[sword-devel] OSIS feature support and questions

[Matthew Talbert]

> It is largely a frontend issue on what to do with the data, but the
> engine could make it easier to know what the data is (as DM has pointed
> out).  I'd like maybe an SWMgr::parse method that would return
> module/key pairs in a ListKey somehow.  Dunno.  Please don't think we're
> abandoning supporting more stuff.  It's just a matter of priority and
> interest.  Of course I'd like to see everything supported better.  We're
> still working on getting the long sought av11n support to the end user
> and actually have any useful modules using it.  I suspect if we get some
> useful modules which have advanced <reference> entries, that would be a
> great motivator to get something in the engine to assist frontends to
> look these things up.  But, as this conversation has pointed out, the
> feature in the engine also motivates module dev.  So we are kindof in a
> motivational catch22 :)
>
> Anyway, please don't think we've abandoned the idea of making things
> easier for frontends.  When one implements a feature, it is often eye
> opening for me to see how they've done it and what the need was that
> prompted it.  This sometimes leads to the _lifting_ of the ideas and
> even sometimes part of the impl into the engine. :)

This was largely my point in joining the conversation. We already do
have basic support in the engine for linking. At least for us at
Xiphos, if we start seeing modules that use this feature (I believe
there is only one OSIS-based module which does), and we encounter
links that are more advanced than WORK:REFERENCE, then we will
certainly add support for it in Xiphos. And at some point if the code
becomes non-trivial then it would certainly be worth including in the
engine. I initially wrote to encourage Brian (and other module
developers) to please *do* start now including <reference> links that
point to other modules.

Matthew