[ic] The [component] tag

[Mike Heins]

Quoting Ethan Rowe (ethan at endpoint.com):
> Zambra wrote:
> 
> >Hello,
> >
> >I've installed Interchange 5.2.0, and I'm trying to customize it (just on
> >the template side, I don't need additional or modified features). I'm
> >dissecting the template files for the Foundation store, but don't 
> >understand
> >what:
> >
> >[component group=vertical]
> >
> >does mean.
> >
> >Although "component" doesn't seem to be explicitly documented in the docs, 
> >I
> >guess this tag calls the component file. But, what does the
> >"group"-parameter mean? Also I can't find any component called "vertical".
> >
> >Thanks in advance for your help!
> >
> > 
> >
> The [component] tag is closely related to the [control-set] and 
> [control] tags.  It is a bit confusing, in my opinion.  I don't know if 
> it's documented anywhere or not, so I figured out how to use it by 
> reading the core code.
> 
> Basically, [control-set] lets you set up a group of arbitrary variable 
> name/value pairs, which stick together as a single unit.  In other words:
> [control-set
>    [group]vertical[/group]
>    [option]some_option[/option]
> [/control-set]
> 
> The above defines a particular set of control values; the set consists 
> of an argument 'group' whose value is 'vertical', and an argument 
> 'option' whose value is 'some_option'.
> 
> Subsequent calls to [control-set] sets up other sets of control values.  
> This builds a stack of control values, in the order in which they're 
> defined.
> 
> [control], on the other hand, is a way of fetching values out of that 
> stack.  Components in the catalog will make use of [control] to get 
> these values.  The syntax is:
> [control <argument> <default>]
> 
> After defining the above [control-set], calling:
> [control group]

Yes, but group probably should be removed. It is really only used to
give you choices of components in the now-somewhat-deprecatd content
editor.

In the newest "standard" template, probably the most interesting
parameter is [output]left[/output]. It used to be you had a fixed
number of component slots, say three for the left and three for the
right. Now you can have an unlimited number in any of top/bottom/right/left,
just by changing the output.


-- 
Mike Heins
Perusion -- Expert Interchange Consulting    http://www.perusion.com/
phone +1.765.647.1295  tollfree 800-949-1889 <mike at perusion.com>

Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.
-- Wernher Von Braun