[Bug 6321] New: clarify schema validation behavior when an IF instance contains zero schema documents

http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=6321

           Summary: clarify schema validation behavior when an IF instance
                    contains zero schema documents
           Product: SML
           Version: CR
          Platform: PC
        OS/Version: Windows XP
            Status: NEW
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: Interchange Format
        AssignedTo: cmsmcq@w3.org
        ReportedBy: johnarwe@us.ibm.com
         QAContact: public-sml@w3.org
                CC: sandygao@ca.ibm.com


The SML working group asked me to open this bug on behalf of Sandy Gao, who
raised the issue privately just before leaving for vacation.  Sandy noted that
last week's discussion
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-sml/2008Dec/att-0030/20081211-sml-minutes.html#item08
indicates a possible need to clarify the working group's intent.  On today's
telecon there was consensus that such clarification is in fact needed, and I
was asked to draft same.

SMLIF 5.4.3 Schema Bindings currently addresses the question posed in the bug
summary in its final paragraph: "Otherwise, if an SML-IF consumer chooses not
to process the schemaBindings element, then the SML-IF consumer MUST compose a
schema using all schema documents included in the SML-IF document and MUST use
this schema to validate all instance documents in the interchange model."

I can see several potential points of clarification here:

(1) "Otherwise, if an SML-IF consumer chooses not to process the schemaBindings
element, then..." leaves somewhat unclear that it also applies when an SMLIF
consumer that "supports" schema bindings simply finds none in the SMLIF
instance.

(2) the distinction between "schema" and "schema document" is perhaps too
subtle for ordinary readers unfamiliar with the intricacies of schema
processing.

Proposed changes:
(1) 
from: Otherwise, if ... chooses not to ..., then the SML-IF consumer MUST ...
to:   In all other cases,                        the SML-IF consumer MUST ...
   + (add, after end of current sentence, non-normative note)
     "Note: Examples of these cases include:
            1. an SML-IF consumer chooses not to process the schemaBindings 
               element
            2. no schema documents are found amongst the SML-IF document's
               definition documents

(2) Add non-normative note:
Note: The distinction between schema and schema documents is both intentional
and important; the absence of schema documents does not imply the absence of a
schema.  A schema containing only built-in components will be constructed given
zero schema documents as input, and this schema will be used to validate all
instance documents in the interchange model.  This distinction has an impact on
model validation results according to the definition of validity for a
conforming SML model [SML Conformance].

If accepted in toto, the final paragraph of 5.4.3 then changes from

Otherwise, if an SML-IF consumer chooses not to process the schemaBindings
element, then the SML-IF consumer MUST compose a schema using all schema
documents included in the SML-IF document and MUST use this schema to validate
all instance documents in the interchange model.

to

In all other cases, the SML-IF consumer MUST compose a schema using all schema
documents included in the SML-IF document and MUST use this schema to validate
all instance documents in the interchange model.

Note: Examples of these cases include:
            1. an SML-IF consumer chooses not to process the schemaBindings 
               element 
            2. no schema documents are found amongst the SML-IF document's
               definition documents

Note: The distinction between schema and schema documents is both intentional
and important; the absence of schema documents does not imply the absence of a
schema.  A schema containing only built-in components will be constructed given
zero schema documents as input, and this schema will be used to validate all
instance documents in the interchange model.  This distinction has an impact on
model validation results according to the definition of validity for a
conforming SML model [SML Conformance].


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Received on Thursday, 18 December 2008 21:16:41 UTC