- From: Frank Boumphrey <bckman@ix.netcom.com>
- Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 10:02:33 -0500
- To: "Stefan Mintert" <mintert@irb.informatik.uni-dortmund.de>, <www-html@w3.org>
- Cc: <mintert@irb.informatik.uni-dortmund.de>
(Frank speaking for himself) The easy one first. >4.1.6 Empty Elements >Empty elements must end with />. >==================== > >What about <br></br> which is legal in XML 1.0: "If an element is empty, it >must be represented either by a start-tag immediately followed by an end-tag >or by an empty-element tag." >(http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-xml-19980210#sec-starttags) > >Is it not allowed to write <br></br> in XHTML? Yes XML allows you to do this, however to be compatible with down level browsers it is suggested you write <br />. Note the space before the vertical slash. This is a gross hack based on the fact that when parsing an element most browsers look for either a 'space' or a '>' to read the element name. However in future browsers using an XML engine, you should be able to use the syntax you suggested. For your second question. If I write a SGML application such as an HTML document, it should conform to the HTML DTD. (The fact that 98% of the documents on the web don't is beside the point *grin*). If I wanted to add new elements, it would mean rewriting the whole DTD. Using XML I can write a module containing my new elements, and reference it from my DTD. All I would have to provide is the module. A the present time the exact mechanism for doing this is under discussion (see the WD), but one way that you can look at right now is via a name space. Both IE5b2 and Gecko allow you to reference HTML elements in your own XML document using a namespace. Frank (speaking for myself) ----- Original Message ----- From: Stefan Mintert <mintert@irb.informatik.uni-dortmund.de> To: <www-html@w3.org> Cc: <mintert@irb.informatik.uni-dortmund.de> Sent: Thursday, February 25, 1999 8:18 AM Subject: XHTML - two questions > > > >Hi! > > >I have two questions concerning the XHTML 1.0 WD (WD-html-in-xml-19990224). >Thanks in advance for any answers. > > >==================== >1.3 Why the need for XHTML? >[...] >Under SGML, the > addition of a new group of elements would mean > alteration of the entire DTD. In an XML-based > DTD, all that is required is that the new set of > elements be internally consistent and well-formed > to be added to an existing DTD. >==================== > > >I don't understand this statement. > >1) Why do I need to alter the *entire* DTD under SGML? I have to modify the >content models of some old element types to allow some new element types as >child elements. > >2) If I add a new set of elements to a XML DTD by putting the appropriate ><!ELEMENT ..> declarations at the end of the DTD, what does that help? As >long as none of the new element types is included in the content model of >some of the old element types, this change has no affect. I have to alter the >old DTD. Where's the difference to SGML? > > > > >==================== >4.1.6 Empty Elements >Empty elements must end with />. >==================== > >What about <br></br> which is legal in XML 1.0: "If an element is empty, it >must be represented either by a start-tag immediately followed by an end-tag >or by an empty-element tag." >(http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-xml-19980210#sec-starttags) > >Is it not allowed to write <br></br> in XHTML? > > > >Bye, > > Stefan. > >+-----------------------------------------------------------+ > Stefan Mintert > UniDo: mintert@irb.informatik.uni-dortmund.de > private: stefan@mintert.com >+-----------------------------------------------------------+ > > > "let the music keep our spirits high..." > > (Jackson Browne) > >
Received on Thursday, 25 February 1999 10:12:39 UTC