Re: Transclusion Issues

[Rich Pasco <pasco@xxxxxxxx>]

Some thoughts from the new kid on the block:

Transcluded text should retain as much of its original markup as
possible.  For example, if the author has highlighted a phrase with
italic, then that phrase should be italics in the transcluded copy
as well.  (If the entire copy is italic, then the typesetter's
convention is that what was originally italics is set in Roman, i.e.
un-italicized, to preserve the distinction.)  Similarly, headings should
still look like headings, tables should still look like tables, etc..

I agree with Ted that it should be possible to add or override markup,
e.g. "emphasis mine."

No markup in the transcluded text should affect text which follows.
Thus, any open-ended tags should be presumed closed at the end of the
transclusion.  For example, I would hate to embed an HTML document with
an open <H2> code and have the remainder of my document suddenly appear
in large, bold-face type.

A precedent to consider is how Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) files work.
The master PostScript file preserves its graphics state before calling
the EPS file, and restores it afterwards, as a defense against the EPS
file leaving things different than it found them.

I am anxiously awaiting Ted's article, "Embedded Markup Considered
Harmful."

     - Rich