[Bug 1859] New: [Ser] Replacing existing whitespace

http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=1859

           Summary: [Ser] Replacing existing whitespace
           Product: XPath / XQuery / XSLT
           Version: Last Call drafts
          Platform: PC
        OS/Version: Windows XP
            Status: NEW
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: Serialization
        AssignedTo: scott_boag@us.ibm.com
        ReportedBy: mike@saxonica.com
         QAContact: public-qt-comments@w3.org


We say in 5.1.3 (XML output method, indent parameter):

"The new whitespace characters MAY replace existing whitespace characters in the
same position, for example a tab MAY be inserted as a replacement for existing
spaces. However, existing whitespace MUST NOT be removed without such a
replacement."

It's not at all clear what the last sentence is designed to achieve, or in fact
whether it says anything meaningful at all. It would seem to allow me to replace
five spaces with three spaces, but not to replace two spaces with nothing. I
can't see any reason why I would want to replace two spaces with nothing, but I
also can't see any reason why I shouldn't be allowed to do so, given that I'm in
a context where we have already deemed whitespace to be insignificant.

Received on Thursday, 18 August 2005 18:45:33 UTC