h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi, it's FM again with another question about GuideML .

GuideDog is coming along very well now, in fact alarmingly so compared to the last time I tried to write it. One issue I am nevertheless having problems with is Blobs. I'm currently using an XSL stylesheet to convert the blob number to an IMG tag. However, the rules DNA uses for so doing seem to vary from blob to blob. For instance, if you look at my PS, Jimster's Passion Flower maps to an HREF of http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/blobs/passionflower.jpg, but the Hubble Telescope drawing maps to http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/B583321white . So, what are the rules for translating blob numbers to HREFS? Once I have these, then I think I'll embed them in a custom .htc component and let that work out where to get them from.

Thanks
FM

A new syntax was added for the new named images versus the old numbered blobs. See <./>GuideML-PICTURE</.>.

Thanks, but the information I'm after is not how to specify the blob in the first place, but how to resolve it to the correct URL. I don't know how the XSL processor decides what URL to use, and this is what I need to know to be able to display pictures properly.

But you already have that information (although the skin part is problematic). B-numbers go to the new B-number URL and named pictures go to the name URL.

Specifically for the B-numbers, because they needn't be rectangular and mostly had colour options:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/oldblobs/white/583321.gif
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/oldblobs/blue/583321.gif

Actually, I didn't, as it happens. I could have assumed what the rules might have been, but I just wanted to check with Jim what the rules actually *are*. It's dangerous to assume anything, even more so when computer software is involved.

There is also nothing on the page you sent me which tells how the URLS are resolved, only how the attributes are specified.

"I don't know how the XSL processor decides what URL to use, and this is what I need to know to be able to display pictures properly."

It should be clear from the XML - if it's an old-style one which includes the BLOB attribute then it will generate an old-style syntax call, although it could, just as correctly, generate a direct link to the file in the oldblobs directory.

As to which variant it uses - blue or white - that is entirely dependent on the skin itself - there's nothing in the XML to tell you because it's purely a presentation thing. So each stylesheet knows whether white or blue is better as a background.

Thanks for that. I've been battling with other issues of late, mainly change tracking, which is very obscure in MSHTML. So this has been on the back burner.

When I get something working I will prepare a release for people to have a play with.

Cheers
FM

PS: how's the little one?

Little ones - we have four now. And they're all great.

Sorry: I should have said 'littlest one'. Getting much sleep?

She's not so bad now. Bernadette bears the brunt as she has to feed her. But she now sleeps through much of the night, and as long as we get to bed at a reasonable time, we get a good few hours sleep.