ASDF exports

hi,

I've been trying lately to let a documentation tool exploit
the information in an asdf-sysdef that's already there and
to extend a sysdef with additional info for tailouring how
a documentation generator should generate the docs for that
specific system.  Some of the issues I've stumbled across:

a) several accessors for asdf-slots aren't exported, but
   probably should be.  Examples are:
    SYSTEM-DESCRIPTION
    LONG-DESCRIPTION
    SYSTEM-AUTHOR
    SYSTEM-MAINTAINER
    SYSTEM-LICENCE

   These provide ifnormation that a third-party app that can
   reason about an asdf-system should be encouraged to use.
   To avoid SLOT-UNBOUND mess, they probably should have an
   :initform NIL as well. 

b) To add more information to an asdf system I've mainly used
   the :properties keyword which seems to be there to add extra
   information, also for third-party apps using asdf.  Using
   COMPONENT-PROPERTY (which is exported) it can be used nicely 
   for keywords and other EQL info.  The problem is that with
   keywords you run into the same issues as with CL:*FEATURES*,
   it is a flat namespace.  By changing the :TEST to EQUAL it
   is easier to use hierarchical properties, e.g lists of strings:
   ("3rd party app" "main setting" "sub setting") as keys for
   properties without cluttering things for asdf's use of 
   properties or other apps use of properties. 

   So my suggestion is that COMPONENT-PROPERTY explicitly will
   use an EQUAL test (argument to ASSOC) to access property keys,
   allowing 3rd party apps more liberal use of keys and avoiding
   cluttering each other. 

   An example is how I now use keys like:
   ("albert" "docbook" "bgcolor")
   ("albert" "docbook" "fontsize")
   ("albert" "html" "tablestyle") 
   ...


Regards,
-- 
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Stig Erik Sandoe     [email protected]    http://www.ii.uib.no/~stig/



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