[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message]

Re: Handling of empty content and white space-only content?

• To: "Mark O. Zorro" <markozorro@f...>, <xml-dev@l...>
• Subject: Re: Handling of empty content and white space-only content?
• From: "Pete Cordell" <petexmldev@t...>
• Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2005 09:06:52 +0100
• References: <1127365791.24689.243486076@w...>

Dear Mark,

My understanding of XML is the following:

<foo/>            ; empty - obviously!
<foo></foo>     ; empty - possibly unfortunately
<foo>  </foo>    ; not empty - because end tag does not immediately follow 
start tag

Except for attributes I don't think XML itself says much about whitespace 
handling.  XML schema on the other hand says quite a lot!  It allows you to 
specify on a case-by-case basis whether all whitespace is significant, 
whitespace should be replaced with space characters, or whether leading and 
trailing whites should be removed and consecutive whitespace should be 
collapsed into a single space.

HTH.

Regards,

Pete.
--
=============================================
Pete Cordell
Tech-Know-Ware Ltd
                         for XML to C++ data binding visit
                         http://www.tech-know-ware.com/lmx
                         (or http://www.xml2cpp.com)
=============================================

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark O. Zorro" <markozorro@f...>
To: <xml-dev@l...>
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2005 6:09 AM
Subject:  Handling of empty content and white space-only content?


> I'm curious if XML says anything about how XML processors are to
> handle 1) empty content in an element, and 2) when the content
> contains only "white space" characters. If XML is silent, am I right
> to assume it is up to the application to decide how these situationas
> are processed and used?
>
> Examples:
>
>   <foo></foo>
>
>   <foo>  </foo>
>
> Oh, and I've also been curious if there's any specified rules when
> parsed contain starts and/or ends with white space within an element.
> For example:
>
>   <foo> some content </foo>
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> Mark
> -- 
>  Mark O. Zorro
>  markozorro@f...
>
> -- 
> http://www.fastmail.fm - Choose from over 50 domains or use your own
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> The xml-dev list is sponsored by XML.org <http://www.xml.org>, an
> initiative of OASIS <http://www.oasis-open.org>
>
> The list archives are at http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe from this list use the subscription
> manager: <http://www.oasis-open.org/mlmanage/index.php>
>
> 

• References:
  • Handling of empty content and white space-only content?
    • From: "Mark O. Zorro" <markozorro@f...>

• Prev by Date: Re: Handling of empty content and white space-only content?
• Next by Date: Re: Handling of empty content and white space-only content?
• Previous by thread: RE: Handling of empty content and white space-only content?
• Index(es):
  • Date
  • Thread