Re: extensions and XSLT 2.0

On Saturday 17 May 2003 00:47, Eugene Kuznetsov wrote:
> > I write an extension element in java with the saxon
> > processor by implementing the
> > net.sf.saxon.style.ExtensionElementFactory. It works,
> > and I'm very happy. But then, I have to change the
> > implementation of xslt, and move to xalan (or any other
> > java processor). I've got a problem, haven't I ?
> > Saxon uses its own interface, and xalan too... So I've
> > got to rewrite my extension according to the xalan
> > interface.
>
> Fridiric, I would like to offer a different perspective.
> The problem goes much deeper than incompatibilities between
> different java-based engines. What if you want your XSLT
> to run on a non-java platform? What if you want to run it
> on a java platform that is in itself not compatible with
> some code in your java extensions or one that simply doesn't
> have access to those extensions?

I took the java example because Mike Kay answered first.
I would have given a python example if Uche Ogbuji (or anyone 
else in the python world) has answered...
And so on...

> Extensions are neat and I am sure there are cases when it
> makes sense to give up cross-platform capability for some
> other benefit. But this seems like a tweener, where the
> illusion of cross-platform is preserved but it is really
> not much better than someone else putting VBscript into
> their XSLT or coding the whole transform into a DLL.
>
> Anyone, that's a perspective, I'm sure many disagree.
> I do have one final question -- are you sure that your
> extension is something that cannot be done in XSLT 2.0 using
> more portable techniques -- and if so, would it be possible
> to hear what the functionality is?

In fact, I'm used to using xslt for 3 years now, and I never need to write
such an extension. My main purpose, today, is to understand.
I want to make a kind of state of art about this subject (extension), 
and I try a understand the evolutions of the W3C specifications and
the choices made by the implementers.
And in fine, how this will evolve.
So, all example I can take can probably be solved by avoiding
extensions. But it's not my goal :-)



-- 
Frédéric Laurent
http://www.opikanoba.org

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