Xpath support

[cvalka2]

Xpath for the select operator and others.

Why not crowdfund this feature on https://www.catincan.com ? I'd personally make a pledge.

Public disclosure: I'm affiliated with Catincan.

[neocotic]

Are you suggesting the same operations as query selectors? For example:

• select -> xpath
• selectAll -> xpathAll
• selectAllHTML -> xpathAllHTML
• selectAllMarkdown -> xpathAllMarkdown
• selectHTML -> xpathHTML
• selectMarkdown -> xpathMarkdown

This will require either some big custom coding or, more likely, use of a JavaScript port of XPath support. Should definitely be doable and I can imagine it not being too difficult.

Regarding funding; since the donate button on the options page hasn't had a single click I'm not sure Templates users are the funding type. This is not a complaint. I offer Template freely and actually enjoy working on it. I added the donation button out of interest and hope :)

[cvalka2]

Are you suggesting the same operations as query selectors?
Is it possible for an operator (f.e. select) to decide whether it's a CSS selector, Xpath or something else based on the input?
use of a JavaScript port of XPath support
https://github.com/ilinsky/xpath.js ?
I'm not sure Templates users are the funding type.
If you give them some new useful features in return for their donations, they might behave differently.

Offtopic: I'm probably being silly, but how do I split a string into several components in a template? f.e. "My string" -> ["My", "String"]

P.S. Great extension.

[neocotic]

Is it possible for an operator (f.e. select) to decide whether it's a CSS selector, Xpath or something else based on the input?

No, document.querySelector can only accept CSS selectors and XPath support isn't built in to the DOM as far as I'm aware.

https://github.com/ilinsky/xpath.js ?

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll have a look into that and other possibilities, should I find any.

If you give them some new useful features in return for their donations, they might behave differently.

But then I can be waiting ages for funding when I'd have already coded the feature and would be dying to release it to my users. I'm too eager 😉

P.S. Thanks! 😄

[neocotic]

Sorry, I missed a bit;

Offtopic: I'm probably being silly, but how do I split a string into several components in a template? f.e. "My string" -> ["My", "String"]

This isn't really something I've thought about. Could you please raise another issue for this feature while also specifying why this would be useful and preferably one or more examples.

[neocotic]

It looks like this may be easier than I thought: https://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Introduction_to_using_XPath_in_JavaScript

I just have to check browser compatibility and familiarize myself with the implementation.

[neocotic]

I've created pull request #182 to implement this functionality.

@cvalka2 I'd be interested in hearing your opinion on the footnote of that pull request.

[neocotic]

6 new operations have been added to support XPath expressions in your templates. These were added in PR #182 and will be available once v1.2.5 has been released.

[neocotic]

@cvalka2 Have you had a chance to try these new operations out yet? If so, are you happy with them?