XML Macro Discussion and Specification

Argumentation Community Group,

Greetings.  I would like to broach, for discussion, some initial implementation ideas for XML macros.  XML macros are envisioned as generally useful and can facilitate expressiveness for a new argumentation interchange and representation format.

There are a few implementation options and an XML Schema and XSLT implementation for XML macros resembles:


<xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <xs:annotation>
    <xs:appinfo xmlns:{1}="{2}" {1}:{3}="application/xslt+xml" {1}:{4}="macro" {1}:{5}="{6}">
      <transform xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
        <output media-type="{6}" />
        ...
      </transform>
    </xs:appinfo>
  </xs:annotation>
  ...
</xs:schema>


The implementation of XML macros and the processing of XML macros can be described in an upcoming specification.  The described processing is envisioned as interoperable with the processing of XSLT-interoperable <include> elements, the specification of which can be subsequent or concurrent to the specification of XML macros.

A <define> element, with the aforementioned XML Schema and XSLT implementation of XML macros, resembles:


<define name="namespace:element">
  <xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
    <xs:annotation>
      <xs:appinfo xmlns:{1}="{2}" {1}:{3}="application/xslt+xml" {1}:{4}="macro" {1}:{5}="{6}">
        <transform xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
          <output media-type="{6}" />
          ...
        </transform>
      </xs:appinfo>
    </xs:annotation>
    ...
  </xs:schema>
</define>


and/or


<define name="namespace:element" href="filename.ext" />


As interesting, we can discuss XML macros here, related implementation and specification topics, as well as other topics (such as 1, 2, 3 and 4 from http://www.w3.org/community/argumentation/2013/04/24/argumentation-interchange-and-representation-format/) en route to specification processes of both general use and of specific use to a new argumentation interchange and representation format.



Kind regards,

Adam Sobieski