[softwarelist] Re: Embedded objects in DDL files

----- Original Message ----- From: "David Pilling" <flist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <davidpilling@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2006 5:08 PM
Subject: [softwarelist] Re: Embedded objects in DDL files
In message <001801c72b6e$f6ce4a60$9601a8c0@PC01>, John Grogan <johngrogan@xxxxxxxxxxxx> writes >This works fine but I would like to enhance the DDL file to contain >embedded 
>lines. I was hoping that the following would work:
>  RULE_001={line
>  {thickness 2000}
>  {fcurve {path {move 0 0}{draw 100000 0}{end}}}
>  }
>  STORY_001={story
>  "TITLE"
>  {newpara}
>  {embed RULE_001}
>  {newpara}
>  {endoftext}
>  }
It won't work - you've discovered that. It can't work though. DDL works by having a current context, a point in the document at which activity takes place.
When you drop the above DDL into a text frame the point is set to the text frame. So creating text there with the story command makes sense.
However what you do is create a line, the context then shifts to be that line.
If you save a document with lines embedded in text stories the lines are created, then the text frame, then the story.
I've long felt that DDL should be extended so that there are commands that let you move to a point in a document, or apply new values to an existing object. 

--
David Pilling
email: david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
   web: http://www.davidpilling.net
  post: David Pilling P.O. Box 22 Thornton Cleveleys Blackpool. FY5 1LR UK
   fax: +44(0)870-0520-941


Thanks, David. I had a feeling you were going to say something like that!

Two possible thoughts:
(a) could DDL be changed to allow in-line definitions e.g.
     {embed {line <..data..>}}
(b) I tried putting the line definition in the DDL file for the master document but it wasn't recognised when I tried to reference it from the dropped-in 
     DDL. Would it be possible to allow this?
As a further line of thought - I think it relates to your last comment - would 
it be possible to permit multiple "embed" references to a single object?

Regards
John Grogan

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