Re: Accomodation for JSON

Justin Johansson <procode@adam.com.au> writes:
> My suggestion is to include an element for inlining JSON text in an
> XPL document in the XProc vocabulary. This element, analogous to
> c:query (which I understand is for inlining XQuery text in an XPL
> document), would be a healthy show of support for web ecosystem
> diversity in XProc.

Indeed, c:query is a special case for the p:xquery step.

> The suggested name of this element, drawn from the XProc namespace
> used for documents that are inputs to and outputs to XProc steps, viz.
> http://www.w3.org/ns/xproc-step', is 'json'.

At the moment, there are no steps which expect JSON input of any sort,
so it's not clear how or where a c:json element would be used. What's
more, c:query actually predates the addition of p:data to the spec.
It's now possible to get a c:json element without any special support
in the spec:

  <p:data content-type="application/json" wrapper="c:json"
          href="/path/to/your/json.js"/>

> This measure would allow XPL users to inline JSON text in an XPL
> document in fashion similar to, and on fair and equal footing with,
> say, inline XQuery text and other embedded text formats supported by
> XProc.

XProc has very limited support for embedded text formats, what flows
between steps must be XML. It just happens that a few steps accept
text input for some ancillary purpose.

> Thank you and trust I have not misunderstood the purpose of c:query
> which forms the basis for suggesting c:json.

Thank you for taking the time to review our spec. The WG considered
your suggestion during the meeting of 10 September, but doesn't feel
any additional mechanisms are necessary. If you are unsatisfied by
this resolution, please let us know.

                                        Be seeing you,
                                          norm

-- 
Norman Walsh <ndw@nwalsh.com> | Nothing ever gets anywhere. The earth
http://nwalsh.com/            | keeps turning round and gets nowhere.
                              | The moment is the only thing that
                              | counts.--Jean Cocteau