xml-dev - Re: Why the Infoset?

[Martin Gudgin <marting@develop.com>]

To me the infoset defines what XML is in the abstract. XML 1.0 + namespaces
is just one possible serialization syntax. I expect there will be others in
time. Likewise SAX and DOM are two possible reflections of the infoset.
Maybe other APIs will be developed over time. The infoset, being abstract,
shields me from the details of the serialization syntax which to me is a big
win. If I find ( or write ) a parser that supports a binary form of XML but
still conforms to the infoset I don't need to change any of my application
code but I can get all the benefits ( probably size and speed ) of the new
serialization syntax.

The XML Schema WD[1-3] is defined in terms of the infoset. It also defines
its own abstract data model which is (relatively) independent of the
transfer syntax enabling applications to compile schemas into some other
form perhaps.

Regards

Martin Gudgin
DevelopMentor
http://www.develop.com/marting

[1] http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-1
[2] http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-2
[3] http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-0



----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul W. Abrahams" <abrahams@valinet.com>
To: "XMLDev list" <xml-dev@lists.xml.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2000 7:04 PM
Subject: Why the Infoset?


> What is the purpose of the XML Infoset?  Is it mainly
> intended to enlighten implementors about what the abstract
> structure of an XML document is, or does it have some other
> less obvious uses?   Are there other XML specs that refer to
> it in normative contexts, i.e., that would be ill-defined
> without the Infoset?   The XPath spec refers to it in a
> non-normative context but that doesn't count.
>
> Paul Abrahams