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Introduction

What is RAVE? RAVE is an acronym that describes the different types of web browsers that use web pages. Specifically, it stands for Reader, Adapter, Viewer, and Editor. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate one way to create a web page that can be read by any type of web browsers.

Background.

This is the fifth in a series of articles that discuss the GRML markup language and the web browsers that use it. If you would like further background on the software and technology, see the Related Articles section.

RAVE

As mentioned in the introduction, RAVE consists of four parts. They are:

Readers - load or download a web page or file, parse the data, and prepare the content for display;

Viewers - display the content of the web page or file in a meaningful way (i.e. text view, list view, headline view, grid view, etc.)

Editors - allow content to be edited, modified, and saved.

Adapters - are used to translate data from one format to another, such as HTML to GRML, or vice versa.

Readers.

All GRML web browsers and file viewers come with a reader. In fact, all existing web browsers have an HTML reader. It is this piece that allows the application to read the markup language and use the content meaningfully.

Readers have serialization features to find and load (or download) content. They also include a parser to extract content for use. An application that only is used as a reader would not have a display for showing the available content. It would simply download it and extract the relevant information.

All web browsers have readers.

Viewers. Seeing the contents of a file provides useful information. Depending on the way the content is seen, will determine the user's perspective of that information. This is the function of the viewer. It displays the content that the reader has made available to the application.

An application can have many viewers or one view, but they all depend on the services of a reader. For example, a typical web browser has an HTML reader and a HTML viewer. In some web browsers, such as Pioneer, the web browser can have multiple views. With Pioneer, there is a GRML reader, a GRML list viewer a GRML report viewer, and a GRML text viewer.

The most popular web browsers have at least one viewer.

Editors.

Once the content is displayed, some web browsers allow it to be edited. An editor allows displayed content to be modified, edited, and saved. Modifications can occur by manipulating an image, changing text, including or excluding results, or adding new content.

An example of a web browser editor would be Cavalier. It reads GRML, displays an image view, allows image editing, and saves the changes. Editors are the least common type of web browser.

Adapters.

Not all web browsers are compatible because they use different markup languages. A GRML web page cannot be read by an HTML web browser and vice versa. Thus, the need for adapaters.

Adapters bridge the gap between different markup languages, file formats, and content types. They can be created on the server, within the web browser's internal logic, or as an add-on. For example, an adapter would be used to change a HTML web page into a GRML web page. Or, it could be used within an application to generate a different file format from that of the reader. A GRML web browser could use an adapter to translate GRML into a CSV file, or XML.

Adapters are not web browsers but are used by them, usually as a utlity application, script, or code block (e.g. a class or library). Most web browsers do not use them, but, GRML web browsers and web sites use them often.

Getting started with a simple web page.

Okay, now that we know a little about the types of web browsers that read web pages, let's look at an example.

<code>
<GRML>

<a class=column_13 type=Item>Title</>
<a class=column_13 type=Item>Request</>
<a class=column_13 type=Item>DateTime</>

<a class=rslt_13 type=imagewidth>72</>
<a class=rslt_13 type=Imageheight>72</>

<a class=rslt_13 type=image>http://66.61.49.71/images/rave/topbush.jpg</>

<a class=rslt_13 type=Item>Dems want uranium claim probed</>
<a class=rslt_13 type=Item>CNN</>
<a class=rslt_13 type=Item>7/9/2001</>
<a class=rslt_13 type=link>http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS</>


<a class=rslt_13 type=image>http://66.61.49.71/images/rave/topplant.jpg</>

<a class=rslt_13 type=Item>PCBs trial a costly marathon</>
<a class=rslt_13 type=Item>CNN</>
<a class=rslt_13 type=Item>7/9/2001</>
<a class=rslt_13 type=link>http://www.cnn.com/LAW</>


<a class=rslt_13 type=image>http://66.61.49.71/images/rave/topsunset.jpg</>

<a class=rslt_13 type=Item>Town braces for Lewis and Clark crowds</>
<a class=rslt_13 type=Item>CNN</>
<a class=rslt_13 type=Item>7/9/2001</>
<a class=rslt_13 type=link>http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL</>


</GRML>

Copy this code into a text editor, launch Pioneer and load the save file. Let's first look at the pictures in the report view, then the list view. You should see the following:

List view Report (picture) view
Simple text view

In Image Cavalier, you should see the following:


Image Editing view

Following this format allows the web page to be displayed in different types of GRML web browsers.

Conclusion.

Web browsers can be described using the acronym RAVE. Readers, adapters, viewers, and editors describe the abilties of web browsers to use web pages and files.

In future articles, additional tags will be introduced and examples will be demonstrated for use with other GRML web browsers.

Related Articles

Using an image editor with dynamic web pages
An alternative to HTML and current web browsers
HTML, XML, GRML -- making a better markup language for the web
A simple web page format that works with windows and ASP
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GeneralMisguided? Pin
Blake Coverett
13:34 9 Jul '03  
GeneralGreat feedback!!! Pin
Toby Jacob Rhodes
15:00 9 Jul '03  
GeneralMore great feedback Pin
Paul B
6:29 12 Jul '03  
GeneralSo why not deleted yet? Pin
dog_spawn
8:10 9 Nov '03  
GeneralConstructive criticism is one thing... Pin
Toby Jacob Rhodes
9:28 9 Nov '03  


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