xml-dev - Re: Is CDATA "structure"?

[Paul Prescod <paul@prescod.net>]

Kay Michael wrote:
> 
> CDATA boundaries are not part of the infoset so they should not be treated
> as information-bearing by an XML application.  But XML editors like to
> preserve non-information-bearing aspects of your document, assuming that if
> you chose to use CDATA rather than character entities, say, then you did so
> for a reason and would like the document left that way.

I guess it depends on your definition of the word "application". Is it
really the case that XML editors and XML databases are not "applications"
because they choose to preserve details that most XML consumers would
consider irrelevant?

I consider it a limitation of the infoset that it supports some types of
applications and not others. It may still be rectified. The spec. already
has a concept of optional information items so I would expect (e.g.) CDATA
and unknown entity reference to fall into that category.

-- 
 Paul Prescod  - ISOGEN Consulting Engineer speaking for only himself
 http://itrc.uwaterloo.ca/~papresco

To me programming is more than an important practical art. It is
also a gigantic undertaking in the foundations of knowledge.
	- Grace Hopper

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