Browsing XSLT with Vim by adding a Custom Language to Ctags

XSLT Source Code Browsing with Vim and Ctags

Creating a tags file

1) Test out the regular-expressions for your custom language:

$> egrep 'pattern' *.xsl

2) Copy-paste custom language with the above regular-expressions into ~/.ctags.

$> vi ~/.ctags
--langdef=EXSLT
--langmap=EXSLT:.xsl
--regex-EXSLT=/--regex-EXSLT=/--regex-EXSLT=/$> cd srcdir
$> ctags -R *
$> vi ./tags        #check for tag-entries containing the search patterns
$> vi test.xsl     #Use Ctrl-] to jump from a pattern usage to its definition, Ctrl-T to jump back

Note:
1) Above solution for templates only uses xpath of match="xyz".
The search-key for the template (displays taglist for templates with same xpath).
Potentially a template is uniquely identifiable using match AND mode:

Understand Source Code by Reading Code and Refactoring for Maintaining Large Projects

This list consists of one-liner tips to be used for easy lookup and reference.

Rewriting Code for Better Understanding (Coding Horror)

• What I cannot create, I do not understand. [Richard Feynman]
• "What I do not create, I do not understand."[Chris]
• "It's easier to understand 600 tables than 100,000 lines of code." [PaulC on comp.databases.theory/2005]
• Create a new project with blocks of code copied from old code. Refactor to reduce "old code smell"
• Start refactoring by adding small tests to better understand code and act as regression tests.
• Just scan through huge amounts of code till it starts making sense - "understand by constant exposure".
• Create a text file to capture your understanding - briefly describe how the component works, realtions to other components, what it persists, its states, and source browsing/debugging tips you found useful.
• Manually reformat a copy of the code - white space, and indented as per your personal style.

References:

1. Working Effectively with Legacy Code
2. Object Oriented Reengineering Patterns
3. Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code