[Savannah-hackers] savannah.gnu.org: submission of XSLT alternative syntax

[alexmoffat]

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Alex Moffat <address@hidden> described the package as follows:
License: lgpl
Other License: 
Package: XSLT alternative syntax
System name: xsltxt
This package does NOT want to apply for inclusion in the GNU project

This project provides an alternative syntax for writing xslt stylesheets and an 
implementation in Java of the new syntax. Converters to convert from the xml 
syntax to the new syntax and back, and an implementation of the Java SAXReader 
interface to allow direct template and transformer construction from files 
written using the new syntax are also provided.

I find the current xml based syntax too wordy for reasonable development, 
especially of the sort of \"programming style\" templates, i.e. lots of use of 
call-template, with-param etc, that I find I need to write. The alternative 
syntax uses indentation instead of explict xml start and end markers and does 
some other things to increase the signal to noise ratio when using xslt.

For example

<xsl:call-template name=\"foo\">
  <xsl:with-param name=\"bar\" select=\"$one\"/>
</xsl:call-template>

is written

call \"foo\" (\"bar\":\"$one\")

Currently the code is working for all xslt statements and I have tested by 
converting docbook documents to html using the docbook stylesheets, which are 
fairly complex. Documentation is provided describing how to use the package and 
all of the statements. Example programs that convert stylesheets and 
demonstrate applying a stylesheet using the new syntax are provided.

I have not made the code available anywhere yet but you can read some more 
\"thoughts\" about it at http://www.zanthan.com/itymbi/