Re: name case-folding

Peter Murray-Rust (peter@ursus.demon.co.uk)
Tue, 21 Apr 1998 22:02:54

At 14:22 19/04/98 -0700, Tim Bray wrote:
>At 08:42 PM 4/19/98 +0100, Steve Robertson wrote:
>>If I remember correctly, the XML specification states that the processor
>>should fold names to uppercase characters for the purpose of attribute and
>>element name comparisons.
>>
>>Do I have this right, or is the case of name characters significant?
>
>You do not. With a few rare exceptions (e.g. language tags) all
>names in XML are case-sensitive. My annotated spec
>(http://www.xml.com/axml/axml.html) has some verbiage as to why
>this is so, for those around here fortunate enough not to have lived
>through that debate. -T.

However, there is a potential for case-insensitive comparison in the use of
Xpointers (DRAFT: WD-xptr.html, section 3.3.4) where case can be folded
under certain circumstances. Section A.1 suggests that this issue is not
completely finalised. Thus, whilst the attribute values in an XML document
are case-sensitive, it is envisaged (**at this stage of the DRAFT**) that
people using Xpointers might legitimately search for case-insensitive
values. I suspect this may cause occasional confusion and probably needs
highlighting. [I have had my chance to comment on this :-)].

P.
Peter Murray-Rust, Director Virtual School of Molecular Sciences, domestic
net connection
VSMS http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/vsms, Virtual Hyperglossary
http://www.venus.co.uk/vhg