I realize this is after the last call period, but the matter was brought to
my attention after the last call period for XML base.
XML base is restricted from applying to external entities. However, when
you c14n a document, the external entity content is brought into the
document, so xml:base will apply to it.
Right now, I have language in c14n that propagates xml:base to descendant
elements in the case of document subsets, but the problem above occurs even
when one does a c14n of the whole document.
I think c14n is doing the right thing in that it is consistent with what
xml:base should do: the entities are no longer external, so xml:base
attributes from ancestors should apply to them. It think the problem is
that the meaning of the content is changed based on where we get it from.
We have no way of retaining information on content derived from external
entities. In particular, the feature seems to contradict the language of
section 4.4.2 of XML 1.0:
"An entity is included when its replacement text is retrieved and processed,
in place of the reference itself, as though it were part of the document at
the location the reference was recognized. "
Since the replacement text should be treated 'as though it were part of the
document', we should not introduce an attribute into the xml namespace that
violates this concept.
John Boyer
Development Team Leader,
Distributed Processing and XML
PureEdge Solutions Inc.
Creating Binding E-Commerce
v: 250-479-8334, ext. 143 f: 250-479-3772
1-888-517-2675 http://www.PureEdge.com
