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

Re: [SML] Comments ( Whether to support Attribute or not? )

  • From: Paul Tchistopolskii <paul@q...>
  • To: xml-dev@i...
  • Date: Sat, 27 Nov 1999 01:25:13 -0800

sml comments

From: Rick Jelliffe <ricko@a...>

> From: Don Park <donpark@d...> 
> 
> >I believe it is now time to address the question of
> >whether Attribute should be supported in SML or not.
>  
> Because it is convenient for programming. 

I think it is not. 

It may be convinent for writing the document, but it 
introduces especial syntax for *processing* the 
document.

It's similiar to ... If we require in, say, C++  to use 

a   = B;        // B is variable
a $= B;        // B is constant

> It seems that most XML programs are written so that
> the elements "push" programs but attributes values
> are "pulled" in.  So the programmer does not need
> to concern themselves with attributes that are redundant
> to their task.  To make everything an element would 
> reduce the choices available to a programmer.

I don't understand. I simply don't understand. 

Well ...  maybe you are saying  that removing the kludge 
from a $= B redices some choices ... Maybe it does. 
It's the issue of taste, I think. 

However, it's very common thing when something 
designed to be a constant  becomes a variable 
( and back ). I already experienced the same 
things with attributes and elements.
 
> Are you talking about syntax or labelling here?  You can
> see that some people say "lets remove attributes and
> have '<sml:attribute>' instead".

I missed the original letter,  suggesting such a thing....

I don't think it is reasonable. I think it's better to drop 
attributes, even they are very handy kludge - I think 
the cost is not worth it ( it was worth it in SGML, I think ).

>   Others say "lets
> remove comments and have 'comment' instead". This is
> not a simplification at all: the handling of these
> has to be handled by subsequent layers 

1. It *is* some simplification.
2. It makes the step forward.

Comments  are considered to be the part of the 
content.

Is it strong suggestion? Yes. Is it for sure wrong? 

I don't think so  - so  I'm writing a bit more on it, 
sorry if it would somtimes be not exactly about the 
comments, but I hope it is.
 
Actualy, Java already did the half-step in that direction, with 
javadoc. People enjoyed comments to become *more* 
than some verbal junk.  

Current situation with comments in XML ( and XML APIs) 
is very strange. On one hand they are part of the content 
( DOM works with them ) on another hand they are not
( SAX v 1.0 does not ). Inconsistensy. Isn't it ?
    
> (or, worst, by
> the programmer explicitly: will we have to put in
>     comment { display: none }
>     sml:attribute {display: none}
> into every CSS stylesheet?   

Unfortunately, for some reason I like XSL FO 
more than CSS, but I actualy see no big 
problem placing  

comment { display: none }

into every stylesheet. I am *already*  required 
to place many things into XSLT stylesheets, 
and also I  place #include <stdio.h> and 
use strict. It does not hirt me. 

But.

Maybe it would be handy to change 
current behaviour to ( 'what is not declared  - 
is not processed' ).  I mean that most of 
existing XML-related tools are dumping out 
everything they find in XML document if there 
is no command/instruction not to dump it. 

I don't think  it is good. It could be better 
to tune this behaviour with  

default { something }  

( if default is not defined - it is 'none'  ;-)

I don't  like HTML browsers 'silently fixing' 
my HTML, I don't  like compilers  silently 
initializing my variables to 0 and stuff like that.

If it is not decalred  - don't  initialize it. 
If it is not set for being drawn - don't draw it, 
because if you do ( like current HTML 
browsers do ) -  it  gives  the user an  impression 
that everything is fine in the situation when 
everything is *not* ( like it is with initialization 
with 0 ).

Unfortunately, it is a bit not related to the 
comments, but I just had to say that  things 
could be done in a bit different way with 
comments ( so you will have no need to 
write especial rule for comments. Or you 
will need only if you decided to write
default: { something here } ).

Rgds.Paul.




xml-dev: A list for W3C XML Developers. To post, mailto:xml-dev@i...
Archived as: http://www.lists.ic.ac.uk/hypermail/xml-dev/ and on CD-ROM/ISBN 981-02-3594-1
To unsubscribe, mailto:majordomo@i... the following message;
unsubscribe xml-dev
To subscribe to the digests, mailto:majordomo@i... the following message;
subscribe xml-dev-digest
List coordinator, Henry Rzepa (mailto:rzepa@i...)



PURCHASE STYLUS STUDIO ONLINE TODAY!

Purchasing Stylus Studio from our online shop is Easy, Secure and Value Priced!

Buy Stylus Studio Now

Download The World's Best XML IDE!

Accelerate XML development with our award-winning XML IDE - Download a free trial today!

Don't miss another message! Subscribe to this list today.
Email
First Name
Last Name
Company
Subscribe in XML format
RSS 2.0
Atom 0.3
 

Stylus Studio has published XML-DEV in RSS and ATOM formats, enabling users to easily subcribe to the list from their preferred news reader application.


Stylus Studio Sponsored Links are added links designed to provide related and additional information to the visitors of this website. they were not included by the author in the initial post. To view the content without the Sponsor Links please click here.

Site Map | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Trademarks
Free Stylus Studio XML Training:
W3C Member
Stylus Studio® and DataDirect XQuery ™are products from DataDirect Technologies, is a registered trademark of Progress Software Corporation, in the U.S. and other countries. © 2004-2013 All Rights Reserved.