From: Neale Pickett <neale-news@lanl.gov> Subject: ANN: CGI forms tool (pre-release) and indented HTML generator Date: 22 Sep 1998 11:17:42 -0600 Abstract: Web-based forms applications are inherently difficult to create and maintain, because of their stateless nature and the desire on the part of most for web-based applications to appear more interactive than they really are. In designing a forms tool, programmers should be presented with an interface which is as close to a completely interactive application as possible. whiz presents the programmer with a interface of /states/, which appear to preserve variables across the entire duration of a user's session. Because of its modular nature, programming different sections of an application can be done with little or no interaction between section programmers. In addition, whiz attempts to seperate the job of programmer and designer by using /templates/, which can be designed in most HTML editors. whiz consists of two distinct components, whiz proper, and an indented HTML generator. The HTML module is much like HTMLgen, but provides the following additional benefits: o Indents your HTML like emacs would do it o Allows you to do "stupid" things, like putting a <p> inside an <em> o Allows arbitrary attributes o Easier (for me, at least) to understand Whiz itself is very poorly documented. Documentation (describing the tool from a technical standpoint, as well as a seperate document describing how to use it, *and* doc strings on all methods and objects) is about halfway done. I should have something useful before the end of the week. I'm providing a pre-release for two reasons: 1. Release early, release often (peer review) 2. The included html module is very usable (and useful!) I'll probably be following up to this message soon with pointers to documentation. -- Neale Pickett, propellerhead Contact information in headers Los Alamos National Laboratory, Network Engineering Group (CIC-5)