Re: [xsl] Standards checkers for XSLT

[Kamal Bhatt <kbhatt@xxxxxxxxx>]

You 're right. That is better.

Rashmi Rubdi wrote:
> Sorry I should have been more clear.
>
> Consider this XML as an example
>
> <events>
>    <event>
>        <title>Cello Performance by XYZ</title>
>        <startDateTime>2006-06-03T05:03:02</startDateTime>
>        <endDateTime>2006-06-03T07:03:02</endDateTime>
>    </event>
>
>    <event>
>        <title>Violin by ABC</title>
>        <startDateTime>2006-06-03T08:03:02</startDateTime>
>        <endDateTime>2006-06-03T09:03:02</endDateTime>
>    </event>
> </events>
>
> And another example of the same data
>
> <events>
>    <event>
>        <title>Cello Performance by XYZ</title>
>        <startDate>2006-06-03</startDate>
>        <startTime>05:03:02</startTime>
>        <endDate>2006-06-03</endDate>
>        <endTime>07:03:02</endTime>
>    </event>
>    <event>
>        <title>Violin by ABC</title>
>        <startDate>2006-06-03</startDate>
>        <startTime>08:03:02</startTime>
>        <endDate>2006-06-03</endDate>
>        <endTime>09:03:02</endTime>
>    </event>
> </events>
>   
>  
> Now sorting of events by their dateTime becomes more straighforward when both the date and time are combined as opposed to having them under separate tags. 
>
> Given that events is the context node
> <xsl:apply-templates select="event>
>     <xsl:sort select="startDateTime/>
> </xsl:apply-templates>
> I haven't tried this pseudo code
>
> Also comparing dateTime is also easier with the full format, when you want to find out which even occurs before another event. 
>
> Calculating the time duration between events also become easier with the full date representation. 
>
> If you use separate nodes for date and time, you'll have an additional step of concatinating the date and time and then converting it into xs:dateTime and then using the resulting value. 
>
> I hope this helps.
>   
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Kamal Bhatt <kbhatt@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2006 9:54:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [xsl] Standards checkers for XSLT
>
>
> I think the approach is that the sorts of calculations you are talking 
> about are done before the production of XML. The XSLT would be used for 
> formatting purposes.
>
> Rashmi Rubdi wrote:
>   
> > I don't mean to contradict and there might be valid reasons in your application for using the short-hand date format 
> > YYYY-MM-DD instead of CCYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+Z but, there are a few more advantages of using the composite date format that also includes
> > time instead of just the date.
> >
> > For example, it's more straightforward to calculate the *duration* between two dateTimes when the dates are represented in full format. 
> >
> > The time-zone is optional, so if you represent it as CCYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS it assumes the implicit time-zone of the server combined with daylight savings.
> >
> > I think if your application is going to be complex with many possible scenarios then I would consider using the full format, 
> > but if your application tends to be small and doesn't deal with event math or dateTimes then the shorter version of dateTime seems fine. 
> >
> > But thinking in terms of making the application as change-proof and future-proof as possible (to be able to easily handle all possible future situations with as little or no change to the original design) , I would use the full date format.
> >
> > In either case there are functions in XPath2.0 which allow you to combine dates or break them up in any way, which makes it flexible to use any date format.
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----
> > From: Kamal Bhatt <kbhatt@xxxxxxxxx>
> > To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2006 7:04:16 PM
> > Subject: Re: [xsl] Standards checkers for XSLT
> >
> >
> > Rashmi Rubdi wrote:
> >   
> >     
> > > Using a common and standard convention for representing dates helps significantly when manipulating date fields.
> > >
> > > The standard format is 
> > > CCYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+Z
> > >
> > > Example:
> > > 2004-10-01T18:23:17+00:00
> > >
> > > With this representation it's easier and manageable to sort date fields because it's a sortable value unlike a date represented in say MM/DD/YYYY format.
> > >
> > > While displaying dates the XPath2.0 format-date function can be used to display the date in a particular locale. 
> > >
> > > There might be other benefits like add and subtract dates, but I haven't refered these functions.
> > >
> > >   
> > >     
> > >       
> > I think we use YYYY-MM-DD (we don't handle timezones), but thanks for 
> > the tip.
> >
> >
> >   
> >     
>
>
>   


--
Kamal Bhatt