=head1 FEATURES

=over 4

=item - 

Fast, flexible, generic and open template processing system.

=item -

Simple template "mini-language" provides functionality to manipulate
variables (GET/SET/DEFAULT), process other template component files
(INCLUDE/PROCESS), iterate through various values (FOREACH),
conditional branching (IF/UNLESS/ELSIF/ELSE), error handling (CATCH,
THROW), flow control (BREAK, RETURN, STOP), loading "plugin" code 
(USE) and post-processing (FILTER).

=item -

More complex application code can be developed in Perl (or C, C++,
etc) and maintained separately as "plugin" code.  Template processor
binds user code to variables to provide access to application
functionality from templates.

=item - 

This natural extensibility promotes the separation of the application
(implementation) from the interface (presentation).  Template
documents remain simple and focussed on rendering the interface.
Application code can be made more generic by concentrating on what the
application does, not what it looks like.

=item -

Ideally suited, but not limited to, web content generation.  
Front-end modules and/or scripts provided for use with static pages, 
CGI scripts, Apache/mod_perl handlers, etc.  Plugin modules available
for interfacing to CGI and DBI.

=item -

Template documents parsed by a fast LALR(1) parser which is 
generated from a YACC-like grammar.  Parse::Yapp is used to compile the 
grammar.  Parser grammar can be modified and re-compiled to create custom 
template languages.

=item -

Parsed template documents are compiled to an intermediate form and
cache.  They can subsequently be rendered repeatedly in minimal time.

=item -

Stash object manages references to complex external code and data and 
provides a simple template interface via bound variables.

=item -

Variables may be partitioned into nested namespaces.

=item -

Custom error handling and recovery mechanisms implemented as basic 
exception handling.  Users can define template blocks to be processed 
automatically when errors occur and define the subsequent course of
action.

=item -

Iterator objects can be created to handle complex set iteration.  This is 
handled transparently by the FOREACH directive.

=item -

Provides an extensible framework for other template languages, processors
and applications.

=item -

Template language is independent (theoretically at least) of the
implementation language, platform, operating system, etc.

=item -

Extensive documentation, test suite, examples, etc.

=item - 

C<use strict> and C<-w> safe.  Y2K compliant (no dates used or stored).

=item -

Ongoing development and maintenance is part of a general research
program into web-relevant software tools and techniques at Canon Research 
Centre Europe Ltd.

=item -

Fully open source code.  Contributions, collaborations, suggestions
and other feedback welcome.  

=item - 

Mailing list: send email to majordomo@cre.canon.co.uk containing the 
text "subscribe templates".

=back


