xml-dev - Extending XPointer to handle external entities

["Eve L. Maler" <eve.maler@east.sun.com>]

I've been asked to post this message on behalf of the W3C XML Linking WG.

The WG is considering a change to XPointer[1] to allow it to address 
arbitrary external parsed entities (specifically, multiple-rooted entities 
that cannot be served as */xml).  The comment that raised this issue is at 
[2].  Right now there's a lot of support on the WG for making this change, 
on the grounds that:

- It removes a restriction and leaves us with a more elegant model
   (ChildSeq would no longer be restricted to start with /1; it could use
   /n).

- It would more closely match the XPath/XSLT model, which already allows
   this.

- With a seemingly inexpensive change, XPointer becomes more functional
   in dealing with XML resources.

If we made this change, it would allow XPointer to become the fragment 
identifier language for */xml-external-parsed-entity as well as */xml.

We realize this change might require a change to XPointer implementations 
that people are working on, so we are soliciting feedback: Would this cause 
you difficulty at this stage?  Please send your comments on this matter to 
www-xml-linking-comments@w3.org.

Thanks,

	Eve

[1] http://www.w3.org/TR/xptr
[2] 
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-xml-linking-comments/2000AprJun/0039.html
--
Eve Maler                                          +1 781 442 3190
Sun Microsystems XML Technology Center    eve.maler @ east.sun.com