XMLForm/Flow Integration Documentation

[Christopher Oliver <re...@verizon.net>]

Any suggestions on how to document this stuff: 
http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=xml-cocoon-dev&m=104604489704318&w=2 ?

To write an XMLForm application with the flow layer involves at least:

1) Writing XForm documents for each of the pages in your Form
2) Writing a schematron script that describes your validation
3) Writing a flow script that describes your page flow and programmed
    validation
4) Writing transformers and serializers for your presentation
5) Writing a sitemap that pulls the above elements together


For (1) we need a reference and user guide for the XMLForm UI elements 
(e.g. xf:select, xf:textarea, etc). Just making a link to the W3 XForms 
site is not very nice, since there are significant differences between 
Cocoon XML Forms and W3C XForms (one is server-side, the other 
client-side, etc, etc).

For (2) we need a reference and user guide for Schematron (in this case 
maybe a link to the Schematron web site and tutorials is good enough?)

For (3) we need a reference and user guide for the Flow JavaScript API 
(e.g. sendView(), addViolation(), etc). What's the best way to document 
JavaScript code. Would "JSDoc" (a la "Javadoc") be appropriate?

For (4) there should already be other documentation

For (5) we need to document the sitemap elements you need to supply for 
(1),(2), and (3) above.


Thoughts?

Chris

Re: XMLForm/Flow Integration Documentation

[Diana Shannon <sh...@apache.org>]

On Sunday, February 23, 2003, at 08:25  PM, Christopher Oliver wrote:

> Any suggestions on how to document this stuff: 
> http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=xml-cocoon-dev&m=104604489704318&w=2 ?
>
> To write an XMLForm application with the flow layer involves at least:
>
> 1) Writing XForm documents for each of the pages in your Form
> 2) Writing a schematron script that describes your validation
> 3) Writing a flow script that describes your page flow and programmed
>    validation
> 4) Writing transformers and serializers for your presentation
> 5) Writing a sitemap that pulls the above elements together

Do you have time to write a how-to (based on the referenced XMLForm 
feedback sample??) which demonstrates all of the above as well as 
provides links to more in-depth references, as you noted below? If so, 
see:
   http://xml.apache.org/cocoon/howto/howto-author-howto.html

If not, how about contributing a few good snippets? If so, see:
   http://xml.apache.org/cocoon/howto/howto-author-snippet.html

Such snippets (and links to other resources) could be referenced in a 
separate doc.


> For (1) we need a reference and user guide for the XMLForm UI elements 
> (e.g. xf:select, xf:textarea, etc). Just making a link to the W3 XForms 
> site is not very nice, since there are significant differences between 
> Cocoon XML Forms and W3C XForms (one is server-side, the other 
> client-side, etc, etc).

If you don't have time to start something these guides, then perhaps it 
could be added to the Doc's wish list on wiki. Since we don't have a 
mechanism worked out yet for generating reference pages, perhaps the 
content could start off in its own doc.

> For (2) we need a reference and user guide for Schematron (in this case 
> maybe a link to the Schematron web site and tutorials is good enough?)

I think it's good enough. A description accompanying a recommended link 
is even better. Others can surely help here.

> For (4) there should already be other documentation

Yes, but some minimal example would be necessary if you are writing a 
full-fledged how-to.

> For (5) we need to document the sitemap elements you need to supply for 
> (1),(2), and (3) above.

Again, snippets or a how-to would work here as well.

Sounds very promising!!

Diana

Re: XMLForm/Flow ops

[Stefano Mazzocchi <st...@apache.org>]

Thor Heinrichs-Wolpert wrote:
> I haven't had a clean build to try this stuff with, but I'm looking for 
> some pointers.
> 
> A common flow in many of the applications I've built for trading, 
> geo-science, health sciences, FM, GIS, MM, etc. a user is looking to 
> manage or to get detailed information on a subject.
> They:
> a. Enter what they know about the subject
> b. if they get a unique match, display the info/management page
> c. if the result is not unique, provide a list of matches
> d. user selects from the list of matches and then displays the 
> info/management page
> 
> Right now this determination is in my XMLForms (although iterating 
> across an XML doc is a prob).  Would this be something that the 
> flowscript should be tasked with? 

yes, my vision is that flow will control all transitions between stages 
(also called screens, stages or, improperly, webapp pages).

> Can I use the flowscript to make the 
> page transitions something that can be described in the sitemap?

I don't parse this. Can you give more info on what you want?

-- 
Stefano Mazzocchi                               <st...@apache.org>
    Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate [William of Ockham]
--------------------------------------------------------------------

XMLForm/Flow ops

[Thor Heinrichs-Wolpert <th...@lunartek.com>]

I haven't had a clean build to try this stuff with, but I'm looking for 
some pointers.

A common flow in many of the applications I've built for trading, 
geo-science, health sciences, FM, GIS, MM, etc. a user is looking to 
manage or to get detailed information on a subject.
They:
a. Enter what they know about the subject
b. if they get a unique match, display the info/management page
c. if the result is not unique, provide a list of matches
d. user selects from the list of matches and then displays the 
info/management page

Right now this determination is in my XMLForms (although iterating 
across an XML doc is a prob).  Would this be something that the 
flowscript should be tasked with?  Can I use the flowscript to make the 
page transitions something that can be described in the sitemap?

Cheers,
Thor HW