Is whitespace significant in SOAP Messages?

• From: Kevin Johnsrude <kevinj@roguewave.com>
• Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2002 15:40:32 -0700
• To: "'xml-dist-app@w3.org'" <xml-dist-app@w3.org>
• Message-ID: <F888C30C3021D411B9DA00B0D0209BE803814B4B@cvo-exchange.cvo.roguewave.com>

One thing that is unclear when reading the SOAP and XML standards is under
what circumstances whitespace is significant and should be preserved.

For example, take the following SOAP Message:

<SOAP-ENV:Envelope
xmlns:SOAP-ENV="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" SOAP-ENV:e
ncodingStyle="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/">
  <SOAP-ENV:Body>
    <m:GetLastTradePrice xmlns:m="Some-URI">
      <symbol> DIS</symbol>
      <color>bright orange</color>
    </m:GetLastTradePrice>
  </SOAP-ENV:Body>
</SOAP-ENV:Envelope>

Is the number of whitespace characters between the Envelope and Body start
tags significant?  

Is the number of whitespace characters between the GetLastTradePrice and
symbol start tags significant?

Is the number of whitespace characters between any pair of start and end
tags significant?

The number of whitespace characters between "bright" and "orange" is
significant, right?

The XML 1.0 standard remains mute on the default whitespace policy except to
say that: 
"...An XML processor must always pass all characters in a document that are
not markup through to the application. A validating XML processor must also
inform the application which of these characters constitute white space
appearing in element content.
A special attribute named xml:space may be attached to an element to signal
an intention that in that element, white space should be preserved by
applications..." 
(http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml#sec-white-space)

Thanks,
Kevin Johnsrude
Rogue Wave Software, www.roguewave.com

Received on Tuesday, 18 June 2002 18:44:43 UTC