Pattern : READABLE REFERENCES
TO PATTERNS
- CONTEXT : You are writing a pattern structured according
to Mandatory Elements Present. You need to refer to other patterns in
one or more of the elements.
- PROBLEM : How do you refer to other patterns within the
description of your pattern?
- FORCES :
- A pattern may be
described much more concisely if it can delegate much of
its solution to other patterns.
- Citations to other
patterns could disrupt the reader's train of thought or
cause them to lose their context.
- The reader may
want to read the pattern being referred to and will
require more information than just the name
- SOLUTION : When referring to patterns within the body of your pattern, weave the pattern names into the narrative. Augment
the pattern name with a pattern reference which can be used to look it up. Set off the pattern name from the surrounding text by
highlighting it typographically.
- RATIONALE : Weaving the pattern names into the text makes the pattern easier and more pleasurable to read while the reference
satisfies those readers who want to find the original.
- RELATED PATTERNS:External Pattern Thumbnails can be used to refer to patterns that must be understood to get the essence of the
current pattern.
- EXAMPLES : In this pattern language, we have used a special character style for pattern names to distinguish them from the
surrounding text.
