Re: "snapshot" XHTML DTD for all current modules?

My gut feeling is that I don't think this is possible.  There are LOTS 
of modules in the xhtml namespace, and many of them conflict with one 
another.  So there would be no easy way to create a DTD that contained 
all of the modules.  I think I would look for @version on the html 
element as a way of guessing which XHTML family markup language was in 
use.  If there was no @version, and no DOCTYPE..... I don't think I 
would try to guess.  Instead I would give the users a list of known 
XHTML Family Markup languages and let the pick.  Then, of course, 
provide a validation error because there MUST be a DOCTYPE declaration.

That's just my opion, tho.

olivier Thereaux wrote:
>
> Hello, Mark, Shane, all.
>
>
> In the process of making it easier for authors of XHTML to check their 
> work, we've been looking at one specific type of document: XHTML 
> documents not sporting a Doctype Declaration, but declaring the proper 
> xhtml ns at their root element.
>
> Something like:
> http://qa-dev.w3.org/wmvs/HEAD/dev/tests/xhtml1-missing-doctype-has-xmlns.xhtml 
>
>
> Since the specifications for XHTML all require the presence of a 
> doctype declaration for the document to be "strictly conforming" XHTML 
> (1.0, 1.1, etc) such a document can not be "strictly conforming". Fair 
> enough. But tools could still check it.
>
> One idea that we had, was to build a DTD (and maybe an rng schema and 
> xml schema too, why not) describing a "snapshot" of the aggregation of 
> most known modules for XHTML.
>
> Such a DTD could be interesting in itself. At this point in time, I am 
> not aware of a DTD-friendly way of checking an XHTML document that 
> uses both the features of ARIA and RDFa, for example.
>
> Also, in the context of checking a document with the xhtml ns but no 
> doctype, it would allow a tool to tell for sure if the document strays 
> or not from the "xhtml realm".
>
> Do you think:
> * … it is a good idea?
> * … you could provide some help in building such a snapshot DTD?
> * … there would be a way to build this DTD in a way that allows easy 
> addition of new modules?
>   (my knowledge of modular xhtml is limited, so this may be a stupid 
> question)
>
>
> Any help or feedback from the the X(HT)ML/SGML experts on this list 
> would also be much welcome.
>
> Thank you,
> olivier

-- 
Shane P. McCarron                          Phone: +1 763 786-8160 x120
Managing Director                            Fax: +1 763 786-8180
ApTest Minnesota                            Inet: shane@aptest.com

Received on Monday, 5 May 2008 16:54:48 UTC