XSLT 1.0 Clarification request: user-defined top-level elements preceding xsl:import

A user has complained that some processors allow a user-defined top-level
element to
precede xsl:import, and others do not.

I think this is another case where the spec needs clarification; both
behaviors can be justified by reading the spec different ways.

In particular, it is not clear which of the following two statements is
intended to override the other:

(a) (2.6.1) The xsl:import element children must precede all other element
children
of an xsl:stylesheet element. [This is supported by the non-normative DTD]

(b) (2.2) An XSLT processor must ignore a top-level element without giving
an error
if it does not recognize the namespace URI.

I am registering this as an issue needing clarification by posting it on
xsl-editors@w3.org.

Possibly section 2.6.1 (and the DTD) is intended to apply to the set of
element children that remain after doing the "ignoring" required by section
2.2. But if so, it should say so.

Mike Kay

Received on Thursday, 31 May 2001 11:42:39 UTC