Eclipse b3/notes/Design-Meeting-2009-10-08

We Discussed the following:

• embedding advice in units (compared to buckminster CSPEX)
• external advice (proxies, advice in build files)
• syntax for including advice in build files
• stricter rules for multiple advice sections

Embedding Advice

We concluded:

• we have invented a b3 language, the files in this language should be ".b3" files (no variations like ".b3x" for extension - analogous with ".java" files containing classes or interfaces).
• embedded advice use a "unit" declaration instead of he general "advice"

External Advice

• This is comparable to "overlay" in Buckminster, which no one really understood and never used :)
• Decided that it is just too complicated - and it is better to use advice in build files - the "include advice" provides the way to organize advice external to advised units.
• Authoring proxies is just as complicated as repackaging the original units - so choice is there - repackage, organize the build files, or just do it ad-hoc.

Syntax for including advice in build files

• revise the syntax from "advice URL { name, name,...}" to "include advice" to make it clearer.
• "Include" was selected to not clash with "import"

Stricter rules for advice section

• The rules should be that there can be one unnamed advice - it automatically gets the name "advice"
• Advice names are unique within the file.