Roots of the DTD (was: ANNOUNCE: Virtual Hyperglossary)

John Cowan (cowan@locke.ccil.org)
Thu, 04 Jun 1998 17:27:36 -0400


Peter Murray-Rust wrote:

> This is a natural and (I believe) false assumption. A DTD need not have a
> hierarchical structure, though most do. The following is acceptable:
> <!ELEMENT A (#PCDATA)>
> <!ELEMENT B (#PCDATA)>
> <!ELEMENT C (#PCDATA)>
>
> It is then possible to have any of the following:
> <!DOCTYPE A> <A>I am an A</A>
> <!DOCTYPE B> <B>I am an B</B>
> <!DOCTYPE C> <C>I am an C</C>
>
> It is one of the 5 myths (I think Eliot Kimber said this) that DOCTYPE
> tells you what the document type is. It simply gives the root element and
> the set of ELEMENTs that can be used.

Hmmm. This sounds like the "root" (my syntax) or "RootElement" (Ron's
syntax) attribute in XSchema is a Bad Thing. Perhaps it should be
removed?

-- 
John Cowan	http://www.ccil.org/~cowan		cowan@ccil.org
	You tollerday donsk?  N.  You tolkatiff scowegian?  Nn.
	You spigotty anglease?  Nnn.  You phonio saxo?  Nnnn.
		Clear all so!  'Tis a Jute.... (Finnegans Wake 16.5)