SLiP – a “Sorta Like Python” shorthand for XML
This morning, while eating breakfast I had a brainwave. Python, revolutionized programming, with no more curly braces {}, replacing them by indentation. Why not revolutionize XML with a similar format?
Further investigation found that it exists. SLiP – a “Sorta Like Python” shorthand for XML was written by Scott Sweeney and published under the MIT license. The reason I said ‘was’ is that the last release was April 19, 2002. So it’s not really a viable solution unless someone decides to bring it back to life and starts to work on the unimplemented features on the project’s homepage.
I would love to be able to use this or something similar, so please let me know if anyone does do anything with this, or if there is a similar ‘language’ in existence!
Looks like YAML. (Or ConfigObj ini file syntax.)
Michael Foord
September 21, 2008 at 1:46 pm
does SLiP has any cPython dependencies ? will it work with AppEngine ?
Amre Ellafi
September 21, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Michael:
Both of those seem like very complicated solutions (to me) compared to XML. SLiP is a XML shorthand, YAML appears to aim to provide much more. Similar is true of the ConfigObj syntax (especially as that has a specialised purpose). I think I like SLiP because it is so compatible with XML.
Amre:
I had to install the “python-tk” package for the graphical parts, although the converter scripts don’t need it and IMO the GUI isn’t up to much (if anything). So as far as I can tell he main parts of it would work in AppEngine (though I have no experience with it so wouldn’t like to say for sure).
fluteflute
September 21, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Dude, YAML.
@fluteflute:
No, these are simpler solutions. Just for fun, try writing an XML parser from scratch. Just for, you know, giggles.
Woof
September 22, 2008 at 3:15 am