xml-dev - Re: Java class != XML entity

[Tyler Baker <tyler@infinet.com>]

David Megginson wrote:

> len bullard writes:
>  > David Megginson wrote:
>  >
>  > > As far as I may be allowed to compare tropical and temperate tree
>  > > fruit, the equivalent of a Java class is a complete XML document.
>  >
>  > Class or an object of a class?
>
> Exactly -- here's where such analogies can fall flat on their
> collective faces.
>
> On can argue that the XML document type is equivalent to an abstract
> Java interface, that the XML document is equivalent to a class
> implementing that interface, and that the various transformations of
> that XML document (formatted output, database tables, lawn-sprinkler
> spinning, etc.) are equivalent to Java objects instantiating the
> class.
>
> On the other hand, as you point out, it is just as easy to argue that
> the document type is the equivalent to the class, and that the
> document is equivalent to an object instatiating the class.

Or you can argue that each class represents an Element.  The enclosing Document
is merely a container for all of these elements.  In the XML Framework we have
done, this is exactly how handlers are used for Elements by logically mapping XML
Elements to Java classes.  The handler for every sub-element is dynamically
generated as needed.  You could say this is a data-driven approach and works
quite well for most applications, but for some applications I can see its
limitations.

Tyler


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