Re: Bug 1649 Definition of "Programmatic Reference"

At 02:16 6/01/2006, David MacDonald wrote:
<blockquote>
The term " Programmatic Reference " is used but not defined. I think it is 
being used here to mean something functional (e.g. a link or control) that 
causes a contextual transition, but I'm not sure. "2.4 L2 SC4: The 
destination of each programmatic reference to another delivery unit is 
identified through words or phrases that either occur in text or can be 
programmatically determined."]
(...)
programmatic reference

<proposed>
A cross-reference method to enable the retrieval of a specified delivery 
unit or movement to another part of the same delivery unit. A link or 
control that causes a contextual transition.
</proposed>
</blockquote>

The definition looks good. "cross-reference method to enable" could also be 
replaced with "relationship that enables"; "link" in the last sentence 
could be replaced with "function"; and it is the activation of the 
link/control that causes the contextual transition, not the link/control 
itself.
So it would become:
<proposed>
A relationship that enables the retrieval of a specified delivery unit or 
movement to another part of the same delivery unit. A function or control 
that can be used to cause a contextual transition.
</proposed>

What do you think?


David also wrote:
<blockquote>
A Google search  makes it appear that we are the first ones to use the term 
"Programmatic Reference" in this manner.
</blockquote>

The proposal for the definition makes me wonder why we don't use the term 
hyperlink. After all, web content is 'hypertext' (HTTP: HyperText Transfer 
Protocol). Even VoiceXML files are text (before speech synthesis is applied 
to them) and use URLs to relationships with other files or anchors in files 
(e.g. in the attributes 'next' and 'nextitem' of the 'goto' element, the 
'next' attribute in the 'choice' element, the 'src' attribute of the 
'subdialog' element and the 'next attribute of the 'link' element).
"Programmatic reference" has other connotations; for example, reference 
variables for objects in object-oriented programming languages are also 
"programmatic references".

Regards,

Christophe Strobbe


-- 
Christophe Strobbe
K.U.Leuven - Departement of Electrical Engineering - Research Group on 
Document Architectures
Kasteelpark Arenberg 10 - 3001 Leuven-Heverlee - BELGIUM
tel: +32 16 32 85 51
http://www.docarch.be/ 


Disclaimer: http://www.kuleuven.be/cwis/email_disclaimer.htm

Received on Friday, 6 January 2006 09:54:58 UTC