Re: Please Help: How to use minivend variable like [item-code] in a SQL search string?

[cfm@maine.com]

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> That is interesting, as I can imagine that the minivend tag
> system originally was thought of by the author as a means of
> making it easier to set up a catalog as compared to programming.
> 
> Now, as far as I remember, Mike Heins mentioned once on the list
> here, after the tag system had evolved and changed into a quite
> voluminous and flexible system suited to be used in combination
> with embedded Perl for anything you want, that
>  
> a.) the tag system is not a programming tool
> b.) he sees often the tag system abused as being used like a 
>     programming language
> c.) urging to use Perl instead of the tag system for customization
>     needs
> d.) having become the victim of the success of his own
>     tag system (as compared to the SQL/DBIish things)
> 
> Now, not being a programmer myself, after having watched
> many questions posted here by ISPs and web site developers 
> (who are fluent in programming, I assume) my question
> is: 
> 
>     Is the tag system really difficult to understand even
>     for people who can read the source code well and can
>     program their own additions, modifications etc. ?
>     1.) If the answer is yes, is it only because the source
>         code is too voluminous to be studied for a busy
>         ISP or is it really tough to dig into it.
>     2.) If the answer is no, is it difficult to learn because
>         even for professionals the documentation is not
>         clear enough ? (So far, I considered this to be the
>         case only for non-programmer).

I don't really understand the question, so I'll just
give you some observations:

The tag system is awkward.  I think one can live within
the system or outside it (as we do).

We do read the source; we're programmers.  And yes, 
the minivend tag language is not really for programmers.
You are right, the tag system was originally done so that
non programmers could build a catalog.

Once you work with the source, why not modify
it?  So we write our own libraries.  It's easier than
mucking with the tags and the performance is better.  Come
time to upgrade minivend, you don't have to merge patches.

Our business focus is on database publishing,
hence the SQL/DBIish piece.  We live in SQL and DBI
all day long.  Bear in mind that we don't do 
just a single catalog, but several dozen 
so the investment in generalization is worth it.

The vast bulk of our catalog pages are perl DBI embedded
in the minivend session manager embedded within a structure
of database generated fragments. The general idea is to
apply a document DTD to minivend: see DSSSL.  In a nutshell, 
we use minivend to provide the peristent environment 
within which our page scripts run.

I don't know if that helps you?

Best,

cfm

-- 

Christopher F. Miller, Publisher                            cfm@maine.com
MaineStreet Communications, Inc        208 Portland Road, Gray, ME  04039
1.207.657.5078  (MTRF 3-5pm)                        http://www.maine.com/
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