xml-dev - RE: Array content model

[Kevin Williams <Kevin.Williams@ultraprise.com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John.OSullivan@chase.com [mailto:John.OSullivan@chase.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 5:06 AM
> To: xml-dev@lists.oasis-open.org
> Subject: Array content model
> 
> I favour the former arrangement, with the instances of item contained
> within an items element. I prefer it since it is easier to implement
> generic marshalling code on top of a DOM or SAX parser when
> the SAX parser will effectively give "start array" and "end 
> array" callbacks
> for the items open and close tags. And a DOM parser will 
> yield an items
> node that is a parent for the array elements, partitioning them from
> the other children of purchaseOrder.
> 
> However, my colleagues are unmoved by the ease of implementation
> argument, and prefer the gain in brevity from omiting the items tags.
> 
> I'd be very grateful for any comment and argument for or against
> either of these positions from xml-devers. Especially with regard
> to the implications of schemas.
> 

John,

IMO, either implementation is fine. When working with XML, there are myriad
ways of representing the same information, all of which are equally valid;
which one you use then becomes a matter of taste. Certainly, the <items>
element doesn't impart any additional meaning to the <item> elements
embedded in it; however, you give a compelling reason to use such an element
(the start and end events in SAX being used as signals to begin and end
construction of your item array). In the implementations I have designed,
for example, I have tended to use attributes for virtually all data points,
since my implementations often have to interface with RDBs - and the code to
handle RDB to XML translation (whether using DOM or SAX) seems more natural
when using attributes. As always, your mileage may vary. 

- Kevin

Kevin Williams
XML Data Architect
Ultraprise Corporation
kwilliams@ultraprise.com

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