[Typo3-doc] proposal of a new term "value type"

[Elmar Hinz]

Hello,

I hope this is the right place to discuss the terminology of tsref.

Well, when I use tsref I find in the column "data type" entries like:

-> if

(which is a function type)

HTML / stdWrap

(which is a combination of data type and function type)

cObject

(wich is an bundle of object types )

imgResource

(which is a complex combination of several differnt types)

str
boolean
resource

(which are "real" data types according to the type table)



Obviousliy there is an ambigous usage of the term "data type".

1.) The first meaning is the format of the value you write on the right 
side of the = of a special property (i.e. string, boolean, resource).

2.) The second meaning are the other combinations of function types, 
object types and "data types" a property can get either on the right 
side of the = as object types, or as it's sub-properties.



This ambigous usage caused me many headaches and took hours of pondering 
about the correct relations between those types.

I propose to use differnt terms for those differnt meanings of "data type".

1.) "value type" for the string you write after the = in properties.
2.) "data type" for all the differnt combinations of types a propety can 
take: function types, object types and value types.

Currently the chapter "datatype" meanly consists of

a.)  Datatype reference table
b.)  Data types: Object types table

"Value types" would become a new Chapter on an equal level to the 
function chapter and the object chapters.

The hitherto chapter "Datatype" would define those "complex data types" 
like imgResource on the one Hand and the usage and notation of 
functions, objects and values as data types on the other.


Regards

Elmar