home     documentation     download

Syntax: [[ statement(s) ]]

The contents of a code tag is one or more Python statements. The statements are executed when the page is emitted. There will be no output unless the statements themselves generate output.

The statements are separated with semi-colons or new lines, as in regular Python scripts. However, unlike regular Python code, Python statements do not nest based on their level of indentation. This is because indenting code properly in the middle of HTML is difficult on the developer. To alleviate this problem, Spyce supports a slightly modifed Python syntax: proper nesting of Spyce statements is achieved using begin- and end-braces: { and }, respectively. These MUST be used, because the compiler regenerates the correct indentation based on these markers alone. Even single-statement blocks of code must be wrapped with begin and end braces. (If you prefer to use Python-like indentation, read about chunks).

The following Spyce code, from the Hello World! example above:

  [[ for i in range(10): { ]]
    [[=i]]
  [[ } ]]

produces the following indented Python code:

  for i in range(10):
    response.writeStatic('  ')
    response.writeExpr(i)
    response.writeStatic('\n')

Without the braces, the code produced would be unindented and, in this case, also invalid:

  for i in range(10):
  response.writeStatic('  ')
  response.writeExpr(i)
  response.writeStatic('\n')

Note how the indentation of the expression does not affect the indentation of the Python code that is produced; it merely changes the number of spaces in the writeStatic string. Also note that unbalanced open and close braces within a single tag are allowed, as in the example above, and they modify the indentation level outside the code tag. However, the braces must be balanced across an entire file. Remember: inside the [[ ... ]] delimiters, braces are always required to change the indentation level.