Announcing...

SLiP 0.1: a "Sorta Like Python" shorthand syntax for XML SLIDE 0.1: a "Sorta Like an IDE" lightweight windows exe for SLiP editing SLiPpy 0.1: a SLiP package for Python, including a SLiP->XML library (sliplib.py) and source for SLIDE (slide.py)

http://www.scottsweeney.com/projects/slip

[Description]

SLiP is a quick, alternative shorthand syntax for creating and editing XML data by hand and if you know Python, it should also be familiar. Great for taking notes.

[Benefits]

* Less typing - provides a quicker and easier means for creating or editing XML

* Easier to read - creates a pleasant layout for the data with indentation and spacing

* Benefits of XML - allow for hierarchical data, unlike tabbed or other character delimited data files

* Cheap - provides a free XML editing alternative

* Editor-agnostic and Keyboard-oriented - provide a quicker, more hacker-friendly way to create XML over point-and-click alternatives

* Works in existing editors - most Python editors (IDLE, Scintilla, etc) should accept and make working with this syntax easy

[Example]

This portion of SLiP:

my:addresses(xmlns:my="http://example.org/my"):

#some random comment

address(type="home"):

street(): "123 Sesame Street" city(): "Wonderland" state(): "CA" zipCode(): "90012" comment():

""" Please leave packages with Grouch in garbage can next door.

"""

.. would convert to this XML:

<my:addresses xmlns:my="http://example.org/my%22%3E <!-- random comment --> <address type="home"> <street>123 Sesame Street</street> <city>Wonderland</city> <state>CA</state> <zipCode>90012</zipCode> <comment>

Please leave packages with Grouch in garbage can next door.

</comment> </address> </my:addresses>

I've created some free (MIT license) tools including a Python library for translating between XML and SLiP (SLiPpy), a lightweight editor wrapper (SLIDE), and some brief documentation - all available at the website, http://www.scottsweeney.com/projects/slip

This is my first release of these tools so they are a little rough and they need more input, so let me know what you think.

Thanks, Scott Sweeney

[Contact] ssweeney@idiosync.net

<P><A HREF="http://www.scottsweeney.com/projects/slip">SLiP</a> - a "Sorta Like Python" shorthand for XML (3-Apr-2002).