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+polymer_expressions |
+=================== |
+ |
+ |
+Polymer expressions are an expressive syntax that can be used in HTML templates |
+with Dart. |
+ |
+Templates are one feature of Polymer.dart, which is a set of comprehensive UI |
+and utility components for building web applications. |
+This package is automatically included with the |
+[Polymer](https://pub.dartlang.org/packages/polymer) package |
+because Polymer expressions are the default expression syntax |
+in Polymer Dart apps. |
+The [Polymer.dart homepage][home_page] |
+contains a list of features, project status, |
+installation instructions, tips for upgrading from Web UI, |
+and links to other documentation. |
+ |
+ |
+## Overview |
+ |
+Polymer expressions allow you to write complex binding expressions, with |
+property access, function invocation, list/map indexing, and two-way filtering |
+like: |
+ |
+```html |
+ {{ person.title + " " + person.getFullName() | upppercase }} |
+``` |
+ |
+### Model-Driven Views (MDV) |
+[MDV][mdv] allows you to define templates directly in HTML that are rendered by |
+the browser into the DOM. Templates are bound to a data model, and changes to |
+the data are automatically reflected in the DOM, and changes in HTML inputs are |
+assigned back into the model. The template and model are bound together via |
+binding expressions that are evaluated against the model. These binding |
+expressions are placed in double-curly-braces, or "mustaches". |
+ |
+Example: |
+ |
+```html |
+ <template> |
+ <p>Hello {{ person.name }}</p> |
+ </template> |
+``` |
+ |
+MDV includes a very basic binding syntax which only allows a series of |
+dot-separate property names. |
+ |
+[mdv]: http://www.polymer-project.org/platform/mdv.html |
+ |
+### Custom binding syntaxes with binding delegate |
+ |
+While MDV's built-in syntax is very basic, it does allow custom syntaxes called |
+"binding delegates" to be installed and used. A binding delegate can interpret |
+the contents of mustaches however it likes. PolymerExpressions is such a |
+binding delegate. |
+ |
+Example: |
+ |
+```html |
+ <template bind> |
+ <p>Hello {{ person.title + " " + person.getFullName() | uppercase }}</p> |
+ </template> |
+``` |
+ |
+## Usage |
+ |
+### Installing from Pub |
+ |
+Add the following to your pubspec.yaml file: |
+ |
+```yaml |
+ dependencies: |
+ polymer_expressions: any |
+``` |
+ |
+Hint: check https://pub.dartlang.org/packages/polymer_expressions for the latest |
+version number. |
+ |
+Then import polymer_expressions.dart: |
+ |
+ import 'package:polymer_expressions/polymer_expressions.dart'; |
+ |
+### Registering a binding delegate |
+ |
+**Polymer Expressions are now the default syntax for `<polymer-element>` custom |
+elements.** |
+ |
+You do not need to manually register the bindingDelegate if your bindings are |
+inside a custom element. However, if you want to use polymer_expressions outside |
+a custom element, read on: |
+ |
+Binding delegates must be installed on a template before they can be used. |
+For example, set the bindingDelegate property of your template |
+elements to an instance of PolymerExpressions. The templates will then use the |
+PolymerExpressions instance to interpret |
+binding expressions. |
+ |
+```dart |
+ import 'dart:html'; |
+ import 'package:polymer_expressions/polymer_expressions.dart'; |
+ |
+ main() { |
+ var template = query('#my_template'); |
+ template.bindingDelegate = new PolymerExpressions(); |
+ } |
+``` |
+ |
+### Registering top-level variables |
+ |
+Before a top-level variable can be used, it must be registered. The |
+PolymerExpressions constructor takes a map of named values to use as variables. |
+ |
+```dart |
+ main() { |
+ var globals = { |
+ 'uppercase': (String v) => v.toUpperCase(), |
+ 'app_id': 'my_app_123', |
+ }; |
+ var template = query('#my_template'); |
+ template.bindingDelegate = new PolymerExpressions(globals: globals); |
+ } |
+``` |
+ |
+## Features |
+ |
+### The model and scope |
+ |
+Polymer Expressions allow binding to more than just the model assigned to a |
+template instance. Top-level variables can be defined so that you can use |
+filters, global variables and constants, functions, etc. These variables and the |
+model are held together in a container called a Scope. Scopes can be nested, |
+which happens when template tags are nested. |
+ |
+### Two-way bindings |
+ |
+Bindings can be used to modify the data model based on events in the DOM. The |
+most common case is to bind an <input> element's value field to a model |
+property and have the property update when the input changes. For this to work, |
+the binding expression must be "assignable". Only a subset of expressions are |
+assignable. Assignable expressions cannot contain function calls, operators, and |
+any index operator must have a literal argument. Assignable expressions can |
+contain filter operators as long as all the filters are two-way transformers. |
+ |
+Some restrictions may be relaxed further as allowed. |
+ |
+Assignable Expressions: |
+ |
+ * `foo` |
+ * `foo.bar` |
+ * `items[0].description` |
+ * `people['john'].name` |
+ * `product.cost | convertCurrency('ZWD')` where `convertCurrency` evaluates to |
+ a Tranformer object. |
+ |
+Non-Assignable Expressions: |
+ |
+ * `a + 1` |
+ * `!c` |
+ * `foo()` |
+ * `person.lastName | uppercase` where `uppercase` is a filter function. |
+ |
+### Null-Safety |
+ |
+Expressions are generally null-safe. If an intermediate expression yields `null` |
+the entire expression will return null, rather than throwing an exception. |
+Property access, method invocation and operators are null-safe. Passing null to |
+a function that doesn't handle null will not be null safe. |
+ |
+### Streams |
+ |
+Polymer Expressions have experimental support for binding to streams, and when |
+new values are passed to the stream, the template updates. The feature is not |
+fully implemented yet. |
+ |
+See the examples in /example/streams for more details. |
+ |
+## Syntax |
+ |
+### Property access |
+ |
+Properties on the model and in the scope are looked up via simple property |
+names, like `foo`. Property names are looked up first in the top-level |
+variables, next in the model, then recursively in parent scopes. Properties on |
+objects can be access with dot notation like `foo.bar`. |
+ |
+The keyword `this` always refers to the model if there is one, otherwise `this` |
+is `null`. If you have model properties and top-level variables with the same |
+name, you can use `this` to refer to the model property. |
+ |
+### Literals |
+ |
+Polymer Expressions support number, boolean, string, and map literals. Strings |
+can use either single or double quotes. |
+ |
+ * Numbers: `1`, `1.0` |
+ * Booleans: `true`, `false` |
+ * Strings: `'abc'`, `"xyz"` |
+ * Maps: `{ 'a': 1, 'b': 2 }` |
+ |
+List literals are planned, see [issue 9](https://github.com/dart-lang/polymer_expressions/issues/9) |
+ |
+### Functions and methods |
+ |
+If a property is a function in the scope, a method on the model, or a method on |
+an object, it can be invoked with standard function syntax. Functions and |
+Methods can take arguments. Named arguments are not supported. Arguments can be |
+literals or variables. |
+ |
+Examples: |
+ |
+ * Top-level function: `myFunction()` |
+ * Top-level function with arguments: `myFunction(a, b, 42)` |
+ * Model method: `aMethod()` |
+ * Method on nested-property: `a.b.anotherMethod()` |
+ |
+### Operators |
+ |
+Polymer Expressions supports the following binary and unary operators: |
+ |
+ * Arithmetic operators: +, -, *, /, %, unary + and - |
+ * Comparison operators: ==, !=, <=, <, >, >= |
+ * Boolean operators: &&, ||, unary ! |
+ |
+Expressions do not support bitwise operators such as &, |, << and >>, or increment/decrement operators (++ and --) |
+ |
+### List and Map indexing |
+ |
+List and Map like objects can be accessed via the index operator: [] |
+ |
+Examples: |
+ |
+ * `items[2]` |
+ * `people['john']` |
+ |
+Unlike JavaScript, list and map contents are not generally available via |
+property access. That is, the previous examples are not equivalent to `items.2` |
+and `people.john`. This ensures that access to properties and methods on Lists |
+and Maps is preserved. |
+ |
+### Filters and transformers |
+ |
+A filter is a function that transforms a value into another, used via the pipe |
+syntax: `value | filter` Any function that takes exactly one argument can be |
+used as a filter. |
+ |
+Example: |
+ |
+If `person.name` is "John", and a top-level function named `uppercase` has been |
+registered, then `person.name | uppercase` will have the value "JOHN". |
+ |
+The pipe syntax is used rather than a regular function call so that we can |
+support two-way bindings through transformers. A transformer is a filter that |
+has an inverse function. Transformers must extend or implement the `Transformer` |
+class, which has `forward()` and `reverse()` methods. |
+ |
+### Repeating templates |
+ |
+A template can be repeated by using the "repeat" attribute with a binding. The |
+binding can either evaluate to an Iterable, in which case the template is |
+instantiated for each item in the iterable and the model of the instance is |
+set to the item, or the binding can be a "in" iterator expression, in which |
+case a new variable is added to each scope. |
+ |
+The following examples produce the same output. |
+ |
+Evaluate to an iterable: |
+ |
+```html |
+ <template repeat="{{ items }}"> |
+ <div>{{ }}</div> |
+ </template> |
+``` |
+ |
+"in" expression: |
+ |
+```html |
+ <template repeat="{{ item in items }}"> |
+ <div>{{ item }}</div> |
+ </template> |
+``` |
+ |
+## Status |
+ |
+The syntax implemented is experimental and subject to change, in fact, it |
+**will** change soon. The goal is to be compatible with Polymer's binding |
+syntax. We will announce breaking changes on the |
+[web-ui@dartlang.org mailing list][web-ui-list]. |
+ |
+Please [file issues on Dart project page](http://dartbug.com/new) |
+for any bugs you find or for feature requests. Make a note that it applies to |
+"package:polymer_expressions" |
+ |
+You can discuss Polymer Expressions on the |
+[web-ui@dartlang.org mailing list][web-ui-list]. |
+ |
+[web-ui-list]: https://groups.google.com/a/dartlang.org/forum/#!forum/web-ui |