How to use the forrest:view config-DSL

- We developed forrest:view to let the user decide where to place elements in e.g. html-pages. + We developed forrest:view to let the user decide where to place elements + in, e.g., html pages. We started this work with the skinconf.xml where you could configure certain elements and - their positions. This elements was known under certain names. It was up to the skin-designer to support + their positions. These elements were known by established names and it was up to the skin-designer to support this configuration and the elements.

- The work started with grouping elements (the ones from skinconf). We used css-contracts that - we added as @attributes e.g. ]]> . That made it - possible to use the same elements in different skins. For the full list refer to the + We started by grouping the elements (from skinconf) and using css contracts that + we added as @attributes, e.g. ]]> . That made it + possible to use the same elements in different skins. For the full list of these contracts refer to the - inicial contract list - + initial contract list + .

- Around this contracts we developed a configuration Domain Specific Language and called it forrest:view . - forrest:view 's allows us to define the order in which forrest:contract's appear, and also to group - them using forrest:hook's. + Around these contracts we developed a configuration Domain Specific Language and called it forrest:view . + forrest:view allows us to define the order in which forrest:contracts appear, and also to group + them using forrest:hooks.

- forrest:hook's are container that are only used for layout reasons. They do not add + forrest:hooks are containers that are only used for layout reasons. They do not add any content nor functionality to the output. They add only layout information to the output. Actually a ]]> will be transformed to ]]>

- forrest:contract's are functionality or extra content that a skin can use to display the requested + forrest:contracts add functionality or extra content that a skin can use to display the requested document (content-main). Sometimes a contract delivers format-specific markup, other times it delivers a format-independent string.

- forrest:view is designed to be open for any format that can use forrest:view as configuration file. - The only format we implemented is xhtml for now. This is as well true for the delivered contracts. + forrest:view is designed to be available for any format that can use + forrest:view as a configuration file. + The only format we have implemented is xhtml for now. This is also true for the delivered contracts.

Creating your first view

- In this section we will create a new view. We will override the default view of the view-plugin + In this section we will create a new view. We will override the default view of the view plugin for the index page of the newSeed. - For that we will create a file called index.ft and save it in our xdocs directory. - This will make only the index.html page look different from the rest of the project. + To do this we will create a file called index.ft and save it in our xdocs directory. + This will only make the index.html page look different from the rest of the project.

Remember: pointing your browser to http://localhost:8888/ls.contracts.html will show a page with all contracts that you can use in your project.

- Let use the blank view from the earlier step and add the content-main contract. In - ls.contracts.html we find the information how to use the contract in our view. Our + Let's use the blank view from the earlier step and add the content-main contract. In + ls.contracts.html we find the information about how to use the contract in our view. Our index.fv should look like:

@@ -148,16 +150,16 @@ ]]>

- We find now the main content and the section navigation after each other and in the order - we placed them in the view, but we want it next to each other + We now see the main content and the section navigation in the order + we placed them in the view, but we want them next to each other (left: nav-section; right: content-main).

Hooks in views

- We will use now the first time a ]]>. - Hooks are the styling side of views. We can imitate arbitrary html skeleton + We will now use for the first time a ]]>. + Hooks are the styling side of views. We can imitate an arbitrary html skeleton with their help. Before we explain how to use your own css in views we will use the default css. In the default.css we can find

@@ -170,12 +172,12 @@ }

- With this information we know to use ]]> + With this information we can see the purpose of ]]> and add contracts into that container.

If we want to put the nav-section contract into the left side position - of the site we need to place the contract into that hook. Like: + of the site we need to place the contract into that hook like so:

@@ -197,12 +199,13 @@

CSS in views

- We know now how to place contracts and hooks in our view, till this stage we only used the default.css. - CSS-support of views is as easy as placing contracts/hooks. To override the default.css + We now know how to place contracts and hooks in our view, but until this stage we have only + used the default.css. + CSS support within views is as easy as placing contracts/hooks. To override the default.css stylesheet we use another tag within our view ]]>.

- We will now create a file in . In our case + Now we will create a new file as . In our case we will save a file called howTo.css in newSeed/src/documentation/skins/css/howTo.css containing only the following css:

@@ -220,7 +223,7 @@ by adding the tag ]]> to our view.

- ]]> has to be direct son of + ]]> has to be the direct son of ]]>!!! @@ -235,8 +238,9 @@

Now you see a white page where the menu is sourrounded by a solid border with the defined background. - As second example let us change as well the content-main by adding another hook - ]]> We need to add the new layout container + For a second example let's change the content-main by adding another hook + ]]>. We need to add the new layout + container to our howTo.css:

@@ -248,7 +252,7 @@ }

- Then we have to add the 'content-main' contract to the 'content' hook, the resulting view looks like: + Then we have to add the 'content-main' contract to the 'content' hook. The resulting view looks like:

@@ -263,7 +267,7 @@ ]]>

- We are now able to place contracts into layout container and add custom css to the view. + We are now able to place contracts and layout containers and add custom css to the view.

Let us now look into advanced features of views. @@ -274,8 +278,8 @@

- Congratulations you are now able to work with the view DSL. - From here we recommend to read the following How-To's: + Congratulations, you are now able to work with the view DSL. + From here we recommend reading the following How-To's:

Create your own contract implementation

-"Views" are new functionality which is still in development phase. That is why it is in the +"Views" are a new functionality which is still in development phase. That is why it is in the "whiteboard" section of the Forrest distribution. This HowTo is a good start but still needs proof-reading.

Users/devs who wants to get started with view development. - This setup guide is valid for both user and devs. + This setup guide is valid for both users and devs.

- To help user installing views. This is the "getting started" setup-guide. + To help users install views. This is the "getting started" setup-guide.

You have to use the trunk version of forrest for using views because it is in an early stage
You have to use the trunk version of forrest to use views because it is in an early stage + of development.

- The process of setting up the plugin is quite heavy. We promise it will be easier in the future. - Some of the instructions has to be modified with your local settings. + The process of setting up the plugin is quite involved. We promise it will be easier in the future. + Some of the instructions have to be modified with your local settings.

Build the view and the viewHelper plugins @@ -77,9 +78,9 @@ Seed a new project

Go to the dir where you want to seed a new project and seed it. - Then we have to prepare a default.fv directory in project.conf-dir (forrest.properties) - of the fresh seed. That will be needed as soon you modify the default view of your project. - The "templates"-directory is need for your project specific contract implementations. + Next we have to prepare a default.fv directory ("conf") in project.conf-dir (forrest.properties) + of the fresh seed. This will be needed as soon you modify the default view of your project. + A "templates" directory is needed as well, for your project-specific contract implementations.

cd ~/src/newSeed @@ -91,25 +92,24 @@

Modifying forrest.properties

- Now we have to tell forrest that we are planing to use the view plugins. We will do that + Now we have to tell forrest that we are planning to use the view plugins. We will do that by editing to the forrest.properties to add the plugins:

project.required.plugins=org.apache.forrest.plugin.output.viewHelper.xhtml,org.apache.forrest.plugin.internal.view

- Now we have to change the project skin to leather-dev. The reason is that the plugins are still - not independend form the "old fashion skins". + We also have to change the project skin to leather-dev. The reason for this is that the plugins are still + not independent from the "old fashion skins".

- We exchanging only - site2xhtml.xsl of leather-dev skin by the plugins and some contracts are based - on e.g. document2html.xsl output of leather-dev. - + We are exchanging only site2xhtml.xsl of leather-dev skin by the plugins and some contracts + are based on e.g. document2html.xsl output of leather-dev. + project.skin=leather-dev

- Test your new view based project + Test your new view-based project

Now you have finished the preparation and the setup to finally try

@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ forrest run

then point to http://localhost:8888/ and you should see the default - view based skin.

+ view-based skin.

When developing styles with views 'forrest run' is the quickest way. You will see you do not have to build your project to see the changes on your pages when working with *.fv. @@ -136,8 +136,8 @@ ant local-deploy

- The newly installed plugin will show the available contracts as html page. - First we have to tell forrest that we are planing to use the new plugin. We will do that + The newly installed plugin will show the available contracts listed in an html page. + First we have to tell forrest that we are planning to use the new plugin. We will do that by editing the forrest.properties of the newSeed to add the plugin:

@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@

- Congratulations you are now able to work with views. - From here we recommend to read the following How-To's: + Congratulations, you are now able to work with views. + From here we recommend reading the following How-To's:

Getting started with forrest:view DSL