This chapter describes how to customize Quanta Plus to your particular needs and how you can help Quanta Plus become better.
Document Type Editing Packages (DTEPs) are used in Quanta Plus to add support for markup, scripting languages, and CSS. They allow Quanta Plus to provide features like auto-completion and node trees. Their simplicity and flexibility are what make Quanta Plus a fast, developer friendly IDE for web developers. They are what make Quanta Plus an easy-to-use, productive environment.
DTEPs come in two flavors, Family 1, which are markups, and Family 2, which are scripting and CSS. DTEPs are made up of two parts, the Tag Folder and the Toolbars. Tag Folders are composed of two types of files, the description.rc and TagXML files, which carry the extension .tag. Toolbars are the handy, icon-oriented tabs of buttons (above the editing window) which place text into a document faster than the user can type.
DTEPs can be created manually (see below), downloaded or automatically created from an existing DTD. See the section called “Converting a DTD to a DTEP” for details about the conversion.
This document describes how to make TagXML files, the description.rc, and toolbars. In short, a DTEP.
TagXML files (.tag) define both the attributes specific to a tag and the layout and contents of the properties dialog Quanta Plus shows for the tag. The description.rc file provides rules and information on the DTEP itself. Toolbars provide a quick means for adding tags into a document without worry of mis-spellings and such.
Tag Folders are just that, folders. They are composed only of the description.rc and TagXML files. Tag Folders carry the name of the mark-up language and version, if applicable. (For example, html-4.01-strict)
The table below lists the elements defined in TagXML and declares whether they are required or not. While not all are required, it is recommended that you use as many as you can so that other users can have a better experience and more information to work with.
Element | Default Usage | Case Usage |
---|---|---|
TAGS | required | always |
tag | required | always |
label | optional | required to create a properties dialog |
attr | optional | required to define an attribute |
tooltip | optional | required to have the properties dialog display a tooltip |
whatsthis | optional | required to have the properties dialog display a “What's This ” |
list | optional | required when an attr is of the type “list” |
item | optional | required when <list> is used |
textlocation | optional | always |
location | optional | required when label is used |
text | optional | required when label is used |
children | optional | list of tags that can appear within the tag being defined |
child | required | a children entry |
stoppingtags | optional | list of tags that tell another tag to end |
stoppingtag | required | a stoppingtags entry |
The following sections will describe, in detail, each element. Everything from where they can go to what goes in them is layed out in an easy-to-follow manner.
This is the root element of a TagXML document. It may appear in a document only once. It can contain the definition of multiple tags. This is an element-only type element.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
NONE | tag |
Wrapper for tag being defined. This is an element-only type element.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
TAGS | label, attr, stoppingtags |
Attribute | Type | Values | Default | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
name | string | required | Specifies the name of the tag being defined. | ||
single | boolean | optional | Specifies whether or not the tag requires a closing tag </(tagname)>. | ||
type | string | xmltag | optional | Specifies the type of tag being defined. | |
xmltag | Type of tag is XML-based. (Family 1 only.) | ||||
entity | The tag describes an entity. (Family 1 only.) | ||||
property | Type of tag is CSS related. (Family 2 only.) | ||||
function | Type of tag is a script function. When used, <attr> becomes arguments of the function. (Family 2 only.) | ||||
class | Type of tag is a script class. (Family 2 only.) | ||||
method | Type of tag is a class method. (Family 2 only.) | ||||
returnType | string | void | optional | Specifies the return type of tag being defined. (Family 2 only.) | |
void | Type of tag returns void. | ||||
int | Type of tag returns int. | ||||
float | Type of tag returns float. | ||||
long | Type of tag returns long. | ||||
string | Type of tag returns string. | ||||
version | string | optional | Specifies the version of the language for which this tag is valid | ||
extends | string | optional | Valid only if the type of the tag is "class". The name of the base class for this class. (Family 2 only.) | ||
class | string | optional | Valid only if the type is "method". Specifies the name of the class to where this method belongs. (Family 2 only.) | ||
common | boolean | optional | if "yes", the tag specifies a common attribute group and the attributes inside this tag can be attached to any other tag. (Family 1 only.) | ||
comment | string | optional | the comment string appears near the tag name in the completion box |
Place a label in the dialog. The text is specified by the <text> tag. This is an element-only type element.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
tag | text, location |
Defines an attribute of the tag. This element occurs once for each attribute. It defines the name and type of attribute. It also contains additional tags that specify how this attribute should be displayed, et cetera. This is an element-only type element.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
tag | location, list, tooltip, whatsthis, textlocation |
Attribute | Type | Values | Default | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
name | string | required | Specifies the name of the attribute being defined. | ||
type | string | input | required | Specifies the type of the attribute being defined. | |
input | Field supports free text entries (text field). | ||||
check | Field value is boolean (check box). | ||||
color | Field value is a color. | ||||
url | Field value is a URL. (Local file to refer to.) | ||||
list | Field value is an item from a specified list. | ||||
status | string | optional | required | Specifies whether or not the argument is required. (Family 2 only.) | |
optional | Argument is optional. | ||||
required | Argument is required. | ||||
implied | Argument is implied. | ||||
source | string | optional | Specifies the sources used to fill the entry for the attribute in the tag editor dialog and the attribute tree | ||
selection | The selected text is used as source | ||||
dcop | The result of a dcop method is used as source | ||||
interface | string | optional | Requires source="dcop". The dcop interface from inside Quanta Plus used to get the source data. | ||
method | string | optional | Requires source="dcop" and an interface name. The dcop method name from inside Quanta Plus used to get the source data. | ||
arguments | string | optional | Requires source="dcop", an interface and a method name. The arguments passed to the method. It can be empty or "%tagname%", meaning the current tags name. |
Defines the tooltip for a field in the dialog. This element is text-only.
Currently only plain text is supported (you cannot use any markup).
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
attr | NONE |
Defines the 'What's This' help for a field in the dialog. This element is text-only.
Currently only plain text is supported (you cannot use any markup).
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
attr | NONE |
A container tag that groups together the items in a list. It may appear only once for each attribute description. This is an element-only type element.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
attr | item |
Specifies the position of a tag's attribute text within a dialog. This tag can only occur once for each attribute in the dialog (that is, one for each <attr> tag). This element is empty.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
attr | NONE |
Attribute | Type | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
row | nonNegativeInteger | required | Specifies the row in the dialog layout of a field or label. |
col | nonNegativeInteger | required | Specifies the column in the dialog layout of a field or label. |
rowspan | nonNegativeInteger | optional | Specifies the number of rows a field should span. |
colspan | nonNegativeInteger | optional | Specifies the number of columns a field should span. |
Specifies the position and size of a field in the dialog. This tag should occur once for each field in the dialog (that is, one for each <attr> and <label> tag). This element is empty.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
label, attr | NONE |
Attribute | Type | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
row | nonNegativeInteger | required | Specifies the row in the dialog layout of a field or label. |
col | nonNegativeInteger | required | Specifies the column in the dialog layout of a field or label. |
rowspan | nonNegativeInteger | optional | Specifies the number of rows a field should span. |
colspan | nonNegativeInteger | optional | Specifies the number of columns a field should span. |
Define the text for a label or check box. This element is text-only.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
label, attr | NONE |
Defines a list of elements that can appear within the tag being specified. This element is an element-only type element.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
tag | child |
Defines a child tag. This element is empty.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
children | NONE |
Attribute | Type | Values | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
name | string | required | Specifies a tag that can appear within the a certain tag. | |
usage | string | optional | Specifies the relation with the parent. | |
required | The parent must have at least one child with this name. |
Defines a list of elements that force a tag to end. This element is an element-only type element.
Parent(s) | Children |
---|---|
tag | stoppingtag |
All TagXML files must begin with the XML declaration: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> and must be properly nested and closed.
White space does not adversely affect anything, but watch out for & and < characters. These should likely be replaced with an & and <, respectively, in elements such as <tooltip>, <whatsthis>, and <text>. Not doing so will not cause a crash, but you will have chunks of your work disappear if you do not.
To validate your TagXML files, simply click the “Tools” pop-up dialog at the top of Quanta Plus and select “Validate TagXML.” A dialog will present itself and you need only to follow the simple directions.
This feature is currently not present. Currently validation occurs when the TagXML files are loaded into Quanta Plus.
The following will show you a valid Family 1 TagXML file. This file happens to describe W3C® XML Schema's <schema> element. The file name for this TagXML file would be schema.tag. Simple, eh?
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE TAGS> <TAGS> <tag name="schema"> <label> <text>id</text> <location col="0" row="0"/> </label> <attr name="id" type="input"> <tooltip>A unique ID for the element.</tooltip> <whatsthis>A unique ID for the element.</whatsthis> <location col="1" row="0"/> </attr> <label> <text>version</text> <location col="0" row="1"/> </label> <attr name="version" type="input"> <tooltip>Version of the schema.</tooltip> <whatsthis>Version of the schema.</whatsthis> <location col="1" row="1"/> </attr> <label> <text>targetNamespace</text> <location col="0" row="2"/> </label> <attr name="targetNamespace" type="input"> <tooltip>URI reference of the namespace of this schema.</tooltip> <whatsthis>URI reference of the namespace of this schema.</whatsthis> <location col="1" row="2"/> </attr> <label> <text>xmlns</text> <location col="0" row="3"/> </label> <attr name="xmlns" type="input"> <tooltip>URI reference for one or more namespaces for use in this schema. If no prefix is used, then components of that namespace may be used unqualified.</tooltip> <whatsthis>URI reference for one or more namespaces for use in this schema. If no prefix is used, then components of that namespace may be used unqualified.</whatsthis> <location col="1" row="3"/> </attr> <label> <text>attributeFormDefault</text> <location col="0" row="4"/> </label> <attr name="attributeFormDefault" type="list"> <items> <item>qualified</item> <item>unqualified</item> </items> <tooltip>Default form for all attributes within this schema.</tooltip> <whatsthis>Default form for all attributes within this schema.</whatsthis> <location col="1" row="4"/> </attr> <label> <text>elementFormDefault</text> <location col="0" row="5"/> </label> <attr name="elementFormDefault" type="list"> <items> <item>qualified</item> <item>unqualified</item> </items> <tooltip>Default form for all elements within this schema.</tooltip> <whatsthis>Default form for all elements within this schema.</whatsthis> <location col="1" row="5"/> </attr> <label> <text>blockDefault</text> <location col="0" row="6"/> </label> <attr name="blockDefault" type="input"> <location col="1" row="6"/> </attr> <label> <text>finalDefault</text> <location col="0" row="7"/> </label> <attr name="finalDefault" type="input"> <location col="1" row="7"/> </attr> </tag> </TAGS>
The following will show you a valid Family 2 TagXML file. This file happens to describe PHP's overload function. The file name for this TagXML file would be overload.tag.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE tags> <tags> <tag name="overload" type="function" returnType="void"> <attr name="class_name" type="string" status="optional"/> </tag> </tags>
The description.rc file is, also, quite simple and there is an editor for it accessible from ->. This will edit the description.rc for a DTEP you can select from a list. In order to edit the description.rc for a newly created DTEP you should create a simple description.rc with the following entries:
[General] Version = Use 1 for Quanta Plus version <=3.1.2 and 2 for any version greater. Name = DTD definition string. (-//W3C®//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN) NickName = The beautified name of the DTD. (HTML 4.01 Transitional). If not defined, Name is used as NickName.
Once you have created it at put aside of the tag files, load the newly created DTEP with -> and after it is loaded you can proceed with editing the settings of the DTEP. Check the tooltips and the whatsthis text of the entries in the editor dialog to understand the meaning of each entry. Alternatively you can read the quanta/data/dtep/dtd-description.txt
from the source tarball containing a description about the format.
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