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The XML-DEV Blog

The XML-DEV email discussion forum was started nearly 10 years ago by Dr. Peter Murray-Rust and Dr. Henry Rzepa of Imperial College (UK), covering XML development topics including XML standards, XML specifications, and technical questions related to the eXtensible Markup Language. The XML-DEV Blog brings the XML-DEV community into the blogging era, enabling XML developers to easily follow the hottest threads in the blogosphere.


[ANN] XML Prague 2024 - CFP ends in two weeks

Posted 3/16/2024 11:49:18 AM

Dear XML enthusiasts, There are still more than two weeks to finish and submit your proposal for XML Prague 2024. The XML Prague conference is a three-day event on XML for developers, markup geeks, information managers and students. It will be held on June 6-8, 2024, at the Prague Unive . . . Read full entry »


Expat 2.6.2 released, includes security fixes

Posted 3/13/2024 9:32:34 PM

Hello everyone! (A *more detailed* blog-post version of this e-mail is available online at https://blog.hartwork.org/posts/expat-2-6-2-released/ .) Expat 2.6.2 [1] has been released earlier today. This release fixes security issue CVE-2024-28757 that can be used to cause denial of service. . . . Read full entry »


online xml schema validation and xslt transformation tools

Posted 3/7/2024 9:03:17 PM

Hi all,   Over the past few weeks, I've been reworking on following site, https://www.softwarebytes.org.The recent main changes to this site include following few things,1) The online functionality of this site is now, behind user login. This feature may prompt users not to use this site. But t . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Release of XMLmind XSL-FO Converter v6.4.2

Posted 2/29/2024 9:39:20 AM

XMLmind XSL-FO Converter v6.4.2 (February 29, 2024). Maintenance release: - Updated most software components in XMLmind XSL Utility and XMLmind XSL Server. - Official support of Java™ 21 and macOS Sonoma (version 14). More information in https://www.xmlmind.com/foconverter/changes.html -------- . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Release of XMLmind Word To XML v1.11

Posted 2/16/2024 9:21:26 AM

Release of XMLmind Word To XML v1.11: - Minor enhancements and bug fixes. - Updated some software components. - Official support of Java™ 21 and macOS Sonoma (version 14). More information in https://www.xmlmind.com/w2x/changes.html ------------------------------------- What is XMLmind Word To X . . . Read full entry »


Expat 2.6.0 released, includes security fixes

Posted 2/6/2024 9:41:27 PM

Hello everyone! (A *longer* blog-post version of this e-mail is available online at https://blog.hartwork.org/posts/expat-2-6-0-released/ .) Expat 2.6.0 [1] has been released earlier today. Most importantly, this release fixes two security issues — CVE-2023-52425 and CVE-2023-52426 — that can . . . Read full entry »


Online XML Schema validator

Posted 2/2/2024 10:55:22 AM

Hi all,   I've earlier hosted the web site https://www.softwarebytes.org, providing access to features for Online XML Schema validations.Earlier this site didn't require any user authentication.Now, the features on the site https://www.softwarebytes.org providing Online XML Schema validatio . . . Read full entry »


Re: XML FAQ and training

Posted 1/31/2024 2:53:58 PM

On 17.01.2024 17:16, Peter Flynn wrote: I have been updating the XML and related conference events in the XML FAQ (and adding a couple of translations that have been done). Hi Peter, many thanks for this and especially for listing XML Prague there. I get occasional queries about train . . . Read full entry »


Re: Knuth lectures

Posted 1/24/2024 7:29:43 PM

>>>>> Dave Pawson <dave.pawson@gmail.com>: > Now online > https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoROMvodv4rNbeodV7vqxxxWpe4s_SFty Ooo, nice! Thanks! . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Call for proposals: XML Prague 2024

Posted 1/24/2024 5:44:44 PM

Dear XML enthusiasts, We are glad to announce that the call for proposals for the XML Prague 2024 conference is open now. The XML Prague conference is a three-day event on XML for developers, markup geeks, information managers and students. It will be held on June 6-8, 2024, at the Prag . . . Read full entry »


Re: XML FAQ and training

Posted 1/17/2024 10:04:04 PM

> add > a section listing the providers of XML and related training and their > principal scheduled events (if any; unless I get swamped :-) > > Thoughts? Yes, i think that may be very helpful. At Delightful Computing we (OK, i) offer XSLT: Two to Three - three intense days cov . . . Read full entry »


Re: XML FAQ and training

Posted 1/17/2024 5:42:54 PM

Hi Peter, Please feel free to add Evolved Binary to the Training section - https://www.evolvedbinary.com/training Kindest regards. Adam. On Wed, 17 Jan 2024 at 17:16, Peter Flynn <peter@silmaril.ie> wrote: > > I have been updating the XML a . . . Read full entry »


XML FAQ and training

Posted 1/17/2024 4:16:23 PM

I have been updating the XML and related conference events in the XML FAQ (and adding a couple of translations that have been done). https://xml.silmaril.ie/ (BTW When does JATS-Con get announced?) I get occasional queries about training, which I forward to the usual suspects :-) but I think i . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] In-Person XML Training Feb 2024 - The Complete XML Developer,Londo

Posted 1/17/2024 3:55:24 PM

Evolved Binary are launching our new range of Training Courses beginning with The Complete XML Developer in February 2024, and we would like to invite you and your colleagues to join us in London. The Complete XML Developer covers XPath, XSLT, XQuery, and XML Databases, it is taught in-person, and . . . Read full entry »


Knuth lectures

Posted 12/25/2023 8:57:33 AM

Now online https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoROMvodv4rNbeodV7vqxxxWpe4s_SFty regards -- Dave Pawson XSLT XSL-FO FAQ. Docbook FAQ. . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Balisage 2024 - Call for Participation

Posted 12/18/2023 10:03:16 AM

================================================= Call for Participation "Balisage: The Markup Conference 2024” Balisage: where serious markup practitioners and theoreticians meet every summer. Critical Dates - 5 April 2024 — Paper submissions due - 29 July – 2 August 2024 — BALISAGE: TH . . . Read full entry »


Re: copilot

Posted 12/7/2023 9:41:14 AM

> > Interesting reading. > > "a year after the tool's general release -- found that programmers > accepted on average around 30% of its suggestions," > I probably accept a higher proportion than that of IntelliJ's suggested improvements to my Java code. It's very goo . . . Read full entry »


copilot

Posted 12/7/2023 8:28:54 AM

https://developers.slashdot.org/story/23/12/06/163201/millions-of-coders-are-now-using-ai-assistants-how-will-that-change-software Interesting reading. "a year after the tool's general release -- found that programmers accepted on average around 30% of its suggestions," regards -- Da . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Release of XMLmind XML Editor v10.6

Posted 11/22/2023 9:28:27 AM

Release of XMLmind XML Editor v10.6. Highlights: ============================================== Release of XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition v1.1 XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition (XXEW for short) is a 100% JavaScript, lightweight, streamlined, implementation of XMLmind XML Editor running . . . Read full entry »


=?UTF-8?Q?Re:__xmosaic_0.5=E2=80=930.10_source_code?=

Posted 10/30/2023 9:51:07 PM

Looks like the earliest I have easily accessible is 2.0... though I have viola and tkwww going way back. I might have some things on tape too.On Mon, Oct 30, 2023, at 4:35 PM, Gavin Nicol wrote:I may have it... I will look. I did a port and a Japanese localization sometime around then.On Wed, Sep 2 . . . Read full entry »


=?UTF-8?Q?Re:__xmosaic_0.5=E2=80=930.10_source_code?=

Posted 10/30/2023 4:35:38 PM

I may have it... I will look. I did a port and a Japanese localization sometime around then.On Wed, Sep 20, 2023, at 12:09 AM, Arjun Ray wrote:On Tue, 19 Sep 2023 22:39:38 -0400, "Liam R. E. Quin"<liam@fromoldbooks.org> wrote:| On Tue, 2023-09-19 at 19:36 -0700, Luke J . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Version 26 of the Oxygen XML set of tools with Oxygen AIPositron A

Posted 10/13/2023 7:25:18 PM

Hi all, The latest major release of the Oxygen XML set of tools is available from our website: https://www.oxygenxml.com/ Along with the XML tools update, we announce the release of Oxygen JSON Editor - a specialized product for JSON developers, designed for editing JSON and JSON Schema docume . . . Read full entry »


Re: [xsl] Mutual Recursion with Anonymous (Inline) Functions in XPath 3

Posted 10/5/2023 9:13:07 PM

Hi Dimitre,    Nice use case you've shared for XPath and XSLT. I've felt like responding to this.On Thu, Oct 5, 2023 at 8:27 AM Dimitre Novatchev dnovatchev@gmail.com <xsl-list-service@l...> wrote:Thought th . . . Read full entry »


Re: Re: [xsl] Mutual Recursion with Anonymous (Inline)Function

Posted 10/5/2023 11:19:38 AM

Hi Mukul,The problem is to implement mutual recursion in pure XPath using XPath function items - and to dispel the faulty belief that some people share with us, that this is impossible to do.As for doing this with XSLT - of course, but notice that you had to maintain the functions in **global** var . . . Read full entry »


Mutual Recursion with Anonymous (Inline) Functions in XPath 3

Posted 10/4/2023 7:57:09 PM

Thought this topic might be interesting to some of us:https://medium.com/@dimitrenovatchev/mutual-recursion-with-anonymous-inline-functions-in-xpath-3-0eb7c961806fAlso published in my blog.-- Cheers,Dimitre Novatchev---------------------------------------Truly great madness cannot be achieved witho . . . Read full entry »


XSpec v2.3.2 - new release available

Posted 10/1/2023 7:51:26 PM

Hi,A new official release of XSpec, v2.3.2, is available at: https://github.com/xspec/xspec/releases/tag/v2.3.2The release notes on GitHub list the changes. Here are the highlights:Common to&nbs . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Release of XMLmind XML Editor v10.5

Posted 9/1/2023 10:10:26 AM

XMLmind XML Editor v10.5 (September 1, 2023): Highlights: ================================================================== Release of XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition v1.0, a 100% JavaScript, lightweight, streamlined, implementation of XMLmind XML Editor running in the web browser. See h . . . Read full entry »


Re: XPath 3.1 F&O spec, and HTML ASCII case insensitive collat

Posted 8/18/2023 9:51:06 PM

Hi Mike,On Fri, Aug 18, 2023 at 3:44 PM Michael Kay <mike@saxonica.com> wrote:That's the problem with a living spec - anyone daring to refer to it risks the reference becoming dead.The relevant text now appears to be in section 4.6 Strings:A strin . . . Read full entry »


Re: XPath 3.1 F&O spec, and HTML ASCII case insensitive collat

Posted 8/18/2023 5:28:04 PM

On Fri, 18 Aug 2023 at 10:21, Mukul Gandhi <mukulg@softwarebytes.org> wrote:Hi all,    I've been reading the following XPath 3.1 F&O spec section, https://www.w3.org/TR/xpath-functions-31/#html-ascii-case-insensitive-collation (section . . . Read full entry »


XPath 3.1 F&O spec, and HTML ASCII case insensitive collation

Posted 8/18/2023 2:51:27 PM

Hi all,    I've been reading the following XPath 3.1 F&O spec section, https://www.w3.org/TR/xpath-functions-31/#html-ascii-case-insensitive-collation (section 5.3.4 of the XPath 3.1 F&O spec).This XPath 3.1 F&O spec section says following,<quote>The collation URI http://www.w . . . Read full entry »


Re: XPath 3.1 F&O spec, and HTML ASCII case insensitivecollati

Posted 8/18/2023 12:19:53 PM

> On Aug 18, 2023, at 12:14, Michael Kay <mike@saxonica.com> wrote: > > That's the problem with a living spec - anyone daring to refer to it risks the reference becoming dead. > > The relevant text now appears to be in section 4.6 Strings: > . . . Read full entry »


Re: XPath 3.1 F&O spec, and HTML ASCII case insensitivecollati

Posted 8/18/2023 11:28:02 AM

(A lot of people are still using XSLT 1.0, which defines format-number() with a normative reference to JDK 1.1 documentation, which is no longer obtainable on the web, as far as I can tell.Would that work ?https://www.cs.princeton.edu/courses/archive/fall97/cs461/jdkdocs/index.htmlJean-Christophe H . . . Read full entry »


Re: XPath 3.1 F&O spec, and HTML ASCII case insensitivecollati

Posted 8/18/2023 11:14:18 AM

That's the problem with a living spec - anyone daring to refer to it risks the reference becoming dead.The relevant text now appears to be in section 4.6 Strings:A string A is an ASCII case-insensitive match for a string B, if the ASCII lowercase of  . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Release of XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition 1.0.0-beta4

Posted 8/3/2023 10:16:35 AM

Fourth public release of XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition, version 1.0.0-beta4, is freely available for testing. Added features and bug fixes documented in https://www.xmlmind.com/xmleditor/_web/doc/manual/changes.html --------------------------------------- What is XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition . . . Read full entry »


Re: Invalid Markup in External DTD conditionals

Posted 7/25/2023 2:39:44 PM

The XSL WG operated a "member-only" policy which meant that only members could see the record of internal discussions. Now that there are no longer any members of the WG, the discussions have become effectively inaccessible to anyone. But it's an important resource and that situa . . . Read full entry »


Re: Invalid Markup in External DTD conditionals

Posted 7/25/2023 1:20:01 PM

That would definitely be something I'd be interested in seeing. Regards Daniel On 25 Jul 2023, 08:28 +0100, Michael Kay <mike@saxonica.com>, wrote: But it was all a long time ago now, and i no longer have access to the email archives at W3C. I won . . . Read full entry »


Re: Invalid Markup in External DTD conditionals

Posted 7/25/2023 8:27:24 AM

> > But it was all a long time ago now, and i no longer have access to the > email archives at W3C. > I wonder what W3C's policy is on making these records available? The XSL WG operated a "member-only" policy which meant that only members could see the record of internal . . . Read full entry »


Re: Invalid Markup in External DTD conditionals

Posted 7/25/2023 8:24:06 AM

> > If you want historically reliable information on the thinking in the WG, > I recommend reviewing the relevant threads in the mail archive at > > https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-sgml-wg/ > > Tim Bray's Annotated XML Specification is also a brilliant resource, . . . Read full entry »


Invalid Markup in External DTD conditionals

Posted 7/25/2023 1:14:08 AM

Hello all, If I look at the XML conformance tests, I can find the test with the ID ibm-valid-P65-ibm65v02.xml has the below external DTD <?xml version="1.0" encoding='UTF-8'?> <!--dtd for production 65--> <![IGNORE[ this is some stringwithout brackets <![ <!ELEMENT . . . Read full entry »


Re: Invalid Markup in External DTD conditionals

Posted 7/25/2023 12:27:24 AM

On Tue, 2023-07-25 at 01:14 +0100, Daniel Murphy wrote: > Why is the ignore section not expected to be valid > declarations like an <![INCLUDE[]]> section?  So you can use an IGNOREd marked section to "comment out" problems, incomplete declarations, or even non-XML text. I . . . Read full entry »


Re: Invalid Markup in External DTD conditionals

Posted 7/24/2023 8:26:26 PM

Daniel Murphy <daniel@devasta.ie> writes: > ... > My question is: Why is the ignore section not expected to be valid > declarations like an <![INCLUDE[]]> section? I mean, if you have to > check the IgnoreSection of a DTD an . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Release of XMLmind XSL-FO Converter v6.4.1

Posted 7/24/2023 10:24:20 AM

Maintenance release: - updated several software components in XMLmind XSL Utility and XMLmind XSL Server; - official support of Java™ 20. More information: https://www.xmlmind.com/foconverter/changes.html --------------------------------- What is XMLmind XSL-FO Converter? ----------------------- . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Why Don't People Like XML? Balisage pre-conference onSunday 30 Jul

Posted 7/18/2023 12:15:28 PM

Let's start Balisage with a bang!   On Sunday at the pre-conference, Allen Renear's talk  "The SGML/XML Approach to Document Processing:  [an incomplete] History of Criticisms and Challenges" should get us all thinking and talking. Details at:   https:/ . . . Read full entry »


Re: Aalto XML parser

Posted 7/12/2023 12:18:50 PM

I've used the Aalto XML processor extensively, for both reading and writing XML. It's incredibly quick and is probably still is the fastest XML processor for Java / JVM languages. Regards, Charles On 25/06/2023 12:26 am, Elliotte Rusty Harold wrote: Does anyone here have experience with the . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Third public release of XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition

Posted 7/4/2023 9:39:25 AM

Third public release of XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition, version 1.0.0-beta3, is freely available for testing. Added features and bug fixes documented in https://www.xmlmind.com/xmleditor/_web/doc/manual/changes.html --------------------------------------- What is XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition? . . . Read full entry »


Re: XML is the future

Posted 6/26/2023 1:20:04 AM

This is fabulous. The world was ever thus, but this is beautifully succinct and very amusing to boot. Cheers, Damian On 26 Jun 2023, at 3:21 am, Marcus Reichardt <u123724@gmail.com> wrote: Thought you might enjoy https://lobste.rs . . . Read full entry »


Re: Aalto XML parser

Posted 6/25/2023 8:57:30 PM

I've used Woodstox extensively and I from that evidence I think one can assume that anything produced by Tatu Saloranta is going to be to a very high standard. My understanding is that Aalto is basically Woodstox extended to be asynchronous. I haven't used it. Michael Kay Saxonica > On 25 Jun . . . Read full entry »


XML is the future

Posted 6/25/2023 7:21:46 PM

Thought you might enjoy https://lobste.rs/s/nqahtz/xml_is_future (both the original article and the comments on lobste.rs).Best,Marcus Reichardtsgml.io . . . Read full entry »


Aalto XML parser

Posted 6/24/2023 11:26:31 PM

Does anyone here have experience with the Aalto XML parser? https://github.com/FasterXML/aalto-xml In particular, is anyone able to venture an opinion on whether it fully and correctly implements the XML 1.0 spec? -- Elliotte Rusty Harold elharo@ibiblio.org . . . Read full entry »


Re: Aalto XML parser

Posted 6/24/2023 8:49:44 PM

On Sat, 2023-06-24 at 23:26 +0000, Elliotte Rusty Harold wrote: > Does anyone here have experience with the Aalto XML parser? > > https://github.com/FasterXML/aalto-xml > > In particular, is anyone able to venture an opinion on whether it > fully and correctly implements the XML . . . Read full entry »


Re: An XML document is an information resource (series ofoctet

Posted 6/20/2023 3:53:07 PM

> > 1. What is an "information resource"? Your mother. > > 2. The parenthetical remark seems to imply that an information resource is a "series of octets". Is an information resource a series of octets? > Not necessarily. Michael Kay Saxonica . . . Read full entry »


Re: An XML document is an information resource (series ofoctet

Posted 6/20/2023 3:16:05 PM

On Tue, 2023-06-20 at 12:36 +0000, Roger L Costello wrote: > > An XML document is an information resource (series of octets) > described by the application/xml media type. In MIME and HTTP terminology, a URI (uniform resource identifier) identifies a resource, and a URL gives a Location. . . . Read full entry »


Re: An XML document is an information resource (series ofoctet

Posted 6/20/2023 1:38:20 PM

> Two More Questions: > > 1. What is an "information resource"? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTPRange-14 enters the room. > 2. The parenthetical remark seems to imply that an information > resource is a "series of octets". Is an information resource a series & . . . Read full entry »


An XML document is an information resource (series of octets) ...yes?

Posted 6/20/2023 12:36:09 PM

Hi Folks, This document [1] defines JSON documents this way: A JSON document is an information resource (series of octets) described by the application/json media type. Would it be correct to define XML documents in an analogous way: An XML document is an information resource (series of octets) . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Release of XMLmind Word To XML v1.10

Posted 6/20/2023 9:52:41 AM

Release of XMLmind Word To XML v1.10: - Several bug fixes. - Web Help output format: now supports the new corporate layout in addition to the classic and simple layouts. More information in https://www.xmlmind.com/w2x/changes.html ------------------------------------- What is XMLmind Word To XM . . . Read full entry »


Re: An XML document is an information resource (series ofoctet

Posted 6/20/2023 9:15:08 AM

On 6/20/2023 8:36 AM, Roger L Costello wrote: Hi Folks, This document [1] defines JSON documents this way: A JSON document is an information resource (series of octets) described by the application/json media type. Would it be correct to define XML documents in an analogous way: An XML documen . . . Read full entry »


=?UTF-8?B?UmU6IFt4bWwtZGV2XSB1cGRhdGU6IFUrMjM3QyDijbwgJmFuZ3phcnI7?=

Posted 6/19/2023 10:22:24 PM

On 19/06/2023 18:51, Liam R. E. Quin wrote: On Mon, 2023-06-19 at 09:23 -0700, Tim Bray wrote: I suspect many here will enjoy reading this: https://ionathan.ch/2023/06/06/angzarr.html Hah yes. People we know. The symbol is not in the copy i have of List of Monotype Founts and Special S . . . Read full entry »


Re: update: U+237C =?UTF-8?Q?=E2=8D=BC?= &angzarr;

Posted 6/19/2023 1:51:47 PM

On Mon, 2023-06-19 at 09:23 -0700, Tim Bray wrote: > I suspect many here will enjoy reading > this: https://ionathan.ch/2023/06/06/angzarr.html Hah yes. People we know. The symbol is not in the copy i have of List of Monotype Founts and Special Sorts at the University Press Oxford (1976), n . . . Read full entry »


=?UTF-8?B?dXBkYXRlOiBVKzIzN0Mg4o28ICZhbmd6YXJyOw==?=

Posted 6/19/2023 9:23:18 AM

I suspect many here will enjoy reading this: https://ionathan.ch/2023/06/06/angzarr.html . . . Read full entry »


Re: DFDL is great!

Posted 6/16/2023 5:37:01 PM

Michael Kay <mike@saxonica.com> writes: > I wonder how well this integrates with IXML? Conceptually, it seems very similar. Technically, it looks like DFDL is syntactically an alternative to iXML for describing a format. But it might be poss . . . Read full entry »


Re: DFDL is great!

Posted 6/16/2023 4:56:00 PM

I wonder how well this integrates with IXML? Michael KaySaxonicaOn 16 Jun 2023, at 16:36, Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> wrote:Hi Folks, DFDL = Data Format Description Language The idea behind DFDL is to de . . . Read full entry »


DFDL is great!

Posted 6/16/2023 3:36:50 PM

Hi Folks,   DFDL = Data Format Description Language   The idea behind DFDL is to describe a data format using a formal language (the DFDL language). That description is handed off to a tool (a DFDL processor) which understands the DFDL language. Also, an instance of the data format i . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/9/2023 2:59:59 PM

On 6/9/2023 1:07 PM, C. M. Sperberg-McQueen wrote: Marcus Reichardt <u123724@gmail.com> writes: ... The relatively deep intertwining of validation with everything else in ISO 8879 makes it hard to write even simple tools. What would those tool . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/9/2023 12:03:28 PM

Marcus Reichardt <u123724@gmail.com> writes: > ... For authoring (using markdown through SHORTREF and other SGML > techniques), and embracing HTML, OTOH, I was hoping for a bit more > support here. ..., whenever the topic comes up, . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/9/2023 11:07:48 AM

Marcus Reichardt <u123724@gmail.com> writes: > ... >> The relatively deep intertwining of validation with everything else >> in ISO 8879 makes it hard to write even simple tools. > What would those tools be? Well, thinking ba . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot be parsed/p

Posted 6/6/2023 11:27:02 PM

> for people using an existing parser via > a SAX interface, it doesn't matter > whether the input is SGML or XML. That's indeed what I was meaning, and if anything, I have to apologize for being so unclear. > The relatively deep intertwining of > validation with everything > e . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/6/2023 8:12:59 AM

Marcus Reichardt <u123724@gmail.com> writes: > Also, is it really relevant that you can't use off-the-shelf LALR > parser generators for a markup meta language that itself acts as > parser generator? I'm a little puzzled here. Were yo . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot be parsed/p

Posted 6/5/2023 11:58:08 PM

Thanks Michael K for bringing up test cases. When hearing about coding an XML parser in two days or similar stunts I was in disbelief considering the combinatorics amount to at least a low 3-figure number for core XML test cases alone. Also, is it really relevant that you can't use off-the-shelf LA . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/5/2023 10:10:29 PM

On 05/06/2023 16:41, C. M. Sperberg-McQueen wrote: Marcus Reichardt <u123724@gmail.com> writes: [...] In that case, I guess it's relatively safe to say this is neither very easy nor relevant since, fortunately you might say, nobody is creating XML parse . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/5/2023 6:26:11 PM

> > I wrote the first complete and AFAIK fully conforming XML parser, Lark, in Nov/Dec 1996 (Yeah, XML wasn’t quite finished yet) and it took several weeks, which annoyed me because I really had thought we’d managed to narrow it down enough to make it a one-week task. Is that with or witho . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot be parsed/

Posted 6/5/2023 5:53:38 PM

Greetings, On 5 Jun 2023, at 17:26, Debbie Lapeyre wrote: > And my version of the Grad-student writes a parser story (ain't time and distance wonderful) was that the XML spec had promised > that a 'reasonably competent graduate student' could write an XML parser in 3 days. And, near the . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/p

Posted 6/5/2023 5:38:58 PM

Debbie Lapeyre <dalapeyre@mulberrytech.com> writes: > After working for 3 or 4 weeks, she would complain that the spec was > ambiguous and give up. (Note I'm not saying that the spec WAS > ambiguous, let's . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/p

Posted 6/5/2023 12:26:27 PM

As someone who was part of a 2-man team that wrote one of those SGML parsers, SGML parsers were many MAN-YEARS of effort. There is a reason that so few existed and only 1 1/2 of them even claimed to be complete (ours was NOT). The old story was, show a programmer the SGML spec and she would say & . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/5/2023 10:13:53 AM

Lauren suggests I’m exaggerating so I’ll re-tell the story, which some here have already heard. We went to Sydney, Australia in November 1996 to get married, which we did, and the next day Lauren seriously injured her right knee, she was barely mobile, so our touristing plans were severely cur . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/5/2023 10:05:58 AM

I wrote the first complete and AFAIK fully conforming XML parser, Lark, in Nov/Dec 1996 (Yeah, XML wasn’t quite finished yet) and it took several weeks, which annoyed me because I really had thought we’d managed to narrow it down enough to make it a one-week task. On Jun 5, 2023 at 9:53: . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/p

Posted 6/5/2023 9:43:15 AM

> I think it would make sense for the XML community to go back one step > and attempt to analyze what had gone wrong rather than dogmatically > insist on XML being just perfect. Even James Clark started to question > parts of XML (such as namespaces and the lack of "</>" . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/p

Posted 6/5/2023 9:41:27 AM

Marcus Reichardt <u123724@gmail.com> writes: > FYI item 4 in the list of goals of XML is > "It shall be easy to write programs which process XML documents." > > What is meant by "easy to write programs processing . . . Read full entry »


XML and ad-hoc syntax (was: Re: Please stop writingspecificati

Posted 6/5/2023 7:30:48 AM

I second most of what Norm said in his mail, and want to comment further on one point. Norm Tovey-Walsh <ndw@nwalsh.com> writes: > Dimitre Novatchev <dnovatchev@gmail.com> writes: >> .. . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot be parsed/

Posted 6/4/2023 8:53:02 PM

FYI item 4 in the list of goals of XML is"It shall be easy to write programs which process XML documents."What is meant by "easy to write programs processing XML documents"? To implement an XML parser from scratch? In that case, I guess it's relatively safe to say this is neither very easy nor rele . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/p

Posted 6/4/2023 8:01:07 PM

I think it would make sense for the XML community to go back one step and attempt to analyze what had gone wrong rather than dogmatically insist on XML being just perfect. Historically this group has believed claimed that XML is perfect, but over the years I think it has come to a consensus th . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/4/2023 6:30:26 PM

hi all, On Sun, 04 Jun 2023 15:16:38 +0100 Norm Tovey-Walsh <ndw@nwalsh.com> wrote: > Dimitre Novatchev <dnovatchev@gmail.com> writes: > > To this day I have been often wondering where to find t . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/4/2023 4:45:33 PM

> > For the QT4 specifications, the schema is here: > > https://raw.githubusercontent.com/qt4cg/qtspecs/master/schema/xsl-query.dtd > > But it seems unlikely that you didn’t know that, so I probably don’t > understand the question. > That of course is the general-purpo . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/4/2023 3:16:38 PM

Dimitre Novatchev <dnovatchev@gmail.com> writes: > To this day I have been often wondering where to find the XML Schema > for this type of document. Or is it a secret? For the QT4 specifications, the schema is here: h . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/4/2023 10:47:43 AM

Speaking about " human-readable specification documents", maybe we could learn something on the topic of universal communication and understanding here:http://www.bigear.org/CSMO/HTML/CS05/cs05p35.htm,and this earlier one:Freudenthal, Hans. 1960. Lincos: Design of a Language for Cosmic I . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/p

Posted 6/4/2023 8:41:23 AM

"G. Ken Holman" <gkholman@CraneSoftwrights.com> writes: > ... > "XML Schema? I don't need no stinking XML Schema!" > > Isn't that the big draw of XML over SGML? For some people, apparently, yes. But for the re . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 6/3/2023 6:52:09 PM

> For example, the XPath function library is defined in an XML document > that contains all the function signatures in a custom vocabulary > reflecting the object model for XPath functions, and that data is extremely useful; > it can be used for example to create the data used by a type . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/31/2023 8:59:28 PM

Hi, On Sun, 28 May 2023 10:57:37 -0400 B Tommie Usdin <btusdin@mulberrytech.com> wrote: > Nobody is saying you have to maintain sites for non-geeks. You can address > and serve the population that interests you. > right. &g . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Balisage Late-breaking News proposals due 9 June

Posted 5/30/2023 6:36:37 PM

The peer-reviewed part of the Balisage 2023 program has been scheduled (https://www.balisage.net/2023/Program.html). As usual, some speaking slots were set aside for late-breaking news, updates, and fast-breaking stories. Proposals for late-breaking presentations at Balisage are due June 9th. De . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Second public release of XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition

Posted 5/29/2023 10:20:56 AM

Second public release of XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition, version 1.0.0-beta2, is freely available for testing. Added features and bug fixes documented in https://www.xmlmind.com/xmleditor/_web/doc/manual/changes.html --------------------------------------------------- What is XMLmind XML Editor . . . Read full entry »


Re: Editor that is easy to use, generates XML under thehood, a

Posted 5/28/2023 6:30:24 PM

hi Roger, On Sat, 27 May 2023 15:33:22 +0000 Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> wrote: > Hi Folks, > > Okay, I convinced my sponsor that specifications should be written in a way > that they can be processed by software. More spec . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/28/2023 2:57:51 PM

hi all, On Sun, 28 May 2023 07:31:31 +0100 Michael Kay <mike@saxonica.com> wrote: > Actors always have to be reminded when playing Hamlet that there is at least > one person in the audience who doesn't know the plot. > > I think you are far too comp . . . Read full entry »


Re: Editor that is easy to use, generates XML under thehood, a

Posted 5/28/2023 2:19:19 PM

On 28/05/2023 13:51, Simon St.Laurent wrote: On 5/27/2023 4:36 PM, Peter Flynn wrote: (3) the generated XML is easy to understand. This decision is not the sponsor's to take, especially if they are not familiar with XML. The generated (I prefer the word "captured") XML must be . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/28/2023 10:57:37 AM

Nobody is saying you have to maintain sites for non-geeks. You can address and serve the population that interests you. The population you care about is not the same as the population that interests me. You have decided to exclude from your consideration people you characterize as "wilfully- . . . Read full entry »


Emacs, parser support, emacs 29

Posted 5/28/2023 9:24:54 AM

https://www.masteringemacs.org/article/how-to-get-started-tree-sitter Should make parsing easier. xml not yet included. regards -- Dave Pawson XSLT XSL-FO FAQ. Docbook FAQ. . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/28/2023 9:18:34 AM

> > Contrariwise, I've come across Americans who assume that it is universal knowledge how many cents make a dime, or what age a child is when they reach 5th grade, and such assumptions just show how little they know of the world. > And slightly closer to being on-topic, I've encountere . . . Read full entry »


Re: Editor that is easy to use, generates XML under thehood, a

Posted 5/28/2023 8:51:44 AM

On 5/27/2023 4:36 PM, Peter Flynn wrote: (3) the generated XML is easy to understand. This decision is not the sponsor's to take, especially if they are not familiar with XML. The generated (I prefer the word "captured") XML must be . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/28/2023 7:31:31 AM

Actors always have to be reminded when playing Hamlet that there is at least one person in the audience who doesn't know the plot. I think you are far too complacent about what constitutes universal knowledge. It might be true that everyone in the English-speaking world over a certain age knows wh . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/28/2023 5:38:45 AM

Hi all, On Sat, 27 May 2023 08:34:38 -0400 B Tommie Usdin <btusdin@mulberrytech.com> wrote: > > On May 27, 2023, at 12:26 AM, Shlomi Fish <shlomif@shlomifish.org> wrote: & . . . Read full entry »


Re: Editor that is easy to use, generates XML under thehood, a

Posted 5/27/2023 9:36:54 PM

On 27/05/2023 16:33, Roger L Costello wrote:> [...] provided, (1) there is a non-geeky editor that is easy for the specification writer to use, I have yet to find such a thing, unfortunately. There is a trade-off between having the level of control a professional technical editor need . . . Read full entry »


RE: Editor that is easy to use, generates XML under the hood, andsupport

Posted 5/27/2023 4:36:53 PM

Hi Roger.  Thanks for expressing hopes and dreams!  8) Metanorma looks like an interesting tool for standards development. I haven't tried it yet, but you might find it useful for what you are pursuing.   MetanormaBecause standards are too important to manage in WordMeet Me . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/27/2023 3:52:52 PM

hi Michael, On Sat, 27 May 2023 08:50:23 +0100 Michael Kay <mike@saxonica.com> wrote: > > > > I have a hypothesis that such wilfully-ignorant, non-geeky, non-hackery, > > people are becoming less influential, less attrac . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/27/2023 3:46:45 PM

Thank you Tommie for expressing this more elegantly than I did. On 27/05/2023 13:34, B Tommie Usdin wrote: [...specialists...] insisting that they make the time and devote the energy to learn skills outside their area of expertise is an effort to dilute their genius, and likely to fail. . . . Read full entry »


Editor that is easy to use, generates XML under the hood, andsupports ta

Posted 5/27/2023 3:33:22 PM

Hi Folks, Okay, I convinced my sponsor that specifications should be written in a way that they can be processed by software. More specifically, I convinced my sponsor that, under the hood, specifications should be in an XML format. My sponsor said, "Okay, fine .... provided, (1) there is a n . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/27/2023 1:59:40 PM

On Sat, 27 May 2023 at 13:53, Shlomi Fish <shlomif@shlomifish.org> wrote: > I think computers [incl portable devices], the internet, and web 1.0/web > 2.0/social media/etc. are essential for everyone that wants2matter. and that > mean . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/27/2023 12:53:24 PM

Tommie Usdin said: > Our win will come not when we bully the ignorant > into learning our way but when we make our way > easy, invisible, and attractive to people who are > paying attention to other things. Wow! Supremely well said. Thank you. /Roger . . . Read full entry »


Re: Editor that is easy to use, generates XML under thehood, a

Posted 5/27/2023 11:57:47 AM

On 5/27/2023 11:33 AM, Roger L Costello wrote: Hi Folks, Okay, I convinced my sponsor that specifications should be written in a way that they can be processed by software. More specifically, I convinced my sponsor that, under the hood, specifications should be in an XML format. My sponsor said, . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/27/2023 10:53:48 AM

> This is really interesting. Michael, would you expand on this please? FWIW, the XProc specification also does this. The XProc standard step library is generated from the fragments in the prose specification. The XProc “p:xslt” step specification begins: <section xmlns="http://docbook . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/27/2023 8:50:23 AM

> > I have a hypothesis that such wilfully-ignorant, non-geeky, non-hackery, people > are becoming less influential, less attractive, and rarer: > I recall a brilliant young musician who took over directing an amateur choir at the age of 22. Three years later, when he moved on to hig . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/27/2023 8:34:38 AM

> On May 27, 2023, at 12:26 AM, Shlomi Fish <shlomif@shlomifish.org> wrote: > > I have a hypothesis that such wilfully-ignorant, non-geeky, non-hackery, people > are becoming less influential, less attractive, and r . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/27/2023 7:26:14 AM

Hi B Tommie, On Fri, 26 May 2023 08:00:43 -0400 B Tommie Usdin <btusdin@mulberrytech.com> wrote: > > On May 26, 2023, at 5:51 AM, Marcus Reichardt <u123724@gmail.com> wro . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 10:01:17 PM

On 26/05/2023 18:54, Thomas Passin wrote: On 5/26/2023 1:50 PM, Peter Flynn wrote: On 26 May 2023 17:32:30 Thomas Passin <list1@tompassin.net> wrote: [...] You can get much better results with the right prompting; Absolutely. But I w . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 6:50:56 PM

On 26 May 2023 17:32:30 Thomas Passin <list1@tompassin.net> wrote: [...] You can get much better results with the right prompting;  Absolutely. But I was merely illustrating a point.P . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 4:07:50 PM

On 26/05/2023 08:18, Norm Tovey-Walsh wrote: Can ChatGpt do that? :) “No.” But it can almost certainly spit out a great big slab of prose that would prove very difficult to distinguish from such a document. You may bet whatever portion of your anatomy you care to wager on them getting . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 3:57:57 PM

On 26/05/2023 01:55, G. Ken Holman wrote: But the guys/gals clicking on the word processor icon to write an industrial washing machine safety standard likely are not prepared to invent something new. On 26/05/2023 13:00, B Tommie Usdin wrote: [...] These people are often barely literate in the . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 1:54:54 PM

On 5/26/2023 1:50 PM, Peter Flynn wrote: On 26 May 2023 17:32:30 Thomas Passin <list1@tompassin.net> wrote: [...] You can get much better results with the right prompting; Absolutely. But I was merely illustrating a point. P I know ... . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 12:32:08 PM

On 5/26/2023 11:07 AM, Peter Flynn wrote: On 26/05/2023 08:18, Norm Tovey-Walsh wrote: Can ChatGpt do that? :) “No.” But it can almost certainly spit out a great big slab of prose that would prove very difficult to distinguish from such a document. You may bet whatever portion of your anatomy . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 12:14:35 PM

It's published (and referenced from the spec) at https://www.w3.org/TR/2017/REC-xpath-functions-31-20170321/function-catalog.xml Michael Kay Saxonica > On 26 May 2023, at 11:56, Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> wrote: > > Mic . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 11:51:01 AM

Dear colleagues, dear Roger, I don’t want to interrupt your preaching to the choir ;) but Word *IS* XML since .docx about A.D. 2007 or so. I’d say It being XML in itself didn’t necessarily improve the semantic qualities and machine readability of typical documents. I have a hard time imagining & . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 10:56:56 AM

Michael Kay wrote: > the XPath function library is defined in an XML document > that contains all the function signatures in a custom > vocabulary reflecting the object model for XPath functions, > and that data is extremely useful; it can be used for example > to create the d . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 8:26:13 AM

On 26/05/2023 01:03, Michael Kay wrote: no-one has to invent something new to get what you are asking for But if you're prepared to invent something new then you can probably do better... For example, the XPath function library is defined in an XML document that contains all the function signa . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 8:18:37 AM

>> Please be consistent. If at all possible, write a parser to parse the data that you embed in > your specification. This will immediately inform you of any inconsistencies. > > Can ChatGpt do that? :) “No.” But it can almost certainly spit out a great big slab of prose that would . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 8:00:43 AM

> On May 26, 2023, at 5:51 AM, Marcus Reichardt <u123724@gmail.com> wrote: > ... > I have a hard time imagining "standard writers“ (if there’s such a species) who haven’t heard of XML at this point. There is such a species. Actually, there a . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 6:21:15 AM

hi Roger and all, On Thu, 25 May 2023 19:57:31 +0000 Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> wrote: > Dear Specification Writer, > > Please stop writing specifications that cannot be parsed/processed by > software. Please stop . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/26/2023 1:03:23 AM

>no-one has to invent something new to get what you are asking for But if you're prepared to invent something new then you can probably do better... For example, the XPath function library is defined in an XML document that contains all the function signatures in a custom vocabulary reflecting . . . Read full entry »


Please stop writing specifications that cannot be parsed/processed bysof

Posted 5/25/2023 7:57:31 PM

Dear Specification Writer, Please stop writing specifications that cannot be parsed/processed by software. Please stop formatting your specifications as Word and PDF. Instead, use a format that is amenable to machine processing. The XML format is ideal. We want to analyze your specifications. We d . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/25/2023 4:37:55 PM

On 5/25/2023 3:57 PM, Roger L Costello wrote: Dear Specification Writer, Please stop writing specifications that cannot be parsed/processed by software. Please stop formatting your specifications as Word and PDF. Instead, use a format that is amenable to machine processing. The XML format is idea . . . Read full entry »


Re: Please stop writing specifications that cannot beparsed/pr

Posted 5/25/2023 1:43:21 PM

> Please be consistent. If at all possible, write a parser to parse the data that you embed in your specification. This will immediately inform you of any inconsistencies.Can ChatGpt do that? :)Thanks,DimitreOn Thu, May 25, 2023 at 12:57 PM Roger L Costello <costello& . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Balisage 2023 Program Now Available

Posted 5/24/2023 10:32:19 AM

Balisage: The Markup Conference2023 Program Now Availablehttps://www.balisage.net/2023/Program.htmlBalisage, where serious markup practitioners and theoreticians meet every summer, announces the availability of the 2023 Preliminary Program.Balisage 2023 will be ALL VIRTUAL, LIVE, TECHNICAL, IN . . . Read full entry »


Re: Who would you choose to work this project?

Posted 5/16/2023 6:22:17 AM

> On May 16, 2023, at 1:27, Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> wrote: > > Scenario: An organization has a legacy data format that they want converted to XML. Specifically, an XML Schema is to be created (and po . . . Read full entry »


Who would you choose to work this project?

Posted 5/15/2023 4:27:23 PM

Scenario: An organization has a legacy data format that they want converted to XML. Specifically, an XML Schema is to be created (and possibly a Schematron schema and possibly an XSLT/XPath program). The domain is complicated. It takes years to master the domain. There are two candidates available . . . Read full entry »


Re: Who would you choose to work this project?

Posted 5/15/2023 3:25:52 PM

Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> writes: > Scenario: An organization has a legacy data format that they want > converted to XML. Specifically, an XML Schema is to be created (and > possibly a Schematron schema and . . . Read full entry »


Re: Who would you choose to work this project?

Posted 5/15/2023 2:41:33 PM

> Are there other factors (beside knowledge of the domain and knowledge of the XML suite of technologies) t>hat you would take into consideration when choosing a candidate? For example, would you take into > consideration how much time is allocated to complete the project?Communication and . . . Read full entry »


Re: Does high quality data contain traceabilityinformation?

Posted 5/11/2023 9:09:43 PM

> > I am inclined to believe that traceability information is not useful. What do you think? It depends, obviously. In applications like criminology, intelligence gathering, and genealogy, tracking provenance is crucial. A distinguishing characteristic of these applications is that data i . . . Read full entry »


RE: Does high quality data contain traceability information?

Posted 5/11/2023 8:29:19 PM

A colleague told me this: Traceability information isn't required at all stages of a data chain. Consider this: Proctor and Gamble (P&G) maintains traceability of all the stuff that goes into making a bar of soap and where all the soap that they make goes when it leaves the factory. If the bar . . . Read full entry »


Does high quality data contain traceability information?

Posted 5/11/2023 6:18:35 PM

Hi Folks, Traceability = who/what is the source of the data. Do you put traceability information in your XML documents? Consider this XML document about a runway at an airport in Jamaica: <airport> <name>NORMAN MANLEY INTL</name> <runway> . . . Read full entry »


Re: Does high quality data contain traceability information?

Posted 5/11/2023 3:39:46 PM

On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 11:18 AM Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> wrote:Hi Folks, Traceability = who/what is the source of the data. Do you put traceability information in your XML documents? Isn't change tracking, as provided by modern source . . . Read full entry »


Re: Does high quality data contain traceabilityinformation?

Posted 5/11/2023 3:09:08 PM

On Thu, 2023-05-11 at 18:18 +0000, Roger L Costello wrote: > Hi Folks, > > Traceability = who/what is the source of the data. > > Do you put traceability information in your XML documents? Traceability and (closely related) provenance, are essential in a lot of environments and co . . . Read full entry »


Learning to learn

Posted 5/9/2023 2:53:25 PM

From RubyConf 2022. Subject, learning to learn, via DNS Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsxjNsFu_2g&t=37s&ab_channel=RubyCentral Slides and notes, https://jvns.ca/blog/2023/05/08/new-talk-learning-dns-in-10-years/ novel, informative. regards -- Dave Pawson XSLT XSL-FO FAQ. Docb . . . Read full entry »


Re: Looking at the XML under the hood of Word ... how toidenti

Posted 5/2/2023 10:06:51 AM

Roger, You may want to check the various MS documents that define the format: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/search/?terms=tblHeader Also, the ECMA reference probably has all the information you need: https://www.ecma-international.org/publications-and-standards/standards/ecma-376/ Jean-Chr . . . Read full entry »


Re: Looking at the XML under the hood of Word ... how toidenti

Posted 5/1/2023 9:38:32 PM

Hi Roger, On Mon, 1 May 2023 17:04:33 +0000 Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> wrote: > Hi Folks, > > When I create a table in Word I want to explicitly indicate that "this cell > is a column header". See screenshot at b . . . Read full entry »


Looking at the XML under the hood of Word ... how to identify columnhead

Posted 5/1/2023 5:04:33 PM

Hi Folks, When I create a table in Word I want to explicitly indicate that “this cell is a column header”. See screenshot at bottom of this message.   You probably know that under-the-hood of Word is XML. I will be writing software to process the XML, so I need something in th . . . Read full entry »


Re: Web anniversary

Posted 5/1/2023 12:29:14 PM

hi all, On Mon, 1 May 2023 08:41:47 +0100 Dave Pawson <dave.pawson@gmail.com> wrote: > https://www.w3.org/blog/2023/04/30th-anniversary-of-licensing-the-web-for-general-use-and-at-no-cost/ > > Interesting. > nice, . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Release of XMLmind XML Editor v10.4

Posted 5/1/2023 10:38:21 AM

Release of XMLmind XML Editor v10.4: * First public release of XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition XMLmind XML Editor Web Edition (XXEW for short) is a 100% JavaScript, lightweight, streamlined, implementation of XMLmind XML Editor running in the web browser, thus not requiring any installation on t . . . Read full entry »


Web anniversary

Posted 5/1/2023 8:41:47 AM

https://www.w3.org/blog/2023/04/30th-anniversary-of-licensing-the-web-for-general-use-and-at-no-cost/ Interesting. -- Dave Pawson XSLT XSL-FO FAQ. Docbook FAQ. . . . Read full entry »


Re: [ANN] libxml2 2.11.0

Posted 4/28/2023 3:49:15 PM

On 28.04.23 14:55, Nick Wellnhofer wrote: See the release announcement: https://discourse.gnome.org/t/libxml2-2-11-0-released/15123 Cool! . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] libxml2 2.11.0

Posted 4/28/2023 2:55:31 PM

See the release announcement: https://discourse.gnome.org/t/libxml2-2-11-0-released/15123 Nick . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/21/2023 10:26:55 AM

On 21/04/2023 00:03, l@tlo wrote: ... What needs to be changed is ... - XSL Formatting Objects (XSL-FO) is now just called "XSL" (as the link seems to indicate). The reverse, actually. It's the original "XSL" that might as well now be called just "XSL-FO". As . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/21/2023 8:03:26 AM

> On Apr 20, 2023, at 16:25, Liam R. E. Quin <liam@fromoldbooks.org> wrote: > > On Thu, 2023-04-20 at 14:30 +0900, l@tlo wrote: >> Richard Ishida gave me a contact at the W3C, so maybe we would take >> some time to discuss wha . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/20/2023 10:22:27 PM

On 20/04/2023 12:35, Roger L Costello wrote: That must have been done by some jobsworthy ... [Definition] Jobsworth: A jobsworth is a person who uses the authority of their job in a deliberately uncooperative way, or who seemingly delights in acting in an obstructive or unhelpful manner. > . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/20/2023 2:30:35 PM

Richard Ishida gave me a contact at the W3C, so maybe we would take some time to discuss what would be relevant to change on that page? Jean-Christophe > https://www.w3.org/Style/XSL/ > > says: > > XSL is a family of recommendations for defining XML document transformation and p . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/20/2023 11:35:44 AM

> That must have been done by some jobsworthy ... [Definition] Jobsworth: A jobsworth is a person who uses the authority of their job in a deliberately uncooperative way, or who seemingly delights in acting in an obstructive or unhelpful manner. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jobsworth . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/20/2023 11:28:54 AM

> > Presumably you also disavow the double quotes? > Yes, I checked the history, and they weren't mine! Michael Kay . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/20/2023 11:13:35 AM

> By the way, I don't take responsibility for putting the comma within the quotes. That must have been done by some jobsworthy who was taught to write English at an American primary school. Students are also taught to do this in French schools, but I promise that this was not me. ;) Kind regar . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/20/2023 11:10:15 AM

On 20/04/2023 10:15, Michael Kay wrote: I take responsibility for the explanation given at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XSL <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XSL>, which reads: Historically, the W3C <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W3C> XSL Working Group produced a draft specification un . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/20/2023 10:15:47 AM

I take responsibility for the explanation given at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XSL, which reads:Historically, the W3C XSL Working Group produced a draft specification under the name "XSL," which eventually split into three parts:By the way, I don't take responsibility for putting t . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/20/2023 10:02:07 AM

I take responsibility for the explanation given at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XSL, which reads:Historically, the W3C XSL Working Group produced a draft specification under the name "XSL," which eventually split into three parts:XSL Transformation (XSLT): an XML language . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/20/2023 3:25:29 AM

On Thu, 2023-04-20 at 14:30 +0900, l@tlo wrote: > Richard Ishida gave me a contact at the W3C, so maybe we would take > some time to discuss what would be relevant to change on that page? Although Carine can probably change it (there's a makefile as i recall) > > > > - an XML v . . . Read full entry »


XML handling librairies in Java and Typescript

Posted 4/15/2023 5:09:52 PM

https://github.com/rmraya/XMLJava https://github.com/rmraya/TypesXML -- Jean-Christophe Helary @jchelary@emacs.ch https://traductaire-libre.org https://mac4translators.blogspot.com https://sr.ht/~brandelune/omegat-as-a-book/ . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/14/2023 7:00:15 PM

> On Apr 14, 2023, at 18:43, Tomos Hillman <yamahito@gmail.com> wrote: > > Liam hasn't worked for the W3C for some years, sadly. One more item to fix on that page it seems :-) I can't imagine the W3 contact for that a . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/14/2023 6:38:07 PM

According to the page, the official contact is Liam Quin. He is here. Would it be possible for him to update the page so that the information is a bit more up to date? The latest news are almost 6 years old. The links are dying. Jean-Christophe > On Apr 14, 2023, at 18:13, Dave Pawson <& . . . Read full entry »


XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/14/2023 11:26:42 AM

https://www.w3.org/Style/XSL/ says: XSL is a family of recommendations for defining XML document transformation and presentation. It consists of three parts: - XSL Transformations (XSLT) a language for transforming XML; - The XML Path Language (XPath) an expression language used by XSLT (an . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/14/2023 11:26:18 AM

> I can't imagine the W3 contact for that activity is not on this > list... W3C closed the XML Activity so I don’t think there *is* a contact anymore. Be seeing you, norm -- Norm Tovey-Walsh <ndw . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/14/2023 11:25:09 AM

"l@tlo" <lists@traduction-libre.org> writes: > According to the page, the official contact is Liam Quin. He is here. As Tomos said, Liam’s not with the W3C anymore. I expect the thing to do is work out what needs updating and send the r . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/14/2023 10:43:46 AM

Liam hasn't worked for the W3C for some years, sadly. Thanks, Tom On 14 Apr 2023, 10:38 +0100, l@tlo <lists@traduction-libre.org>, wrote: According to the page, the official contact is Liam Quin. He is here. Would i . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/14/2023 10:13:16 AM

On Fri, 14 Apr 2023 at 09:55, Norm Tovey-Walsh <ndw@nwalsh.com> wrote: > > > Is that vocabulary XSL-FO? It's a bit confusing. :-) > I believe the last XSL FO recommendation is 2.0: > > https://www.w3.org/TR/xslfo20/ 1.1 was the last rec, 2.0 a w . . . Read full entry »


Re: XSL and related specifications

Posted 4/14/2023 9:49:36 AM

> Is that vocabulary XSL-FO? It's a bit confusing. Yes. The history is a bit confusing. Originally, the “Extensible Style Language” was a transformation part and an XML vocabulary for defining layout. Having it in one specification reflects the original vision of XSL which was as a way of trans . . . Read full entry »


Re: When writing standards...

Posted 4/11/2023 10:02:54 AM

Fewer formats is better#If you can replace two formats with one, without breakage or loss of interop, then I say go for it.#Removing complexity from the world is always good.#Think of this like code factoring, but on a larger scale.#This is 1/2 of Postel's robustness principle -- be conservativ . . . Read full entry »


Re: When writing standards...

Posted 4/11/2023 7:50:15 AM

> > • Write specs in plain English# > • I write for people who have brains, like to think, are educated, care about interop. I understand that people reading specs are not computers.# > Plain English is not good enough, because important permissive/volitional words like "must& . . . Read full entry »


Re: When writing standards...

Posted 4/6/2023 7:40:33 AM

On Wed, 5 Apr 2023 at 23:41, C. M. Sperberg-McQueen <cmsmcq@blackmesatech.com> wrote: > > > Dave Pawson <dave.pawson@gmail.com> writes: > > > @dw > > http://this.how/standards/ > &g . . . Read full entry »


Re: When writing standards...

Posted 4/5/2023 4:30:27 PM

Dave Pawson <dave.pawson@gmail.com> writes: > @dw > http://this.how/standards/ > > Sounds very sensible. Much of it sounds sensible to me. But for data I care about, formats are far more important than software. I not infr . . . Read full entry »


[ANNOUNCEMENT] Apache XalanJ 2.7.3

Posted 4/4/2023 5:41:55 PM

Hi all,    The Apache Xalan team is pleased to announce Apache XalanJ 2.7.3.Apache XalanJ assists with XSLT 1.0 transformations, and XPath 1.0 expression evaluations (either stand-alone XPath expression evaluations from Java programs, or as a regular XPath expression language from within XSLT 1.0 s . . . Read full entry »


Re: When writing standards...

Posted 4/4/2023 5:09:06 PM

On the whole, yes. But one thing I've learned is that names really do matter. People misuse contains(), and text(), and xsl:value-of, because they guessed what they do from the name, and they guessed wrong. The author is right when he says "we can learn to use anything". The problem is, . . . Read full entry »


When writing standards...

Posted 4/4/2023 4:20:36 PM

@dw http://this.how/standards/ Sounds very sensible. regards -- Dave Pawson XSLT XSL-FO FAQ. Docbook FAQ. . . . Read full entry »


Summary: What is an "integer" in the text-only XML data format?

Posted 3/30/2023 11:27:22 AM

Consider an XML Schema with this top-level element declaration: <xs:element name="num" type="xs:integer"/> And an XML file that contains this: <num>44</num> Question: What is the content of the <num> element? An integer? A string? Answer: The content . . . Read full entry »


Re: Philosophy of XML datatypes (was: What is an integer?(was:

Posted 3/29/2023 4:36:08 PM

Previously Roger wrote: The value of the <num> element -- 44 -- represents an integer. Peter Flynn responded: No, the *value* of the <num> element *is* an integer. It's the '44' that *represents* an integer. Ghislain Fourny followed up with: Formally, in XML Schema, this . . . Read full entry »


Re: Philosophy of XML datatypes (was: What is an integer?(was:

Posted 3/29/2023 3:36:30 PM

On 26/03/2023 20:28, Roger L Costello wrote: <num>44</num> The value of the <num> element -- 44 -- represents an integer. No, the *value* of the <num> element *is* an integer. It's the '44' that *represents* an integer. How do we know that 44 represents an integer? B . . . Read full entry »


Re: Philosophy of XML datatypes (was: What is an integer?(was:

Posted 3/29/2023 2:43:54 PM

> On 26/03/2023 20:28, Roger L Costello wrote: >> <num>44</num> >> The value of the <num> element -- 44 -- represents an integer. > > No, the *value* of the <num> element *is* an integer. It's the '44' that *represents* an integer. Formally, in X . . . Read full entry »


Re: Philosophy of XML datatypes (was: What is an integer?(was:

Posted 3/29/2023 9:27:55 AM

ne 26. 3. 2023 v 21:28 odesílatel Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> napsal: > <num>44</num> > The value of the <num> element -- 44 -- represents an integer. > How do we know that 44 represents an integer? <xs:elem . . . Read full entry »


Re: Philosophy of XML datatypes (was: What is an integer? (was

Posted 3/28/2023 9:01:06 PM

Time to break out Benacerraf and debate what numbers are :)On Sun, Mar 26, 2023, at 3:28 PM, Roger L Costello wrote:<num>44</num>The value of the <num> element -- 44 -- represents an integer.How do we know that 44 represents an integer?Because it matches the regex [+-]?[0-9]+ and . . . Read full entry »


Philosophy of XML datatypes (was: What is an integer? (was: Re:

Posted 3/26/2023 7:28:37 PM

<num>44</num> The value of the <num> element -- 44 -- represents an integer. How do we know that 44 represents an integer? Because it matches the regex [+-]?[0-9]+ and someone decided that any string matching that regex represents an integer. So 44 is an integer? No, integers . . . Read full entry »


What is an integer? (was: Re: XML Quiz)

Posted 3/26/2023 5:53:29 PM

Michael Sperberg-McQueen wrote: > nothing in our machines ever contains an integer > (or for that matter a string of characters), since > integers are abstract objects and machines are > physical objects. Our machines only ever contain > and operate on representations of things lik . . . Read full entry »


XML Quiz

Posted 3/26/2023 2:40:01 PM

Scenario: an XML Schema has this top-level element declaration: <xs:element name="num" type="xs:integer"/> An XML Schema validator is provided two files: 1. An XML Schema file that contains the above element declaration. 2. An XML file containing this: <num>44< . . . Read full entry »


What is an integer? (was: Re: XML Quiz)

Posted 3/26/2023 11:20:53 AM

Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> writes: > Is '4' '4' an integer? > > Clearly it is not. It is a string that consists of two characters. If you are going to make fine distinctions of this kind, then you will do better to be m . . . Read full entry »


i-Fixit stepped up?

Posted 3/24/2023 7:25:47 AM

Anyone else impressed by these guys? Seem to be doing most things right? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccpsyRipHlk&t=1624s&ab_channel=Framework regards -- Dave Pawson XSLT XSL-FO FAQ. Docbook FAQ. . . . Read full entry »


Re: Three ways to organize data

Posted 3/20/2023 5:17:08 PM

<Records> <Book> <PrimaryKey>PLAI</PrimaryKey> <Title>Programming Languages Application and Interpretation</Title> <Date>2007</Date> <Author>Krishnamurti</Author> <ForeignKey>SK</Foreign . . . Read full entry »


Three ways to organize data

Posted 3/20/2023 4:02:19 PM

Hi Folks, Below are three ways of organizing data for searching. I have seen all three ways in a project that I am working. The first way is how text data was organized in the 1970s. The second way is how data is organized by a database-oriented shop. The third way is the XML way. The first wa . . . Read full entry »


Re: Three ways to organize data

Posted 3/20/2023 1:03:03 PM

On 3/20/2023 12:02 PM, Roger L Costello wrote: ... The third way is to use the ID-IDREF capability of XML. <BooksAndWatches>     <Book id="PLAI">         <Title>Programming Languages Application and Interpretation</Title>         <Date>2007</Date> . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Oxygen XML Editor version 25.1

Posted 3/17/2023 7:16:47 PM

Hello, I am happy to announce the release of the latest version of Oxygen XML Editor, together with the other XML tools that we provide, packed with numerous improvements and new features that enhance your way of working with XML and DITA in particular, as well as with JSON and YAML documents, . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Release of XMLmind Word To XML v1.9.1

Posted 3/15/2023 9:44:10 AM

Release of XMLmind Word To XML v1.9.1: - Maintenance release. - Updated most software components. - Official support of macOS Ventura (version 13). More information in https://www.xmlmind.com/w2x/changes.html ------------------------------------- What is XMLmind Word To XML? -------------------- . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Markup UK Call For Papers

Posted 3/12/2023 6:50:20 PM

Dear all,A reminder that the call for papers for Markup UK 2023 is open until Friday 24th March.Please visit https://markupuk.org/speakers.html for details on how to submit a proposal.Markup UK is a conference about XML and other markup technologies, taking place 1-3 June at the Mile End campus of . . . Read full entry »


[ANN] Release of XMLmind Ebook Compiler 1.7

Posted 3/8/2023 10:22:34 AM

Release of free, open source, XMLmind Ebook Compiler 1.7: Maintenance release featuring minor enhancements and bug fixes and some updated software components (e.g. Saxon). More information in http://www.xmlmind.com/ebookc/changes.html Download from http://www.xmlmind.com/ebookc/download.shtml . . . Read full entry »


Re: Representing the components of a string in XML --should de

Posted 2/26/2023 2:41:43 PM

> Which of the following XML representations is better? If you assert > that one is better than another, please explain – in simple, concrete > terms – why it is better? There is rarely a single best answer in the absence of any sort of information about use cases. Given that all printf f . . . Read full entry »


Representing the components of a string in XML -- should delimitersbe re

Posted 2/26/2023 1:40:42 PM

Hi Folks,   I am creating an XML representation of the UNIX printf conversion specifier. Here is a sample conversion specifier and its components:     % and . are delimiters. Should they be represented in XML?   Which of the following XML representations is better?  If . . . Read full entry »


Re: Representing the components of a string in XML --should de

Posted 2/26/2023 12:09:34 PM

On Sun, 2023-02-26 at 13:40 +0000, Roger L Costello wrote: > > % and . are delimiters. Should they be represented in XML? There’s no single answer - it depends on your goals. Examples - * you're trying to compare different formatting languages. Some may use different delimiter characters . . . Read full entry »


Re: Representing the components of a string in XML --should de

Posted 2/26/2023 9:29:52 AM

On 2/26/2023 8:40 AM, Roger L Costello wrote: Hi Folks, I am creating an XML representation of the UNIX printf conversion specifier. Here is a sample conversion specifier and its components: % and . are delimiters. Should they be represented in XML? Which of the following XML representations i . . . Read full entry »


Re: Purely informational XML documents is an illusion

Posted 2/25/2023 7:16:42 PM

A typical way of comparing two sets of information in different formats is to create some kind of hash code of each of them and test those hashes for equality.But this is, on a sense, actively ignoring the specific  semantics/behaviours and abstracting based some invariant in the two representation . . . Read full entry »


Re: Purely informational XML documents is an illusion

Posted 2/21/2023 7:52:41 PM

On Tue, 21 Feb 2023 at 19:27, Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> wrote:Hi Folks, "Okay Roger, let's suppose that what you say is true and every sentence is an instruction. So what?" Here's the so what: - Instructions elicit behav . . . Read full entry »


Re: Purely informational XML documents is an illusion

Posted 2/21/2023 7:47:25 PM

> > "There are tomatoes in the fridge" is an instruction to hold tight, don't go to the shop to purchase more tomatoes. > Or it might be an instruction to avoid going near the fridge if you have an allergy to tomatoes, or an instruction to buy something that goes with tomatoes . . . Read full entry »


Purely informational XML documents is an illusion

Posted 2/21/2023 7:27:20 PM

Hi Folks, A few weeks ago Michael Kay wrote: > A sentence can provide information, give instructions, or ask questions. He gave an example of each type of sentence: (a) There are tomatoes in the fridge. (b) Go to the shop and buy more tomatoes. (c) How many tomatoes are there in the fridge? . . . Read full entry »


Re: Purely informational XML documents is an illusion

Posted 2/21/2023 1:30:29 PM

On Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 11:27 AM Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org> wrote:Here's a summary of my argument: 1. All sentences are instructions. 2. An XML document is a sentence. 3. Instructions elicit behavior. 4. Instructions have semantics . . . Read full entry »



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