Re: Thoughts on the way to school...

On Sunday 12 of October 2003 01:21, Richard in Public wrote:
> 1.  If memaid imported/exported xml then I could make use of the wide
> range of existing xml-aware tools - editors, databases, xsl2html
> transforms, etc.

There can be another solution: you can add in 'memaid' script (it normally 
runs before real binary, see src/extras/memaid, makes a back-up copy of 
elements.txt, calls memaid with some arguments) 
call to any other script(s) that will run before and/or after real memaid 
binary (I believe Bruno uses something like this).

This way you, or anyone, can for example code import/export to XML - it would 
look like memaid uses XML format, but the work would be really transparently 
done by an external script.
It has some advantages:
- memaid itself is not bloated with more code
- anyone can easily modify script for own needs (it's not that easy with 
modifying c sources and compiling them).

 
(I think KMemAid doesn't use this approach though - doesn't use a script to 
call it, make a back-up, etc. I was thinking strictly about 'memaid' package 
here, but similar script could be done for kmemaid too, anyways.)

On the other hand: if more people will want XML bult-in - then it really 
should be in core.

>  The format of the memaid .txt files is so close to xml
> anyway, although I accept your point with respect to Joe User.  I regret
> my use of the word proprietary - what I wanted to express was that
> memaid exports to an independant syntax rather than an available one
> (i.e. xml). It is not so much a case of getting the data out into xml,
> but of getting my data in.

Hm. I believe converter from XML to element.txt should be as easy to make as 
from elements.txt to XML.

>  I need to organize my data hierarchically as
> there is so much of it - the flat list of items provided by the KMemAid
> interface is quite difficult for me to work with.

You mean 'export.txt' and simple Q/A format?
Then please tell me how you think it should look like - how you would like it 
to be.
I coded it in the simplest and fastest way I could (and not only this one) - 
but I have never used this feature at all, so I am open for any suggestions 
from people who do use it and want it changed.

But instead of "it should be changed because it's bad" I would appreciate 
specific suggestions - how it should look like, how would be fine with 
you. :)

Is XML format, lets say:

<element>
<question>A question here...</question>
<answer>An answer here...</answer>
<element>

<element>
<question>Question of another element...</quostion>
<answer>blah blah</answer>
</element>

...

okay for "export" feature and queue.txt?


>  If I could import xml
> then I could use a range of tools to create and manipulate the data and
> then simply pass in into KMemAid for repetitions.

I have just wondered why not edit data in KMemAid itself - just checked 
KMemAid and now I see it doesn't allow editing elements on-the-fly while 
making repetitions...
In MemAid you can (since few releases) correct element data (text of question/
answer) while making repetition, finall drill, or anything.


> 3.  I'm sorry if I gave offence in the snippet below - I didn't mean to
> imply some dictatorial ambition on your part, whereby I expected to
> receive a pay-or-lose-your-data ultimatum!  

It's ok, I have taken it with some humour. :)

> If I store my items in xml I
> can both use KMemAid and format the data using XSLT into 'notes' for
> studying purposes.  If I have to move my data between memaid's format
> and other formats then normalizing becomes a nightmare.

Right!

> (...) My frustrations arise
> because I desparately want to use Memaid but, as I say, find it
> difficult to manage large quantities of information in the available
> formats.

Please tell me then which files format should be changed (or additional format 
by script(s) should be provided) and how should new format look like.
I proposed XML format for element.txt and queue.txt somewhere above.

Now about elements.txt (or maybe elements.xml provided by external script I 
can write):

<element>
<question>a question here</question>
<answer>an answer here</answer>
<time_to_repeat>155</time_to_repeat>
<last_interval>3</last_interval>
<real_last_interval>3</real_last_interval>
<interval>5</interval>
<repetitions>9</repetitions>
<grade>3</grade>
</element>

would be ok?

Dave



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