On Fri, 3 Oct 2003, Angus Leeming wrote: [Clever stuff to print warning if input file is missing]
> Shrug. Nobody is using InsetExternal and that isn't because it has > a complex API. Anyway, I think that the above example should get > you on my side. Exactly what you did above should probably be a transformer in itself. Call it "Transform WarningIfInputMissing". This is a general thing which many templates would have good use for. So, that example does not convince me -- in fact it convinces me that my approach is better, because that would make it much simpler to add this feature to other templates - just add a line. Also, you have not explained how you get scalability: With your approach, you have to modify all templates if you introduce a new "Mirror" (or the above "Warning") transformation, because you have to add it the right spot in each template. Finally, I do not think our proposals are incompatible: You can add my proposal as a new feature to your system: The user can choose between "Transform Rotation" or "Transform Rotation" "... $$Magic...$$Magic...$$Magic" and in the later case manually do the expansion definitions as you propose. In the first, the code has a default behaviour which Just Works in all the common cases. If it does not work in your complex example, then the code will notice that you have referenced a $$Magic thing, and skip the default behaviour. So, therefore, logically I will admit that if the choice is between no transformations, or transformations your way, I will choose your way, and just hope that you will add the missing feature later. Best regards, Asger
