[Bug 6230] New: clean up anySimpleType "definition".

http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=6230

           Summary: clean up anySimpleType "definition".
           Product: XML Schema
           Version: 1.1 only
          Platform: All
        OS/Version: All
            Status: NEW
          Keywords: editorial
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: Datatypes: XSD Part 2
        AssignedTo: cmsmcq@w3.org
        ReportedBy: davep@iit.edu
         QAContact: www-xml-schema-comments@w3.org


We have some mixed concepts in 3.2.1 anySimpleType.  It begins:

"[Definition:]   The definition of anySimpleType is a special ·restriction· of
anyType.  Its ·lexical space· is the set of all sequences of Unicode
characters...."

1.  The schema component which is the (simple type) definition of the datatype
anySimpleType is not the datatype.  There is no datatype named 'anyType'.  The
term referent for "restriction" is the relation defined between datatypes, not
schema components.   Schema component "restriction" is defined in Part 1,
Structures; that is the restriction that should be referenced.  (If indeed the
STDs should even be mentioned in the definition; they aren't for non-special
datatypes even though they could be.)

2.  It appears there is no markup for a reference to an externally defined
component, although there is for a reference to the properties of an externally
defined component.  The self-admitted "hack" that causes a datatype reference
to anyType  to just emit 'anyType' in bold italic, as though it were a special
value like absent of positiveInfinity, is misleading.  Perhaps we need a format
(at least in the hack, if not tied to new markup) that makes it clear which is
which.

3.  In "its lexical space", the referent of "it" appears to be the STD, but
it's the datatype that has a lexical space.

We understand when we mean the component and when we mean the datatype, but we
should have pity on the newbies that don't yet.  Once in a while it makes a
difference; to help the newbies realize there is a difference we should never
elide the two.  (N.B., this doesn't mean we have to belabor the
difference--just use the correct terminology/markup for the different cases.)


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Received on Monday, 17 November 2008 04:05:34 UTC