[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message] Is whitespace within general entities ignorable?
Back to basics time again. I'm looking for clarification within the XML 1.0 recommendation whether or not white space within GEs should be treated as ignorable or significant. Section 2.10 mentions the distinction between significant and insignificant white space but doesn't give a definition. The validity constraint in Section 3(2) for element content talks about the white space surrounding child elements having to match the non terminal S[3] - but is this after entity substitution has been performed? Time for an example. There is an element <test> which has element-only content. In the document the general entity &entws; is referenced within the <test> element. Given that &entws; contains only white space, do you think that a validating processor should complain or not? And if the processor lets it through, should the white space be reported as ignorable or not? <?xml version = "1.0"?> <!DOCTYPE test [ <!ELEMENT test (child)*> <!ENTITY entws " "> ]> <test> &entws; </test> If we say that it is illegal to have white space within the GE, then something like this would also be illegal:- <!ENTITY entws " <child/> "> Secondly, what if the content model of <test> was changed to EMPTY? Would this make any difference to your view? It appears to me that including the reference to &entws; creates content - which is illegal for EMPTY elements. And finally, what if &entws; was declared as: <!ENTITY entws "	">. Would that make any difference? Kind regards Rob Lugt ElCel Technology http://www.elcel.com
|
PURCHASE STYLUS STUDIO ONLINE TODAY!Purchasing Stylus Studio from our online shop is Easy, Secure and Value Priced! Download The World's Best XML IDE!Accelerate XML development with our award-winning XML IDE - Download a free trial today! Subscribe in XML format
|