[XML-SIG] ANN: SLiP and SLIDE - a quick XML shorthand syntax and tool for editing
Scott Sweeney
ssweeney@idiosync.net
Wed, 3 Apr 2002 16:24:45 -0800
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">
<!-- 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