Re: <link> vs. <script> for external scripts

Ernest Cline wrote:

>...I think we need to redefine how the script element is defined for XHTML2.
>...It needs a different attribute than type to indicate the MIME type of the contents for the element.
><script datatype="text/javascript" type="image/gif" src="flashing_logo">
>  // And here goes a script that if the UA doesn't support animated GIFs
>  // would try to replicated the effect via scripting.
></script>
>
  A datatype generally refers to what type a variable, or function is 
(eg. String, int, etc...) in programming, not what language is being 
used.  We could bring back that old language attribute that was, 
strangely, both introduced and deprecated in HTML 4.  Of course, it 
would have to be completely redefined from its use in HTML 4 to 
something like this:

1. @language must contain %ContentType.
2. The type specified by @type applies only to the external resource.  
If the external resource can be used, then @language and the contents of 
the script are ignored.  i.e. Exactly how it's defined in the embedding 
collection.
3. The type specifed by @language applies only to the contents of the 
<script> element.
4. If the UA does not recognise the type specified by @language as a 
*known scripting language*, then the UA (must/should)? render the 
contents of the <noscript> element.  If <noscript> is not specifed, then 
the <script> just ignored.

eg. if an author writes:
<script language="text/unknown-script">
    alert("This is JavaScript");
    <noscript><p>Some useful content here</p></noscript>
</script>
Then, a UA should render the contents of the <noscript> element.

  However, this raises the question of how strict the @language should 
be.  If the browser actually recognises the script above as javascript 
then should the browser still run the script, even though the language 
was specified wrongly?

  Perhaps it should be similar to @type: If the UA has been advised of a 
script type that it does not understand, then it should not bother 
attempting to execute the script, and always use the fallback mechanism.

  Another question this raises is, if @language is NOT specified, but 
@type is, and there is no external resource, but there is internal 
content (ie. just like current HTML4 to XHTML 1.1 scripts), should the 
@type be substited for the @language?
eg.
<script type="text/javascript">
    // some javascript
</script>

>It has some other advantages besides allowing generic embedding.
>Since type is not a required attribute in general, but needs to be
>for script (and for style as well) so using a separate attribute seems
>preferable, especially if type allows for multiple types to be indicated.
>
Agreed!

  While looking at the script and noscript elements, I noticed some 
other problems with them.  The current draft (2003-05-06) states that:

"When this module is used, the script and noscript elements are added to 
the Block and Inline content sets of the Block and Inline Text Modules..."
  Also, the content model for noscript is: (Heading | List | Block)+

Since <noscript> is added to the Inline content model, then it makes the 
following valid:
<span>some text <script 
language="text/javascript">document.write("something");<noscript><h>Heading</h></noscript> 
more text</span>
  Is there a way to specify that when script and noscript are used 
within Inline elements, the content model is only (Inline)+, but when 
used within Block elements, the content model is (Heading | List | 
Block)+ using Schemas?  I know it can't be done with DTDs.

CYA
...Lachy

Received on Wednesday, 19 November 2003 01:55:34 UTC