Re: Improve XProc suitability for localization

Jirka Kosek wrote:

> although the majority of XProc specification defines machine processable
> content there is p:error element which can be used to invoke error.
> Error message which can be presented to user is currently specified
> using attribute:
> 
>    <p:error code="NOVERSION"
>              description="Required version attribute missing."/>
> 
> It is known that text stored inside attributes is not ideal for further
> localization. Generally it is better to use element content for text in
> natural language (see http://www.w3.org/TR/xml-i18n-bp/#DevAttributes).
> 
> ITS WG would prefer if you can use element content instead of attribute
> for storing text of error message. This will allow to specify things
> like language, directionality, translatability, etc. of error message
> using further attributes on p:error element (these attributes will be
> extensions attributes from XProc point of view).

Hi XProc folks,

I see that in the latest draft new property p:language was added. This
partially solves the above problem -- it is now possible to have error
messages in English inside XProc pipeline and enough intelligent XProc
implementation can fetch localized error messages from some sort of
external message catalog.

However using attribute for description is penalty for users from East
Asia and Middle East who want to put localized error messages directly
into XProc script -- they still can't specify things like ruby or
directionality changes inside attribute value.

I understand that using content of p:error element for description
instead of attribute would cause inconsistency in syntax -- all other
options in XProc are specified as attributes. So change we are
requesting is not an easy one. But ITS WG will be pleased if you can
consider this and decide whether accommodating non-Latin languages can
be worth small syntax inconsistency.

Thanks,

			Jirka Kosek
			(member of ITS WG)


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