working mostly

decode.rkt

@@ -7,6 +7,19 @@
 
 (provide (except-out (all-defined-out) decode register-block-tag))
 
+;; general way of coercing to string
+(define (to-string x)
+  (if (string? x)
+      x ; fast exit for strings
+      (with-handlers  ([exn:fail? (λ(exn) (error "Can't convert ~a to ~a" x 'string))])
+        (cond
+          [(equal? '() x) ""]
+          [(symbol? x) (symbol->string x)]
+          [(number? x) (number->string x)]
+          [(path? x) (path->string x)]
+          [(char? x) (format "~a" x)]
+          [else (error)])))) ; put this last so other xexprish things don't get caught
+
 
 ;; add a block tag to the list
 ;; this function is among the predicates because it alters a predicate globally.

lang/lang-helper.rkt

@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 
 (provide (all-defined-out) (all-from-out racket/contract/region))
 
+     
+
 (define-for-syntax (put-file-in-require-form file)
   `(file ,(path->string file)))
 

main.rkt

@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
    
    
      
-   
    ;; set up the 'main export
    (require pollen/decode)
    (require (only-in racket/list filter-not))
@@ -57,21 +56,21 @@
                          ;; 'root is the hook for the decoder function.
                          ;; If it's not a defined identifier, it just hits #%top and becomes `(root ,@body ...)
                          [wants-decoder? root]
-                         ;; for preprocessor output, just make a string. Converts x-expressions to HTML.
-                         [else (λ xs (apply string-append (map (dynamic-require 'xml 'xexpr->string) xs)))])
-(cdr main-without-metas))) ;; cdr strips placeholder-root tag
+                         ;; for preprocessor output, just make a string.
+                         [else (λ xs (apply string-append (map to-string xs)))])
+                       (cdr main-without-metas))) ;; cdr strips placeholder-root tag
    
    
-;; derive 'here & 'here-path from the hash (because they might have been overridden in the source) 
-(define here (hash-ref metas "here"))
-(define here-path (hash-ref metas "here-path"))
+   ;; derive 'here & 'here-path from the hash (because they might have been overridden in the source) 
+   (define here (hash-ref metas "here"))
+   (define here-path (hash-ref metas "here-path"))
    
-(provide metas main here here-path
+   (provide metas main here here-path
             ;; hide the exports that were only for internal use.
             (except-out (all-from-out 'inner) inner-here inner-here-path main-raw #%top))
    
-;; for output in DrRacket
-(module+ main
+   ;; for output in DrRacket
+   (module+ main
      (if wants-decoder? 
          (print main) 
          (display main)))))

render.rkt

@@ -233,10 +233,12 @@
                     (list
                      ;; path based on template-name
                      (and template-name (build-path source-dir template-name))
-                     ;; path based on metas
+                     ;; path based on metas. Need to parameterize a source file for it to find pollen-requires.
+                     ;; If you want standard behavior, requires can be declared explicitly.
+                     (parameterize ([current-directory PROJECT_ROOT])
                        (let ([source-metas (dynamic-require source-path 'metas)])
                          (and (TEMPLATE_META_KEY . in? . source-metas)
-                            (build-path source-dir (get source-metas TEMPLATE_META_KEY))))
+                              (build-path source-dir (get source-metas TEMPLATE_META_KEY)))))
                      ;; path using default template name =
                      ;; "-main" + extension from output path (e.g. foo.xml.p -> -main.xml)
                      (build-path source-dir (add-ext DEFAULT_TEMPLATE_PREFIX (get-ext (->output-path source-path)))))))
@@ -278,14 +280,16 @@
 ;; cache some modules inside this namespace so they can be shared by namespace for eval
 ;; todo: macrofy this to avoid repeating names
 (require web-server/templates 
+         xml/path
+         racket/port 
+         racket/file 
+         racket/rerequire 
+         racket/contract 
          racket/list
          xml/path
          pollen/debug
          pollen/decode
          pollen/file-tools
-         ;; commented out so we don't get #%top in this file
-         ;      pollen/main-imports
-         ;     pollen/main-preproc-imports
          pollen/predicates
          pollen/ptree
          sugar
@@ -315,15 +319,15 @@
                 pollen/debug
                 pollen/decode
                 pollen/file-tools
-                ;         pollen/main-imports
-                ;        pollen/main-preproc-imports
                 pollen/predicates
                 pollen/ptree
                 sugar
                 pollen/template
                 pollen/tools
-                pollen/world))
+                pollen/world
+                pollen/project-requires))
     (namespace-require 'racket/base) ; use namespace-require for FIRST require, then eval after
+    
     (eval eval-string (current-namespace))))
 
 (define/contract (render-source-with-template source-path template-path)
@@ -340,6 +344,8 @@
   
   (define string-to-eval 
     `(begin 
+       ;; enables macrofication
+       (require (for-syntax racket/base))
        ;; for include-template (used below)
        (require web-server/templates)
        ;; for ptree navigation functions, and template commands