Hi Dave,
I think #3 is good especially IF the packages make use heavily of /tcl. And all /www files are just for presentation. You can just copy the orig /www files and make you own package that only contains /www files. That should work right now without any mods from the current packages. Of course in reality not all packages makes of /www for presentation only.
There is actually 2 ways to do this:
1. Preprocessed templates
2. Run time transform templates
Preprocessed templates are what we have right now. Where in we create the adp or like template:: makes use of. Say for example if all packages makes of the form builder then just updating the acs-templates/resources then everything is done. So we may just add in more display elements that are customizable. And the packages will just make of this elements.
Run time transform template is something I wish to look at more. I have posted a few ideas in the past. But there are good for nothing until I really get something running. Its basically have a uniform set of output for all packages. So that this service can transform the pages on while its being requested. Either XSLT or regexp. May provide more flexible benefits at the price of performance.
I think the preproccessed templates is something that most will agree on or use. What we need to do is make more display elements (data table, action links, etc.), have the packages make use of this rather than html, and have the templating system package aware so the changes are not global unlike now.
But I don't think that will be something we can have until a volunteer steps in. I think I like your #3 proposal. It should work with minimal changes. Although that will depend if the package you are using actually does the work on /tcl not on /www.
