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Re: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet also enabl

• From: Michael Kay <mike@s...>
• To: Stephen Cameron <steve.cameron.62@g...>
• Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 08:19:16 +0000

> 
> 
> 
> "we're so used to people not getting namespaces right that we hardly even notice any more"
> 
> Some simple examples would be much appreciated, for my education.
> 

Cases of beginners getting namespaces wrong are too legion to be interesting. But perhaps a more interesting case is that XSLT, despite herculean efforts to do the right thing, still struggles with some simple cases. For example given this XML fragment (actually an XSD fragment)

<xs:schema xmlns="http://something" xmlns:xs="theUsual" xmlns:t="http://t">
<xs:complexType name="T">
  <xs:restriction base="t:base">
    <xs:group ref="agroup" xmlns=""/>
  </xs:restriction>
</xsl:complexType>
</xs:schema>

an xsl:copy-of instruction applied to the xs:complexType element will lose the namespace undeclaration xmlns="", and thus invalidate the QName-valued attribute ref="agroup".

We've spent untold hours of WG time trying to find a solution to this bug, without success. If we can't get it right, how can mere mortals with more important things in their lives to worry about?

Sorry, I just noticed you asked for simple examples. If only namespaces were simple.

Michael Kay
Saxonica

• References:
  • How to design XML to have broad utility and yet also enableefficient application processing?
    • From: "Costello, Roger L." <costello@m...>
  • Re: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet alsoenable efficient application processing?
    • From: Peter Hunsberger <peter.hunsberger@g...>
  • RE: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet alsoenable efficient application processing?
    • From: David Lee <dlee@c...>
  • Re: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet alsoenable efficient application processing?
    • From: Peter Hunsberger <peter.hunsberger@g...>
  • Re: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet alsoenable efficient application processing?
    • From: Rick Jelliffe <rjelliffe@a...>
  • Re: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet alsoenable efficient application processing?
    • From: Peter Hunsberger <peter.hunsberger@g...>
  • RE: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet also enable efficient application processing?
    • From: "Toby Considine" <Toby.Considine@g...>
  • RE: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet alsoenable efficient application processing?
    • From: "Simon St.Laurent" <simonstl@s...>
  • RE: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet alsoenable efficient application processing?
    • From: David Lee <dlee@c...>
  • Re: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet alsoenable efficient application processing?
    • From: John Cowan <johnwcowan@g...>
  • Re: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet alsoenable efficient application processing?
    • From: Uche Ogbuji <uche@o...>
  • Re: How to design XML to have broad utility and yet alsoenable efficient application processing?
    • From: Stephen Cameron <steve.cameron.62@g...>