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

Re: version numbers and infosets

• To: <xml-dev@l...>
• Subject: Re: version numbers and infosets
• From: "Karl Waclawek" <karl@w...>
• Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 15:18:52 -0400
• Cc: <xml-editor@w...>
• References: <200207231904.PAA21344@m...>

> > OK, so let's say I have an XML 1.0 document, which is also
> > well-formed 1.1. But all I have is an XML 1.1 parser, and the
> > XML 1.1 specs say that the version number must be 1.1.
> > Am I not allowed to process it?
> 
> Every 1.1 parser, as a matter of high-quality implementation, should
> accept 1.0 documents as well.

I agree with you.
But if this is not a requirement of such parsers, the problem above still exists.

Anyway, for some time we may have to deal with a mixture of
1.0 and 1.1 documents being parsed by a mixture of 1.0 and 1.1 parsers.
The practical goal I am after simply is: Don't make the specs
prevent us from parsing when it would be practical to do so.

So far I have seen two rules that make some sense:

1) A document must have the lowest version number it conforms to
2) A parser conforming to a specific XML version must also
   conform to all lower versions

Are these rules part of any spec?

If followed, that should make it rare that we have a
"version mismatch" situation. However, in practice I suspect
we will have the situation where a 1.1 document is passed to
a 1.0 parser, simply because the parser is not available in an
upgraded version yet, or because the rules above are not followed.

Karl

• References:
  • Re: version numbers and infosets
    • From: John Cowan <jcowan@r...>

• Prev by Date: Re: version numbers and infosets
• Next by Date: Re: version numbers and infosets
• Previous by thread: Re: version numbers and infosets
• Next by thread: Re: version numbers and infosets
• Index(es):
  • Date
  • Thread