> Reading the Namespaces specification, I've found contradictory examples
> of namespace defaulting. Any input in determining the proper
> interpretation would be greatly appreciated.
Your problem is that you are confusing *scope* with *defaulting*.
The scope of a namespace declaration is the whole of the element
in which it is contained, including the element type.
So the comment below is true:
> The first example is as follows:
> <?xml version="1.0"?>
> <x xmlns:edi='http://ecommerce.org/schema'>
> <!-- the edi namespace applies to the "x" element and contents -->
> </x>
> Here, the inline comment suggests that the element 'x' now lies within
> the 'edi' namespace.
So it does, in the sense that the scope of the "edi:' prefix is the
element "x". But the name "x" is not defaulted to the edi namespace;
it would have to be "edi:x" for that, or the edi namespace would
have to also be the default namespace through the presence of
an "xmlns='http://ecommerce.org/schema'" attribute.
Instead the namespace of "x" is the current default namespace if any,
or no namespace if there is no current default.
-- 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)