my minimum concern is to be able to default attributes.
> ...
>
> If I create my document fragments using the relevant DTDs, I validate them
> against those DTDs, not against a compound DTD. Once they have been
> validated against the DTD I can import them into a compound document as
> already validated fragments.
i am working with document entities in which "references" are made to elements
from various sources. if they use enabling architectures, then the mixed
references are within a single tag.
>
> ...
>
> Why does this group seem to feel there is an overpowering need to develop a
> DTD that can be used to validate the compound structure, rather than its
> individual fragments?
it's actually the defaults i'm after.