Vote on Committee Draft ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 34 N 363

Date of circulation:
2002-12-23

Closing date:
2003-03-24

Reference number ISO/JTC 1/SC 34 N 363

 

ISO/JTC 1/SC 34

Document Description and Processing Languages

Secretariat: USA

Circulated to P-members of the committee for voting

Please return all votes and comments in electronic form directly to the SC 34 Secretariat by the due date indicated.

 

ISO/IEC

Title:  Proposed CD text for DSDL Part 4: Selection of Validation Candidates

 

Vote:

_____

APPROVAL OF THE DRAFT AS PRESENTED

__X__

APPROVAL OF THE DRAFT WITH COMMENTS AS GIVEN ON THE ATTACHED

_X_

general:

_X_

technical:

___

editorial:

_____

DISAPPROVAL OF THE DRAFT FOR REASONS ON THE ATTACHED

___

Acceptance of these reasons and appropriate changes in the text will change our vote to approval

_____

ABSTENTION (FOR REASONS BELOW):

P-member voting:

__JAPAN___________________________

Date:

__2002-02-25______________________

Submitted by:

__Yushi KOMACHI___________________


Attachment:
Japan's Comments on CD 19757-4 (SC34 N363)

1. General

We believe that MNS(Multiple Namespaces) from James Clark is an
important contribution.

We propose to make Part 4 independent from Part 1.  That is, it should
be possible to use Part 4 without using Part 1, just like we can use
Part 2 without using Part 1.  This independence is consistent with the
spirit of DSDL.  

2. Specific

2.1 Isses listed in the CD

>Issue 1: Should we drop attribute-based selection (4.2)?

We do not see any requirements for attribute-based selection.  
We propose to drop attribute-based selection from Part 4.

>Issue 2: Is the design of attribute-based selection powerful enough?

Drop attribute-based selection.

>Issue 3: Should we unify namespace-based selection (4.1) and
>attribute-based selection (4.2)?

Drop attribute-based selection.

>Issue 4: Should we allow attributes as validation candidates? In
>other words, should we detach attributes from elements? This might be
>useful for allowing common attributes.

Allow attributes as validation candidates and use MNS as a basis.  It
might make sense to validate attributes from multiple namespaces
together.

>Issue 5: Should we introduce an additional constraint that applies to
>the validation candidate representing the document root?

We believe that such constraints on root elements are strongly
required.  However, in our opinion, this is just one example of
fragment interaction.  For example, we might want to allow XHTML
paragraphs in CALS tables but disallow XHTML root elements in CALS
tables.  Issue 5 is an interaction between the document root and the
root element.

When individual schemas are open and can be slightly modified, we can
easily represent constraints on such interactions.  Ideally, such
modifications should be provided by the overriding feature of
<include> of RELAX NG.

When individual schemas are closed or they cannot be modified at all,
it is not easy to capture such constraints.  The context feature of
MNS is an interesting attempt, but we are not sure if it hits an 80/20
point.

>Issue 6: Should we introduce an additional attribute of dummy to
>represent the tag name of the original element?

This is an attempt to capture more constraints on fragmment
interaction (see Issue 8).  Although this extension is ad-hoc, we feel
that it hits an 80/20 point.

>Issue 7: Should we use foreign elements rather than dummy elements?

Yes, s/dummy/foreign/g.

>Issue 8: Should we duplicate subtrees rather than extracting them? In
>other words, should we keep original elements rather than replacing
>them with dummy elements?

MNS suggest another option, which is to delete original elements.
Among the three options, which one should DSDL part 4 adopt?  Here 
are some observations, which hopefully help discussion at SC 34.

An advantage of the keep option is that we can use open schemas
without changing them.  Another advantage is that, if we slightly
modify individual schemas, can easily captrue constraints on fragmment
interaction.  Meanwhile, a disadvantage is that it requires
duplication of validation, thus making validation slow.

The delete option has a similar advantage: we can use closed schemas 
without changing them.  However, this option does not allow 
individual schemas to represent constraints on fragmment interaction.

An advantage of the dummy option is that it avoids duplication of
entire subtrees but can still capture some constraints on fragmment
interaction.  A disadvantage is that it mandates changes in 
individual schemas.

>Issue 9: Should extracted fragments inherit XML version numbers?

We do not see any requirements for this feature.

>Issue 10: Should extracted fragments inherit namespace declarations?

Part 4 should use the data model of Part 2, which expands namespace
declarations and remove comments and PIs.  Then, fragments will
inherit namespace declarations.

>Issue 11: Should extracted fragments inherit xml:lang, xml:base, and
>other such attributes?

We believe that attribute inheritance is outside the scope of
validation.  We thus propose not to introduce such inheritance.

>Issue 12: Should we allow foreign-namespace elements and attributes
>(annotations) as does RELAX NG?

DSDL part 4 should allow annotation elements and attributes.  A
normative schema for XML representations of DSDL Part 4 should use
DSDL Part 4 for representing such annotations.

>Issue 13: Should we allow the VSCL root element to have a version
>attribute indicating the version of DSDL VSCL?

Introduce an attribute similar to Part 2.

>Issue 14: Which namespace URI is appropriate for DSDL VCSL?

We do not have any comments.

>Issue 15: Which namespace URI is appropriate for dummy nodes? At
>present, http://www.xml.gr.jp/xmlns/dummy is used.

We do not have any comments.


2.2 Others

1) <include>

We propose to introduce <include>, which is similar to <include> of
Part 2.  The overriding feature of <include> allows easy modifications
of VCSL descriptions.

2) embedding of individual schemas

We propose to allow VCSL descriptions to directly contain 
schmas.  This feature is particularly useful, when we have 
to slightly adjust existing schemas.

 

 

Reply to: Sara Desautels, Secretariat, ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 34, ANSI, 25 West 43rd St , New York, NY 10036
Telephone: 212-642-4937; Facsimile: 212-840-2298; E-Mail: sdesaute@ansi.org