[TYPO3-hci] Typoscript "Code-Editor"

[Kasper Skårhøj]

Hi Y'all,

I did some thinking on this topic on my holiday this summer as well.  
here is my vision:

- Real PHP objects: TypoScript should configure real PHP objects  
behind the scenes. For instance, all "cObjects" will in PHP be  
defined as an abstract class and "TEXT", "IMAGE" etc. will extend  
that abstract class.
- Public variables: All properties of a TypoScript object corresponds  
to whatever public instance variables are in the PHP object (yes,  
this requires PHP 5).
- 100% extendable: All TypoScript objects are supplied through  
extensions; Thus "TEXT", "IMGTEXT" etc. are delivered through some  
system extension but not anymore special than what any third party  
extension would provide
- Semantics: Each object has a way to expose its "configuration".  
This is what allows us to read out what properties can be set so we  
can check semantics. Same API will deliver clearly defined data  
types, full documentation for properties and might even give example  
implementations.
- TypoScript is renamed to "TypoConfig" which is what it really is.

This is the basics. This also allows that these PHP objects are used  
directly inside extensions - and TypoScript becomes demystified  
because its just a high level way to configure objects people could  
also use directly in their PHP code.

TypoScript can still be written "by hand" in text fields, files or  
whatever - or it can be written via some AJAX powered form interface  
where you tick off the properties you want to set, then a nice form  
field allows you only the options that the data type defines. - and  
by the way, why not implement the possibility to access control right  
away. You could imagine that through this mechanism its very easy to  
give end users access to individual TypoScript properties without  
compromising security.

The downside is that this looks like a TYPO3 5.0 project!



On T3DD I plan that the HCI session will focus on issues like this  
which can be defined as usability improvements targetted at  
developers! Come and give your input at that session!

- kasper





On Jul 19, 2006, at 11:40 , Ernesto Baschny [cron IT] wrote:

> Bernhard Kraft schrieb am 19.07.2006 11:05:
>
>>> I think this is what the "CONSTANT EDITOR" is about. In my  
>>> opinion, this
>>> is what has to be considered in its usability: Adding more  
>>> possibilities
>>> and flexibility to the constant editor and integrating extensions  
>>> like
>>> constant_editor (to allow non-admin access to certain properties).
>>
>> Pherhpas it would be enough to add "Tabs" to the constant editor  
>> in addition
>> to let the user select which extension he wants to configure.
>>
>> the constants get read out of ext_typoscript_constants.php and we  
>> would just
>> have to add another "key" for setting the tab they appear in.
>
> I think its not just a matter of having tabs (which I think would help
> already!). Other things that pop into my mind:
>
> - have a page-browser for selecting page-ids when the property  
> expects a
> page-id
> - have a file-browser to choose a file from fileadmin for  
> properties of
> the type "file" (you currently can only upload a "new" file, which is
> kind of ugly!)
> - more flexible "categories" to group related properties
> - some kind of standardized (and documented!) way to configure global
> stuff that every extension might need to access
>
> I've added those stuff in the wiki [1] so that they get not lost.
>
> Cheers,
> Ernesto
>
> [1]
> http://wiki.typo3.org/index.php/Usability_No- 
> brainers#Configuration_.28developers.29
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- kasper
-----------------
"Daddy, is Kasper real?"