Re: SGML/XML syntax for DSSSL

Subject: Re: SGML/XML syntax for DSSSL
From: Dave Raggett <dsr@xxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 15:09:02 -0400
Rather than searching for a HTML-like syntax, I think people
may prefer something that builds on familiarity with CSS syntax,
while preserving the functional approach DSSSL embodies. I worked
on sketching some initial ideas for this in April. Here is an 
example to give the general flavor of the syntax:

  // let is used to define global and local variables

  let document-font-size = 10pt;
  let heading-font = "Times New Roman";
  let heading-weight = 'bold';
  let heading-posture = 'italic';

  // element foo defines a rule for rendering element
  // foo as a sequence of flow objects

  element p
  {
      paragraph // create a paragraph flow object
      {
          font-family-name: heading-font;
          font-weight: heading-weight;
          font-posture: heading-posture;
          font-size: 2 * document-font-size;
          quadding: 'center';
      }
  }

  // process-children is implicitly inserted
  // at the end of the sequence unless it
  // appears explicitly in the definition

  element note
  {
      paragraph
      {
          font-size: 12pt;    // set object property
          "Warning";          // a literal value
          process-children;   // the childen of this element
      }
  }

This is obviously very similar to DSSSL, hardly surprising
given that I set out to find a way of sugaring DSSSL.
The flow objects such as paragraph and the characteristics
they support are imported and are not part of the language.
This keeps the language simple and opens the door to
dynamic extensions using Java or Active X etc. Style sheets
languages in this approach know nothing about style!

On further thought, it became clear that one needs a way to
allow a programmer to define a rich style specification with
hooks for non-programmers to tweak the styles. CSS shows the
value of providing such simplified knobs and levers.

Another line of thought to follow up is the use of constraint
languages for layout. In this approach the rules generate
layout constraints rather than constructors for flow objects.
Louis Weizman explored this a few years ago in work at MIT's
Media Lab. For this, we would need to add a constraint solver
into the backend.
-- 
Dave Raggett - <dsr@xxxxxx> tel +1 617 258 5741 fax +1 617 258 5999
World Wide Web Consortium 545 Technology Square, Cambridge MA 02139

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