1.10+ Release Notes Overview

HTML Macros and Macro Syntax

Macro Parsing

• Added and confirmed code to properly recognize syntax like %=SET|x=%=HubApp.CGIAPP=%=% (e.g. no space after 'x=')
  
• Added support for '//' to be recognized as a comment when found at the beginning of a line. This feature will be enabled by default for all webapps. Should you require otherwise set WebApp.whComments to false.
  
• Enhanced the HTML Tag parser to support all variations of parameters for controlled HTML. This removes a long-standing shortcoming and gives you the utmost in HTML Tag parameter flexibility. Experiment with this chunk

Macros for Branding

What is Branding? Branding is a revolutionary concept owned by HREF Tools Corp that adds state to static websites by adjusting links and performing macro expansion on the fly, on static pages.

• %=BRANDFILE|Filename|DefaultFile=% Adds session number to exported pages and performs full macro expansion; supports image maps. use %=BRANDFILE|Command=% to brand the file specified on the commandline. To use the macro, set up a 'BrandPage' that uses this sequence
  • %=FLUSH|=%
    %=BRANDFILE|Filename=%
    %=CLOSE|=%

  to send nothing but the branded file. Branding requires that you passs a relative filename and specify the root directory through an entry in WebApp.Defaults['BrandDir']. 'BrandDir' defaults to 'ExportDir' but need not be the same.

   

• %=DynJump|<PageID>,<command>[|Tags]|Description=% Always jump to the dynamic version of the page. This is intended to be used to links that you want to get you into the dynamic version of your site from a set of exported pages.
  
• %=StaticJump|<PageID>,<command>[|Tags]|Description=% Always jump to the static version of the page. This is intended to take you from the dynamic version of your site to the static pages that were exported. The macro will link to ExportURL+ExportFileName; Combine this with the STATIC tag described below to make the link 'brand-resistant'.
  
• %=BrandJump|<BrandPage>,<PageIDOrFileName>[#<command>][|Tags]|Description=% Always link to the branded version of the PageID referenced. If the PageIdOfFileName parameter of the macro does not refer to a PageID with an exportfilename as defined in your application, the macro will pass the parameter as the filename to be branded (the file must exist in or under the directory used by BRANDFILE above.
  
• The BrandFile macro is supported by
  function BrandFile(const FileName,Default:String):String; which takes a filename with a path relative and below the AppDefault for cBrandDir and the name of an optional second file in case the first one is not found.
  function BrandHtml(const Value:String;IsMap:Boolean):String; performs link adjustments and inserts the session number in the Value string, treating the input string as an image map if the IsMap flag is set.
  
• In connection with branding, we've added support for an optional tag to be supplied through any of the JUMP related macros. This tag is called 'STATIC' and insures that links in exported pages which are later branded will continue to lead to static rather than dynamic pages. The system will strip 'STATIC' from <A> links in dynamic mode; for static pages, the links will look like this <A HREF="/export/ThreeWay.htm" STATIC> ...</A>. This example link was generated by %=StaticJump|ThreeWay|STATIC|Goto this page in static mode (force the link to not get branded (with the StaticJump Macro)=%
  
• The 'BrandPage' refered to above is a regular page in your web-application. We did not want to prescribe a page name for you besides saying that 'BRAND' may not be a bad choice. Plus, we wanted to retain the ability to insert custom headers and footers into even branded pages.
  
• Branding goes beyond including pre-generated pages, server-side includes, macro expansion and refers to a specific technique owned by HREF Tools Corp that adds state to static sites.

Other New Macros

• %=NOGO|Page|phrase=% sends the phrase if you are on the page
  
• %=IfStatic|phrase=% sends the phrase if you are making a static page.
  
• %=IfDynamic|phrase=% sends the phrase if you are making a dynamic pag
  
• %=ChunkID=% contains the chunk-name while expanding the chunk. makes it possible to write chunks like this one:
  • <H1>-Chunk:Home</H1>
    onMouseOver = "rollOver('%=ChunkID=%',true)"
    onMouseOut = "rollOver('%=ChunkID=%',false)"
    onMouseDown = "rollPress('%=ChunkID=%',true)"
    onMouseUp = "rollPress('%=ChunkID=%',false)"
    onClick = "rollClick('%=ChunkID=%')">
    <IMG NAME="%=ChunkID=%" SRC="%=mcImageDir=%%=ChunkID=%up.gif" WIDTH=50 HEIGHT=50 BORDER=0 ALT=%=ChunkID=%>

  from Pascal, use WebApp.CompareTo('ChunkId') or access WebApp.ChunkID. ..remember! ChunkID is only relevant while expanding chunks. It does not nest. It is temporary and best for the above purpose.

• %=MACRO|Key=Value=% Works like SET, AppDefault and PageDefault; set a macro on the fly.

Macro Changes

• "ELSE"
  The following macros now have "ELSE" functionality:
  • IF
  • IFNOT
  • MATCH
  • NOMATCH
  • IFSTATIC
  • IFDYNAMIC
  • GO
  • GOR

  Whereas before you were able to send two pipe character '||' in the display text of a macro, that combination is now used to indicate an optional 'else' clause. demo

• HTTP/HTTPS
  %=Bounce=%,%=HREF=%, WebMail, now allow HTTP and HTTPS interchangably
  
• INCLUDE Macro
  fixed/unchanged: use %=include|c:\autoexec.bat=% to include the listed file
  
• SENDFILE Macro
  fixed/unchanged: use %=flush|=%
  %=sendfile|c:\autoexec.bat=%
  to clear the output buffer of any headers or leading text that might have snuck in, then send an arbitrary file. include a "Content-Type: xyz" line (and a blank line thereafter) in the file if you are sending a custom binary file and dont know the mime type ahead of time. use %=sendfile|c:\temp\temp.gif,image/gif=% if you're sending a binary file and you know the type beforehand.
  
• AutoLoad/BodyLoad Macros
  Examp;es for these two macros which to integrate some JavaScript into WebHub and which utilize the ThtWebApp's JavaScript property were missing from prior builds. I've included a simple demo autoload.htm with all the clues for these important macros.
  
• Page Macro: Bug Fixed
  Sending Page-Macros from within WebAction components (but not WebPage.OnExecute/OnSection) were ineffective as the EAbort exception was not re-raised by the WebAction.Execute mechanism. This has been corrected.
  In addition, regardless of where you used 'Writeln' to trigger a page-change, the macro would only work every other time. This was a bit of a puzzler at first sight as 'Writeln' works by bending pointers in the RTL, but it's been resolved as well.
  Bottomline is: %=Page|..=% and raising EAbort now reliably works in all the combinations that I could think of testing at the time.
  
• 'Checked' Bug introduced in 1.05,1.06, fixed in 1.07
  Two variations of problems involving the Checked macro were introduced in the experimental 1.05/1.06 builds. One would create HUGE session var files, the other would cause problems resetting checkmarks
  

Support for other Markup Tags

• WebHub can now recognize Cold Fusion and Frontpage Bot Syntax. This functionality must be enabled by setting the desired syntax option in WebApp.OtherTags. If alternate tags are enabled, the WebApp.OnOtherTag event is called with the unexpanded tag. Use routines from ucstring, uchtml, uttaglst to process the value, use WebApp.CompareTo to expand webhub individual macros. Set the 'Send' parameter to false if you don't want the tag to be passed through.
  
• new event type: TOnOtherTag= procedure(Sender:TWebOutputApp;const Value:String;Send:boolean;Kind:TOtherTag) of object;
  
• To test, actviate OtherTags and try this code with a frontpage or cold-fusion file:
  • procedure TfmWebAppMainForm.htWebAppOtherTag(Sender: TWebOutputApp;
      const Value: string; Send: Boolean; Kind: TOtherTag);
    begin
      writeln('<hr>');
      showmessage(Value);
    end;
    
• Uses: map frontpage bots to action components; map cold-fusion commands to webhub commands; either is simpler now.