slashtags.pod

NAME

slashtags - Special SLASH tags in Slash stories

DESCRIPTION

There are several additional "tags" available to Slash authors/editors (currently only in stories, though perhaps eventually in comments and journals).

These tags allow things like linking to stories and users, adding links to the Related Links box, and more. Read on for usage guidelines and syntax.

OVERVIEW

There are two basic types of SLASH tags, those that enclose content and those that do not.

# with
<SLASH-LINK HREF="http://slashcode.com/">Go to slashcode</SLASH>
# without
<SLASH-FILE ID="0123456789abcdef">

There are also two basic types of syntax. One is the hyphenated form, which is a bit more brief, as above. The other is to take the hyphenated part out and put it in the TYPE attribute, like so:

<SLASH TYPE="file" ID="0123456789abcdef"> 

The order of the attributes in the tag doesn't matter. Slash will automatically rewrite the hyphenated form into the non-hyphenated form, so you can write with either, but when you read it back, it will be the latter.

If a TYPE is not supplied, using either syntax, Slash will use the following logic to determine type:

Provided attribute      Type
==================      ====
HREF                    LINK
STORY                   STORY
NICKNAME                USER
USER                    USER

If you have none of those attributes, you must include the type.

So, these are the standard methods to link to a story:

<SLASH-STORY STORY="03/08/12/158239">Some story</SLASH>
<SLASH TYPE="story" STORY="03/08/12/158239">Some story</SLASH>

However, this is also legal:

<SLASH STORY="03/08/12/158239">Some story</SLASH>

TAGS

These are the different types of tags, the available options for each, and a short description.

FILE

This tag encloses text. Available attributes:

ID [REQUIRED]

The ID of the file in the database, provided in the "Attached Files" slashbox.

TITLE [OPTIONAL]

The enclosed text is used if not supplied.

TYPE [OPTIONAL]

"file", if hyphenated form not used.

The SLASH-FILE tag allows linking to a file that has already been put into the Slash database, via the "Attach File" link that appears in the story editor once the story has been saved. Files attached to that story appear in the story's "Attached Files" slashbox in the story editor, along with syntax to use to include the file, something like this:

<SLASH-FILE ID="SOMEID" TITLE="foo">foo</SLASH> 

Note: as noted, this syntax, upon preview/update, will change to:

<SLASH TYPE="file" ID="SOMEID" TITLE="foo">foo</SLASH>

This is processed into something like:

<A HREF="//slash.example.com/blob.pl?id=SOMEID" TITLE="foo">foo</A>

IMAGE

This tag does not enclose text. Available attributes:

ID [REQUIRED]

The ID of the file in the database, provided in the "Attached Files" slashbox.

TITLE [OPTIONAL]

The enclosed text is used if not supplied. TITLE value is also used for the ALT attributed.

ALIGN [OPTIONAL]

Alignment of image (e.g., top, middle, bottom, left, right).

WIDTH [OPTIONAL]

Width of image (e.g., 200). Automatically added if left empty.

HEIGHT [OPTIONAL]

Height of image (e.g., 200). Automatically added if left empty.

TYPE [OPTIONAL]

"image", if hyphenated form not used.

The SLASH-IMAGE tag is almost the same as the SLASH-FILE tag, but with additional attributes, and uses an IMG SRC output instead of an A HREF output.

<SLASH-IMAGE ID="SOMEID" TITLE="foo" WIDTH="200" HEIGHT="200">

This is processed into something like:

<IMG SRC="//slash.example.com/blob.pl?id=SOMEID" TITLE="foo"
WIDTH="200" HEIGHT="200">

LINK

This tag encloses text. Available attributes (please note that either ID or HREF attribute are required):

ID [OPTIONAL]

The ID of the desired link. If not supplied, one will be created automatically from the HREF attribute.

HREF [OPTIONAL]

The URL to the desired link; not required if ID is supplied.

TITLE [OPTIONAL]

The enclosed text is used if not supplied. TITLE value is used for the ALT attribute.

TYPE [OPTIONAL]

"link", if hyphenated form not used.

The SLASH-LINK tag creates a link to an arbitrary URL. It uses the Slash::Relocate plugin, which is then used to control and track links to outside URLs.

<SLASH-LINK HREF="http://www.example.com/">Example site</SLASH>

This is processed into something like (assuming the user is a friend):

<A HREF="//slash.example.com/relocate.pl?id=SOMEID"
TITLE="Example site">Example site</A>

RELATED

This tag encloses text. Available attributes:

HREF [REQUIRED]

The URL of the link.

TYPE [OPTIONAL]

"related", if hyphenated form not used.

The SLASH-RELATED tag creates an additional entry to the bottom of a story's "Related Links" slashbox. It produces no output.

<SLASH-RELATED HREF="http://www.example.com/">Example site</SLASH>

This produces no output in the story; rather, it adds to the "Related Links" slashbox text something like:

&middot; <A HREF="http://www.example.com/">Example site</A><BR>

USER

This tag does not enclose text. Available attributes (please note that either UID or NICKNAME attribute are required):

UID [OPTIONAL]

The UID of the desired user. USER attribute may be used instead of UID attribute.

NICKNAME [OPTIONAL]

The nickname of the desired user.

TYPE [OPTIONAL]

"user", if hyphenated form not used.

The SLASH-USER tag creates a link to a user's Slash page, including appropriate "zoo icons" for the viewing user.

<SLASH-USER UID="6">

This is processed into something like (assuming the user is a friend):

<A HREF="//slash.example.com/~user/" TITLE="user">user (6)</A>
<A HREF="//slash.example.com/zoo.pl?op=check&amp;uid=6"><IMG
BORDER="0" SRC="//images.slash.example.com/friend.gif"
ALT="Friend" TITLE="Friend"></A>

STORY

This tag encloses text. Available attributes:

STORY [REQUIRED]

The SID of the desired story.

TITLE [OPTIONAL]

The title of the story, used for the TITLE attribute of the link. If not supplied, the story's title in the database is used.

TYPE [OPTIONAL]

"story", if hyphenated form not used.

The SLASH-STORY tag creates a link to another Slash story.

<SLASH-STORY STORY="SOMESID">foo</SLASH>

This is processed into something like (assuming the user is a friend):

<A HREF="//slash.example.com/article.pl?sid=SOMESID"
TITLE="STORYSUBJECT">foo</A>

BREAK

This tag does not enclose text. Available attributes:

TYPE [OPTIONAL]

"break", if hyphenated form not used.

The SLASH-BREAK tag adds page breaks. It can only be used in the bodytext of a story.

<SLASH-BREAK>

This works with the pagenum form variable (and the pagemenu template, called from the dispStory template). If pagenum=1 or is pagenum is false, then introtext and everything up to the first SLASH-BREAK in bodytext is displayed. If pagenum=2, then introtext is replaced by everything between the first and second SLASH-BREAK tags, and no bodytext is displayed. And so on.

VERSION

$Id$