Re: Conformance in XML processors

David Megginson (ak117@freenet.carleton.ca)
Mon, 19 Jan 1998 08:59:17 -0500


James Clark writes:

> > I think that James would have to add "processing external text
> > entities" to that list, since the PR labels them as "included if
> > validating," implying that non-validating parsers need not include
> > them.
>
> Yes, you're right: the PR doesn't appear to require this. I am a bit
> surprised. I thought at one stage the spec said that the parser had to
> be able to do this if requested by the application/user, and I would
> expect this capability of any general purpose XML processor.

This is really part of a broader issue. There is a set of XML
features -- external text entities, NDATA entities, notations, and
ID/IDREF -- that are absolutely basic for typical SGML documents.
When people suggest that these are 'advanced' features in XML, then
one of the following two statements must apply:

1) they expect that XML documents will not typically include internal
cross-references; that they will not include graphics, sound,
video, or other non-XML material; and that they will consist of
only a single physical file; or

2) they believe that ID/IDREF, NDATA entities, notations, and external
text entities are overly-complicated SGML relics left in to satisfy
a few pedants on the WG, and that XML and XLL provide other, simpler
mechanisms with the same functionality.

Clarification from the WG would be helpful here.

All the best,

David

-- 
David Megginson                 ak117@freenet.carleton.ca
Microstar Software Ltd.         dmeggins@microstar.com
      http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/dmeggins/

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