Re: ACTION-87: Selectors API

> On Mon, 05 Jun 2006 19:49:36 +1000, Anne van Kesteren <annevk@opera.com>
> wrote:
> > I'm not really fond of matchOne()... Is there any precedence on this?

Not in JavaScript that I can think of. The only precedent case I can
think of for this example is String.prototype.match.
That function does both though; it's the "global" flag on the regex
that determines whether to return just the first match or all of them.
And in my mind, that is a design error in regex in JavaScript, since
it's entirely plausible to want to use the same regex in both types of
matches.
This can be done by setting the global flag on the regex and using
RegExp.prototype.exec when a single match is desired and
String.prototype.match when an array of matches is wanted
Just the fact you have to change whether it's the regex or the string
that you call a method on - not to speak of the fact you need to set
the global flag on all regexes if you want this behaviour uniformly -
makes this an ugly solution to my eyes. The responsibility for solving
problems like this should lie on the functionality provider, not the
functionality consumer.

On 06/06/06, Charles McCathieNevile <chaals@opera.com> wrote:
> There is a precedent for any naming thing you care to consider, and some
> you would prefer not to.

Indeed... I think my example highlights that.

> I am with Jonas on this - I don't think the name hurts or increases
> confusion and it does slightly decrease it. But picking names is always
> painful. We'll never get it perfectly right, but we can always get it
> oh-so-very wrong :(

I tend to agree here. I don't like the suggested design of having
selectors be second class though. I think selectors are important
enough to have as first class objects, just like regex are.
Compile them to an object once, use multiple times. Little is lost in
performance for those using them once, but much is gained for those
using them over and over.
It makes the code for a single use a little more complex, but not that
very much. It doesn't make much of a difference in code complexity for
those using them multiple times, and might even mean a reduction in
code complexity.
It does make up the question of whether the methods for matching
should be placed on the Selectors objects or the Document/Element
nodes though.
-- 
David "liorean" Andersson
<uri:http://liorean.web-graphics.com/>

Received on Tuesday, 6 June 2006 01:17:05 UTC