Examining GRML

Different uses of GRML.

Introduction.

There are many different uses for General Reuse Markup Language, or GRML. There are file and web browsers to load and download GRML files and web pages. There are reporting and analysis tools to create graphs, statistics, or charts from GRML. There are productivity tools to use database and spreadsheet data in GRML. They are all different uses. This article describes the five (5) different uses of GRML.

Background.

Before reading this article, it is recommended to have an understanding of GRML and its development. To get started, read Introducing GRML. This article explains the reasons for its existence and how it compares to existing formats and markup languages. Next, read Understanding GRML. It provides a history of the markup language and describes how it has developed into its current format.

After reading these articles, download a GRML web browser, such as Bar Graph MDI or Tree MDI. They show how GRML is used and what it does. These web browsers demonstrate a number of uses for GRML. These uses are described below.

GRML Uses.

There are five (5) different uses of GRML. It is used for reading, writing, viewing, adapting, and editing. These uses allow GRML to open, display, change, save, or print content using files, web pages, databases, spreadsheets, or other data sources. The acronym for these uses is WAVER. It refers to the first letter of each of the five (5) uses of GRML.

GRML web browsers are described using WAVER in their product descriptions. For example, the Bar Graph MDI product description only mentions requiring a reader, while Tree MDI requires every use of GRML. Each use is described below.

Reader.

Readers read and parse GRML.

Writer.

Writers save using GRML.

Adapter.

There are two uses of an adapter.

• read GRML and write (save) in another format.
• read another format and write (save) in GRML.

Viewer.

Viewers display GRML after reading.

Editor.

Editors use a viewer to display GRML for editing, and a writer to save it.

Web browser uses.

Web browsers use a reader to download and read web pages. Some use an adapter, viewer, editor, or writer. But, they are not required by a web browser. At a minimum, a web browser uses a reader.

Bar Graph MDI only uses a reader. It is an example of a web browser that does not use GRML in any other way. It does not adapt, display, edit, nor write GRML. Instead, it displays graphs of GRML from its reader. On the other hand, Tree MDI reads and displays GRML using a tree control. The tree control is the viewer of the Tree MDI web browser.

Tree MDI uses a reader, viewer, and writer. The writer reads GRML and writes (saves) GRML. A writer allows content in the viewer to be saved to a disk, hard drive, or web server. It does not matter whether the content in the viewer has been changed. Changing, or editing, content is another use.

When Tree MDI displays content, it allows it to be edited. Therefore, Tree MDI uses an editor. An editor requires a viewer and therefore a reader. However, without a writer, there is no way to save edited content. Since Tree MDI has a writer, it allows GRML content to be changed and saved. To save in another format is another use.

An adapter saves GRML in other formats. Or, it saves other formats using GRML. It requires a reader and a writer. Tree MDI has a reader and writes (saves) using GRML, CSV or character-delimited formats. For example, it is possible to use the Tree MDI web browser to read GRML, edit the content, and write (save) using the CSV or character-delimited format.

Conclusion.

There are five different ways to use GRML. There are writers, adapters, viewers, editors, and readers. To make it easier to remember, just use WAVER.

WAVER provides GRML web browsers different uses of GRML files and web pages. It also makes it possible to use other formats, such as CSV or character-delimited. With an explanation of how GRML is used by the web browser, it provides a basis for knowing what to use to accomplish a specific task using GRML.