SVG 1.2 Working Draft: Comments on 3.2.4 More powerful use:reusable symbols UI elements and components

Adding parameters to use and symbol: Great idea. To use those parameters
within the definition you need to be able to refer to them. The simplest way
is to allow attributes to be set to expressions containing those parameters
a la 3.2.7 Expression-based attribute values. Is this what the working group
is thinking?

A key question is what sorts of things can be parameters:
* Are only constants allowed or are expressions allowed?
* Do you allow higher order parameters e.g. use and symbol names (or even
arbitrary SVG)?

Once parameters are allowed it makes sense to me at least that you should
allow local variables in the use and symbol definition to name common-sub
expressions and to allow simpler more understandable attribute computation.
In accord with the declarative nature of SVG, I think variables should
behave as if they are simply another name for their defining expression, not
an updatable memory location.

Kim
-- 
Professor Kim Marriott
School of Computer Science & Software Engineering
Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Vic 3800, Australia
Ph: ++61 (3) 9905-5525, Fax: ++61 (3) 9905-5146
Email: Kim.Marriott@infotech.monash.edu.au

Received on Friday, 9 May 2003 03:31:27 UTC