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Re: [Summary] XML is text-only ... why?

• From: Philippe Poulard <philippe.poulard@s...>
• To: "Costello, Roger L." <costello@m...>
• Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:25:54 +0200

Costello, Roger L. a écrit :
> Hi Philippe,
> 
> I enjoy reading your posts.  You provide lots of excellent information.

Thanks Roger

> 
> You have me stumped on this message (below), but I am intrigued.  Would
> you explain please?

An application such as XSLT that consider that the string "32" is in 
fact the integer 32 because it appears in a mathematical operation "32 + 
$foo" for example applies some convention to get an integer from a 
sequence of digits.

Another application could apply some other (very silly, I do admit) 
convention to consider that the character inside "<x> </x>" would be 
convert to an integer from the unicode code point of that character ; 
space => 32 ; it's a very stupid convention, as XML doesn't allow 
characters < 32 (except tab, cr, lf) ; perhaps with XML 1.1 ?

The fact that "32" will be understand as an integer or as a string 
depends just on the application that will process it ; at the XML level, 
it's text

> 
> /Roger 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Philippe Poulard [mailto:philippe.poulard@s...] 
> Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 11:56 AM
> To: Costello, Roger L.
> Cc: xml-dev@l...
> Subject: Re:  [Summary] XML is text-only ... why?
> 
> Costello, Roger L. a écrit :
>> Hi Folks,
>>
>> Thank you very much for your excellent comments!  I learned a lot! 
>>
>> I incorporated your comments (or, what I interpreted to be the
> essence
>> of your comments):
>>
>> http://www.xfront.com/xml-is-text/
>>
>> Please let me know of any inaccuracies or confusing parts.
>>
>> /Roger 
>>
> 
> Consider this last document :
> <?xml version="1.0"?>
> <x> </x>
> Does it contain a space inside the x element ? Not at all, it contains 
> the integer 32
> 
> I let you write the end of the story :)
> 


-- 
Cordialement,

               ///
              (. .)
  --------ooO--(_)--Ooo--------
|      Philippe Poulard       |
  -----------------------------
  http://reflex.gforge.inria.fr/
        Have the RefleX !

• References:
  • XML is text-only ... why?
    • From: "Costello, Roger L." <costello@m...>
  • [Summary] XML is text-only ... why?
    • From: "Costello, Roger L." <costello@m...>
  • Re: [Summary] XML is text-only ... why?
    • From: Philippe Poulard <philippe.poulard@s...>