Re: XML on Gecko

Richard Lander wrote:
> 
>  I've got a couple concerns about transforming my XML documents to more
> appropriate XML documents for web display using CSS or XSL FOs, when
> implemented.
> 
> Are these solutions correct? 

mostly (as noted below)

> Are they implemented?

I was surprised to find that IE does not yet implement XLink - there has
been a draft available for like a year now, being a working draft didn't
stop them using XSL. Yes, that limits the usability somewhat ;-((

> 1. resolving links - use xml:link - <link xml:link="simple">content</link>

You need all four attributes. That would be

<link xml:link="simple" show="replace" actuate="auto"
href="url">content</link>

Of course, if you are using valid XML, you can put xml:link, show and
actuate as fixed attributes, (and href as required) so that becomes
simply

<link href="url">content</link>

I use a couple of boilerplate parameter entities in DTDs to do this:


<!ENTITY % hyperlink
  "xml:link CDATA #FIXED 'simple'
   show CDATA #FIXED 'replace'
   actuate CDATA #FIXED 'user'
   href CDATA #REQUIRED ">

<!ENTITY % replaced
  "xml:link CDATA #FIXED 'simple'
   show CDATA #FIXED 'embed'
   actuate CDATA #FIXED 'auto'
   href CDATA #REQUIRED ">

and then

<!ELEMENT link (whatever|content|model|you|want) >
<!ATTLIST link 
  %hyperlink;>

<!ELEMENT image (whatever|content|model|you|want) >
<!ATTLIST link 
  %replaced;>

> 2. resolving tables - using CSS2 'display' values for the various components
> of tables

Yes. Mozilla implements at least some of these, not sure about IE5

> 3. resolving graphics - xml:link - <GRAPHIC xml:link="simple" show="embed"
> file="somegraphic.gif"/> 

close

> - how does the agent know that the value of file is
> the graphic to show?  Do I have to use 'href'?

Yes. See above.

> 4. resolving lists - using CSS 'display' values for lists

Yes.

> Please excuse the CSS focus but since FOs are not possible at the moment, a
> CSS target seems like a valid use of XSL.

Well, the general discussion was using both XSL and CSS together, so it
seems on-topic to some extent. FOs implementations are starting to
become available, in FOP and in Indelv; for now, the CSS support is a
lot more mature and, once freed from its uneasy cohabitation with HTML,
it works a lot better.

--
Chris


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