute2="value2">Some data</element>
<empty/>
</data>
translated into SMEL:
<smel version="1.0">
data
{
element(attribute="value",attribute2="value2"){"Some data"}
empty;
}
2. Re: Alternative for XML
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tommy Carlier" <tommy.carlier at pandora.be>
To: "EUforum" <EUforum at topica.com>
Subject: Alternative for XML
>
>
> I've created a markup language as an alternative for XML. I call it SMEL
> (Some Modest Extensible Language). It behaves a bit like XML, but it's more
> compact, and has some advanced features that XML doesn't have. To my
> opinion, it's also more human-readable, especially for programmers.
>
> I'm also making a Euphoria-library for reading and writing SMEL-documents.
> Is this a good idea? Would Euphoria-programmers use SMEL, or would they
> prefer using XML?
>
> Example: the XML-fragment:
>
> <?xml version="1.0"?>
> <data>
> <element attribute="value" attribute2="value2">Some data</element>
> <empty/>
> </data>
>
> translated into SMEL:
>
> <smel version="1.0">
> data
> {
> element(attribute="value",attribute2="value2"){"Some data"}
> empty;
> }
>
Interesting. I've been playing with something very similar for use with
win32lib. Your syntax is more inclusive than I need but it might be worth me
standardizing on SMEL.
Also, you might also like to consider non-text attribute values, and removing
the '=' symbol. For example ...
<smel version{1.0}>
data
{
element(attribute{value},attribute2{value2}){"Some data"}
empty;
}
For win32lib, I could do something like ...
<smel version{1.0}>
form{
control{type{Window},
caption{Hello, World!},
left{12},
top{10},
width{300},
height{300},
flags{WS_VISIBLE, WS_DLGFRAME}
},
control{type{EditText},
name{UserId},
left{5}, top{5}
width(units{char}){20}
}
control{type{Button},
caption{Close},
flags{autoclose},
left(from{UserId}){2},
bottom{5}
}
}
...hmmmm... I'll think about it some more.
--
Derek
3. Re: Alternative for XML
> form{
> control{type{Window},
> caption{Hello, World!},
> left{12},
> top{10},
> width{300},
> height{300},
> flags{WS_VISIBLE, WS_DLGFRAME}
Ugh! ... too much VB'like typing,typing,typing:
at{12,10},
size{300,300},
... but maybe it's only me.
I can't read IDE 'cause of the repetitive constant,constant,constant...
...kinda wishin'...
...Ok, we've just defined this, so, if the next's the same (constant?) ,
just use:
,
(comma+)
4. Re: Alternative for XML
> This is just an example. You can build much more powerful constructions
> than that with SMEL. I'll try and post a version of the SMEL-library as
> soon as possible.
> I'm also working on SMEL-applications: specifications of SMEL-document
> formats like SMELS (SMEL Schema) for defining new SMEL-formats, and
> SMELT (SMEL Transformations) for transforming SMEL-formats to other
> SMEL-formats or to other text-formats (like XML or HTML).
>
> More suggestions are welcome.
Change the name. SMEL? Like, stink? :)
5. Re: Alternative for XML
----- Original Message -----
From: "C. K. Lester" <euphoric at cklester.com>
To: "EUforum" <EUforum at topica.com>
Subject: Re: Alternative for XML
>
>
> > This is just an example. You can build much more powerful constructions
> > than that with SMEL. I'll try and post a version of the SMEL-library as
> > soon as possible.
> > I'm also working on SMEL-applications: specifications of SMEL-document
> > formats like SMELS (SMEL Schema) for defining new SMEL-formats, and
> > SMELT (SMEL Transformations) for transforming SMEL-formats to other
> > SMEL-formats or to other text-formats (like XML or HTML).
> >
> > More suggestions are welcome.
>
> Change the name. SMEL? Like, stink? :)
>
Yes, I can just see the review's headline ...
"SMEL stinks"
"SMEL-ing sweet"
--
Derek
6. Re: Alternative for XML
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tommy Carlier" <tommy.carlier at pandora.be>
To: "EUforum" <EUforum at topica.com>
Subject: RE: Alternative for XML
>
>
> Derek Parnell wrote:
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Tommy Carlier" <tommy.carlier at pandora.be>
> > To: "EUforum" <EUforum at topica.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 7:42 PM
> > Subject: Alternative for XML
> > > I've created a markup language as an alternative for XML. I call it SMEL
> > >
> > > (Some Modest Extensible Language). It behaves a bit like XML, but it's
> > > more
> > > compact, and has some advanced features that XML doesn't have. To my
> > > opinion, it's also more human-readable, especially for programmers.
> > >
> > > I'm also making a Euphoria-library for reading and writing
> > > SMEL-documents.
> > > Is this a good idea? Would Euphoria-programmers use SMEL, or would they
> > > prefer using XML?
> > > Example: the XML-fragment:
> > >
> > > <?xml version="1.0"?>
> > > <data>
> > > <element attribute="value" attribute2="value2">Some data</element>
> > > <empty/>
> > > </data>
> > >
> > > translated into SMEL:
> > >
> > > <smel version="1.0">
> > > data
> > > {
> > > element(attribute="value",attribute2="value2"){"Some data"}
> > > empty;
> > > }
> > Interesting. I've been playing with something very similar for use with
> > win32lib. Your syntax is more inclusive than I need but it might be
> > worth me standardizing on SMEL.
> > Also, you might also like to consider non-text attribute values, and
> > removing the '=' symbol. For example ...
> > <smel version{1.0}>
> > data
> > {
> > element(attribute{value},attribute2{value2}){"Some data"}
> > empty;
> > }
> > For win32lib, I could do something like ...
> > <smel version{1.0}>
> > form{
> > control{type{Window},
> > caption{Hello, World!},
> > left{12},
> > top{10},
> > width{300},
> > height{300},
> > flags{WS_VISIBLE, WS_DLGFRAME}
> > },
> > control{type{EditText},
> > name{UserId},
> > left{5}, top{5}
> > width(units{char}){20}
> > }
> > control{type{Button},
> > caption{Close},
> > flags{autoclose},
> > left(from{UserId}){2},
> > bottom{5}
> > }
> > }
> > ...hmmmm... I'll think about it some more.
> > --
> > Derek
>
> Thanks for showing the interest in SMEL. In standard SMEL, as it exists
> now, the above Win32Lib-definitions would look like this:
>
> <smel version='1.0'>
> form
> {
> control(type='Window',
> caption='Hello, World!',
> left='12',
> top='10',
> width='300',
> height='300',
> flags='WS_VISIBLE,WS_DLGFRAME')
> {
> /* the child-controls can be defined in the body of the
> parent-control */
> control(type='EditText',
> name='UserId',
> left='5', top='5'
> width='20ch'); /* 20ch = 20 chars: unit as part of the
> value */
> control(type='Button',
> caption='Close',
> flags='autoclose',
> left='UserId+2',
> bottom='5');
> }
> }
<snip>
I realize that things can be seen in multiple ways, and I can see that you are
expressing the hierarchical nature of the form here, but I can see that there
will be discussions about 'is such-and-such an "element" or an "attribute"?'
Maybe you need to give us a guide as to what the differences between elements and
attributes are?
Also, I really think that numeric values can be expressed as such and not as
strings. Also, as attributes are delimited by a comma, only strings that contain
commas need to have quotes. Another issue is how can we express nested data in
attributes? I suggest that instead of quotes, we use the braces characters.
<smel version='1.0'>
form
{
/* First we encode the attributes of 'form' */
control(type=Window,
caption={Hello, World!},
at={12,10},
size={300,300},
flags={WS_VISIBLE,WS_DLGFRAME})
/* And now the elements in 'form' */
{
/* the child-controls can be defined in the body of the parent-control */
control(type=EditText,
name=UserId,
left=5, top=5,
width=20ch); /* 20ch = 20 chars: unit as part of the value */
control(type=Button,
caption=Close,
flags=autoclose,
left=UserId+2,
bottom=5);
}
}
> This is just an example. You can build much more powerful constructions
> than that with SMEL. I'll try and post a version of the SMEL-library as
> soon as possible.
> I'm also working on SMEL-applications: specifications of SMEL-document
> formats like SMELS (SMEL Schema) for defining new SMEL-formats, and
> SMELT (SMEL Transformations) for transforming SMEL-formats to other
> SMEL-formats or to other text-formats (like XML or HTML).
>
> More suggestions are welcome.
See above.... 
--
Derek
