Re: What is the DOM4 Attr interface used for?

On 20 February 2016 at 20:46, Roy Walmsley <roy.walmsley@ntlworld.com>
wrote:

> Anne,
>
> Many thanks for your response.
>
> While I understand how the situation arose, it still doesn't solve the
> problem of the level 4 specification. As it stands at the moment, the
> "Attr" interface is not included either directly or indirectly in the
> "Element" interface. Consequently, elements have no attributes. So it is
> effectively impossible to implement.
>

That assumption is incorrect. The 'Element' interface has the 'attributes'
property, which returns the DOM Level 3 'NamedNodeMap' (as you've already
recognized).


> I can see that the "NamedNodeMap" interface is defined in the level 3
> core, so cannot be changed without breaking level 3 and lower. Why don't
> you redefine it in Level 4 with the current definition from the living
> standard?
>

The living standard *is* the current specification, superseding Level 4.

Sebastian

Leaving the level 4 specification in its current state requires, at the
> very least, a red comment highlighting the problem to users.
>
> Regards,
>
> Roy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Anne van Kesteren [mailto:annevk@annevk.nl]
> Sent: 19 February 2016 13:40
> To: Roy Walmsley
> Cc: www-dom@w3.org
> Subject: Re: What is the DOM4 Attr interface used for?
>
> Hi Roy,
>
> Welcome to the DOM community. These days we mostly hang out in
> https://github.com/whatwg/dom and https://wiki.whatwg.org/wiki/IRC.
>
> On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 4:39 PM, Roy Walmsley <roy.walmsley@ntlworld.com>
> wrote:
> > I, as a DOM novice, have been studying the DOM4 specification
> > available on-line at https://www.w3.org/TR/dom/.
>
> It's unfortunately not very clear, but you want to study
> https://dom.spec.whatwg.org/ instead.
>
>
> > I make the assumption that, previously, individual “Element”
> > attributes were defined as “Attr” objects which, inheriting the “Node”
> > interface, could be listed in a “NamedNodeMap” attribute.
>
> Correct.
>
>
> > Now, however, it seems to me, that “NamedNodeMap” is not an
> > appropriate type for the “attributes” attribute in the “Element”
> interface.
>
> It's not a correct name, but since it was only ever used by attributes,
> changing the type of the things it holds is actually possible. Having said
> that, we might have to change Attr objects back to being Attr node objects.
> It's a little up in the air.
>
>
> > As I said at the start, I am a novice to the DOM, albeit that I have
> > many years programming experience. So, apologies if I have this wrong.
> > I would be very grateful for clarification.
>
> You're correct that it's a little weird, but unfortunately we cannot right
> all wrongs, just a handful.
>
> Kind regards,
>
>
> --
> https://annevankesteren.nl/
>
>
>