Re: SGML and XML

> Whitespace would be handled as follows:
> 
> 1. In element content, all whitespace is ignored.
> 2. In data content, all whitespace is preserved.

Note that without a DTD it is not possible to distinguiish element and
data content.   Furthermore, this behaviour makes it impossible to
write a conforming XML program that copies its input to its output unchanged,
just as this is impossible in SGML right now -- no matter how many virgins
you use to tempt those unicorns :-) :-)

The distinction between whitespace that is returned by the parser (i.e.
emphatically not ignored) but that is not treated as data, and whitespace
thhat is treated as data, is a useful one, I think.

The ability to disable SGML RS/RE processing in the SGML Declaration is
really what's wanted.  That wasn't discussed before, as there seemed no
possibility of any changes to SGML.

I am not sure that we should reopen the RS/RE discussions unless there
are substantial changes.  No, I am sure that we _shouldn't_.

The mere fact that it took so much heated discussion shows that it
is too complex, and even the current XML draft is not considered clean
and elegant in this regard by everyone involved.

If SGML can be changed to disable RS/RE processing, or if Charles' kludge
with SHORTREF works, perhaps we're OK.  We do have to get the same whitespace
behaviour with and without a DTD, so element content and data content is
not a distinction XML can make, I think.

Lee

Received on Thursday, 28 November 1996 16:16:48 UTC