Re: proposed changes to the CSS Validator architecture (as suggested by CSS WG)

On Sep 5, 2007, at 20:07 , olivier Thereaux wrote:
> * Julien, our developer, is working on implementing the changes (at  
> least number 2), and while it is tricky, we have found an algorithm  
> that mimics the requested behavior, while remaining relatively  
> performant, and not requiring a complete rewrite of the tool:
>  - the validator will keep the option of validating against a  
> single profile, and for that, the behavior should remain the same.  
> Time permitting, the validator could note, whenever stumbling on an  
> unknown property, whether the property is available in another  
> known profile of CSS.
>
>  - by default, if no specific profile is given, the validator will  
> check against CSS2.1 as a basis. Upon finding a property (or value)  
> not in accordance with CSS2.1, it will look in other profiles, and  
> if the property or value is OK in e.g CSS3, then the error would be  
> dropped. If the property or value is erroneous in every profile  
> known, an error would be produced.

Julien has been implementing some of these changes into the code, and  
there is now a "no special profile" option in the validator, which  
will check stylesheets' properties against all the CSS profiles it  
knowns.

The new code can be tested on the developer's version at:
http://qa-dev.w3.org:8001/css-validator/
(note that only the english version may work at this point)
and early feedback would be much welcome.

Thank you.
-- 
olivier