IronStraw - an Advanced Template Engine

IronStraw is a new, advanced and modern template engine which allows you to create HTML pages and XML files. The template engine is command-line based for now, and I hope that one day I'll turn it into a server-side language.

Installation

All you have to do is download the last release from the Releases page.

Usage

For rendering pages, all you have to do is create a '.sw' file and use the command:

Linux:

./IronStraw [file/directory] [file2/directory2]...

Windows:

IronStraw.exe [file/directory] [file2/directory2]...

If you enter a directory, it'll render all the '.sw' files in that directory recursively.

Options

--debug = Printing what's going behind the scenes

--target [path] = Creating the files in the target path

--XML [file] = Renders the file wihtout adding 'html' tag and 'doctype'.

How to write a 'Straw' file

For the examples I'll sometimes use code blocks, like this:

IronStraw Code => HTML Code

HTML/XML tags

If you want to create a tag, all you have to do is name the tag.

tag => <tag> </tag>

You can also add parameters, like this:

tag(parm1, parm2) => <tag parm1, parm2> </tag>

And ofcourse, you can add text:

tag(myparm) text => <tag myparm> text </tag>

If you want to create a tag inside a tag, you have to name the second tag in the first tag's block. In Straw, you can create a block by spacing the code.

Straw:

tag
    anothertag text
    anothertag text2

HTML:

<tag>
    <anothertag> text </anothertag>
    <anothertag> text2 </anothertag>
</tag>

Note: Straw automatically adds html tag and doctype. If you don't want this to happen, you have to add --XML.

Straw Commands

Straw has two types of commands, Processed Commands which start with '@' and Preprocessed Commands which start with '^'. You use both of the commands in the same way:

@command(parms) text
    block line 1
	block line 2
	...

Commands List

@note

---

Allows you to create HTML notes (<!-- ->).

Parameters: The command ignores the parameters so you can put there whatever you want.

Text and block: The text and the block will be written inside the HTML note.

Short Command: # Note

---

@straw_note

---

Ignores everything that you put inside. Allows you to write notes which won't be found in your HTML file.

Short Command: // Note

---

@raw

---

Allows you to write 'raw' HTML/XML. It usually won't process any of its content.

Parameters:

1. Render the 'text' after the command | Boolean (true/false) | Default true.

Text: Depends on the parameter. If it's true, it'll allow you to name a tag that you want to put the blocks inside. If it's false, the text will just appear on the XML/HTML file.

Block: Appear on the file as the are.

Short Command:

1. .Raw = @raw(false) Raw
2. *Raw = @raw(true) Raw

Examples:

Straw:

*script
    alert(1);

HTML:

<script>
    alert(1);
</script>

-- Straw:

.@raw

XML:

@raw

---

@loop

---

Allows you to run specific code multiple times. It also renders the content.

Parameters:

1. Render the content of the file | Boolean | Default false

Text: The number of times you want it to run

Block: The code you want to run multiple times

---

^set

---

Replacing something in something else in all of the file. Allows you to create something like variables.

Parameters:

1. From - What you want to replace
2. To - What you want to put instead of the from

Text and block: None

Example: Straw:

^set({site}, MySite)
title Welcome to {site}!

HTML:

<title> Welcome to MySite! </title>

---

@terminal

---

Allows you to run terminal commands. It puts the output in the file.

Parameters:

1. Return the output | Boolean (true/false) | Default true.

Text: The command you want to run

Block: None

---

@file

---

Reading a file into your code.

Parameters:

1. Render the content of the file | Boolean | Default false

Text: Path

Block: None

---

@intofile

---

Writing a content into a file.

Parameters:

1. Render the content of the file | Boolean | Default false

Text: Path

Block: The content you want to write into the file.

---

@delfile

---

Deleting a file.

Parameters: None

Text: Path

Block: None