Re: SGML and XML

On Wed, 27 Nov 1996 21:54:33 -0500, Paul Prescod
<papresco@calum.csclub.uwaterloo.ca> wrote:

> I am particularly interested in the whitespace handling.

At SGML '96 an informal discussion led to a technique that conforms to ISO 8879
as it is today, but causes whitespace to be handled almost as requested on this
list, but without the funky attributes.

Whitespace would be handled as follows:

1. In element content, all whitespace is ignored.
2. In data content, all whitespace is preserved.

The SGML technique for accomplishing this result has two steps:

1. Declare a new SEPCHAR function character in the XML concrete syntax, using a
character number that is not expected to occur naturally.  Call this "newsep". :
2. In a shortref map used by the document element, map RE to NEWSEP. 

That's it. If you're unhappy with SGML's built-in whitespace handling, you can
use this technique today. If we choose to use it for XML, it will be simple to
explain, easy to implement, and totally conforming.
--
Charles F. Goldfarb * Information Management Consulting * +1(408)867-5553
           13075 Paramount Drive * Saratoga CA 95070 * USA
  International Standards Editor * ISO 8879 SGML * ISO/IEC 10744 HyTime
 Prentice-Hall Series Editor * CFG Series on Open Information Management
--

Received on Thursday, 28 November 1996 14:24:57 UTC