xml-dev - Validating parser and namespace declarations

[Rob Lugt <roblugt@elcel.com>]

Hello all, I have a namespace question which I hope is not a FAQ:-

Should a namespace-aware validating parser frown on an undeclared default
namespace declaration?

<!DOCTYPE test [
<!ELEMENT test EMPTY>
]>
<test xmlns="http://elcel.com/ns"/>

A strict XML 1.0 validating parser will complain that xmlns is not a
declared attribute for element <test>, but is this the desired behaviour for
a namespace-aware validating parser?  I have tried the Xerces-java parser
which doesn't complain (both with and without namespace support switched on)
and the Microsoft MSXML Parser complains in the XML 1.0 tradition.

If validation does not change between XML 1.0 and XML + Namespaces then the
DTD needs to be amended to include the xmlns attributes.  In this case is it
common practice to override the root element ATTLIST in the internal DTD
subset?

Thanks for your help
Regards
Rob Lugt
ElCel Technology