[Koha-devel] template system abuse

[Robert Flach, Poet and Critic]

I don't do a lot of hacking on koha, and I've never submitted a patch, 

though I do use it and am an avid follower of the development list.  (I 
am a web application developer by trade though).  So take this for what 
it's worth. 

It's a bad idea to generate ANY HTML in the code.  Keep the presentation 
in the presentation layer (templates).  No matter how obvious or useful 
a particular choice may seem now, it will cause you heartache down the 
road. 

Regarding the select box, Imagine that I as a template designer wanted 
to substitute a column of checkboxes or radio buttons for the select 
box.  With the proposal below it would be impossible, yet that is merely 
a matter of presentation which should be able to be changed only by 
modifying the templates.

Adequate objections have already been made to the fully constructed url.

Good luck, and thank you all for a great, robust product.  Keep making 
it more robust, don't make it less.
Sincerely,
Robert Flach


Owen Leonard wrote:
>> and in template:
>>
>> href="<!-- TMPL_VAR NAME="url" -->"
>>     
>
> Paul's point is the same as I would like to make: using this method removes
> the option for the template designer to use a form instead of a link.  What
> about leaving both options open?  Have the script create the URL variable
> but also make all the individual variables available for use?
>
>   
>> <!-- TMPL_LOOP NAME="items" -->
>>   <option value="<!-- TMPL_VAR NAME="value" -->" <!-- TMPL_VAR NAME="selected" -->><!-- TMPL_VAR NAME="name" --></option>
>> <!-- /TMPL_LOOP -->
>>     
>
> Paul, is this method translator-safe?  I thought you had had difficulties
> in the past with constructions like this?
>
> In both cases, past practices have colored my attitude towards these
> practices:  Any time the script generates HTML, you run the risk of no
> complying with the standard chosen by the template designer.  This was a
> problem when we were transitioning between HTML and XHTML.  If we can all
> agree on complying with XHTML transitional (at least), we just need to
> follow the rules:
>
> URLs which are generated by the script must include proper encoding of
> ampersands (&amp; instead of &)
>
> "selected" attributes generated by the script must follow the rules of no
> implied attributes: selected="selected"
>
> So it comes down to three suggestions from me: 
>
> 1. Make options available to the template designers.
> 2. Ensure that generated markup is XHTML compliant
> 3. Find out if we're breaking the translator script :)
>
>   -- Owen
>
>
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