xml-dev - RE: A processing instruction for robots

["Don Park" <donpark@docuverse.com>]

>This is information for a specific kind of XML processor
>(an indexing robot), but it is not specific to the document
>type. So we need a mechanism that applies to any XML document
>and can be automatically ignored by non-robot processors.
>A PI is an exact fit. Even the name is right -- it is an
>instruction to the robot about how to process it.
>
>The alternative, adding an element to every DTD in the 
>universe, with the corresponding breakage to every processor
>that reads those DTDs, is just too awful to contemplate.

If you intend the indexing PI to be used by document
creators, it is not unreasonable to expect them to
include it in their DTD.

Frankly, this is one of the reasons I do not like to
use DTD.  I am in favor of adopting the policy of
ignoring foreign elements and attributes for extensibility.
Absolute ordering of elements also detracts from
extensibility.  Relative ordering of elements is fine
though.

My ideal solution for this problem is a small set of
elements that can be embedded into documents.

Best,

Don Park    -   mailto:donpark@docuverse.com
Docuverse   -   http://www.docuverse.com


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