XML 1.0 - query - PublicID vs ExternalID

I don't really understand why in a NotationDecl [82] you don't have to 
designate a system literal for a PublicId but in the case of an EntityDef
that uses a PublicId [71][73][74][75] you do.

It seems to me that either your XML system is fully capable of finding a
PublicId from its mere name (a hefty burden, actually, unless these are
archived publicly better than I expect and unless all XML systems everywhere
are connected to said archive) or else it's not.  If a system is not required
to do such lookup, then oughtn't ALL PublicID's be required to have an
accompanying SystemLiteral for local reference?  And if they are required to
know how to do such lookup, then oughtn't none of them be required to have an
accompanying SystemLiteral.

Perhaps I'm just missing something, or I've misunderstood the grammar.

Could someone clarify why it's required in one case [71-75] and not in
the other? [82] Thanks much!
 --Kent Pitman
   kmp@harlequin.com

Received on Tuesday, 5 May 1998 22:16:31 UTC