[JEXL-15] [jexl] Needs definable functions

• Type: Improvement
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Fixed
• Fix Version/s: 2.0

Environment

Operating System: other
Platform: Other

• Bugzilla Id: 31186
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Paul Libbrecht
• Created: 13/Sep/04 03:02
• Updated: 02/May/23 17:31
• Resolved: 19/Jun/09 05:57

Description

Currently, in Jexl, the only way to add a functionality is to define a variable.
Typically this is done in a separate environment... e.g. in jelly's j:new, j:set or...

Using this, one can define, say, "a" then invoke "a.doSomething(withThat)".

It would be nice to allow adding methods, e.g. "doSomething" to be invoked without any object.
This way I could just say "doSomething".

Examples of usage include:

• add some mathematical functions to make jexl full featured mathematically (e.g. "abs", "exp",
  "atan")
• add some "general purpose utilitites" (e.g. "tokenize(aString)", "toString(xx)", or
  "relativeUrl(baseUrl, relPath)")
• thereby become more compatible with JSP (i've been told)

This should promote general usage of such functions availability.
In some situations this would help a lot. For example in maven where I too often still see
srcFile="${baseDIr+pathToResource}" which prevents any overridability.
(e.g. the cvs-usage.xml page in the xdoc plugin)

paul