Re: [xml-dev] wutka DTD parser question

[mrossi@csc.com]

Right answer, but you've got 'em backwards. PUBLIC Identifiers allow you to
use catalog lookups. SYSTEM Identifiers are, well, system-specific. Note
BTW, that you can still use PUBLIC IDs with XML (although you're now
required to place a system ID immediately after them in case you can't
resolve the PUBID). And Bob's also on the right track about the community
pursuing catalog support. OASIS has a TC working on a new open catalog
spec., which I don't think is quite done just yet but should be close. A
quick search of the archives will no doubt turn up some software that
supports it, as I do recall hearing of some. Of course if you (Wendi) can
get the wutka DTD parser to call an Entity Resolver as you suggested, you
could tie in your own catalog resolution function.

Michael A. Rossi
Computer Sciences Corporation
mailto:mrossi@csc.com
856-983-4400 x4911


                                                                                                                   
                    bob mcwhirter                                                                                  
                    <bob@werken.c        To:     Wendi Sisson <wsisson@east.fedex.com>                             
                    om>                  cc:     xml-dev@lists.xml.org                                             
                                         Subject:     Re: [xml-dev] wutka DTD parser question                      
                    10/02/01                                                                                       
                    11:54 AM                                                                                       
                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                   


This is exactly what SGML catalogs were meant to solve.

They would allow you to define DTDs in terms of SYSTEM
(not PUBLIC) identifiers.  A lookup through a catalog
would translate the SYSTEM identifier into a path-to-that-file
on the current system.

Thus, the catalogs would be system-dependent (but can
also be generic, in that they can use relative paths,
with ease).

Though, that's SGML.

I hear that XML folks are pondering catalogs, but I haven't
seen much progress on that front.  Things would have to become
catalog-aware, to be able to do the extra level of indirection
to find the final, terminal resource.

Ahh, well.

           -bob