Re: [jats-list] xlink:type

["dal dalapeyre@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <jats-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Mary

When JATS was first written, it seemed likely that
XLink was going to conquer the hypertext world and
the web. So JATS built in ALL of the xlink:
attributes (all namespaced) that the XLink spec uses
to describe links:

  xmlns:xlink CDATA                            #IMPLIED
  xlink:type  (simple)                         #IMPLIED
  xlink:href  CDATA                            #REQUIRED
  xlink:role  CDATA                            #IMPLIED
  xlink:title CDATA                            #IMPLIED
  xlink:show  (embed | new | none | other | replace)
                                               #IMPLIED
  xlink:actuate  (none | onLoad | onRequest | other)
                                               #IMPLIED

All of these attributes are available on any element that
is OR MIGHT BE a link.

The values the XLink spec uses for xlink:type include
simple and other values for complex multi-headed links,

The JATS attribute was set to simple by default so that
the complex link types would NOT be used for interchange
until there was more agreement on how they worked.

Fast forward 10 or 12 years and the bet on XLink looks
a bit naive. Except in certain limited places, XLink
never took off, and the HTML @href attribute is all anyone
uses anymore.

JATS @xlink:href can be translated directly in to @href.

So, there is no current need for ANY of the xlink: attributes.

Hope this helps.

Debbie



> On Sep 30, 2016, at 9:19 AM, Mary Seligy mary.seligy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<jats-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone:
>
> I have a question about @xlink:type. According to the JATS tag library
documentation for both Green and Blue, this attribute appears to be completely
unnecessary and optional unless it is in <mml:math>, and outside of
<mml:math>, there's only one value that should be used for it anyway
("simple").
>
> So does anyone know why this attribute is even available on any other
element other than in <mml:math>? That is to say, what does it achieve if you
use it? Does it facilitate anything for either humans or machines?
>
> Just wondering because our XML vendor sometimes applies @xlink:type and
sometimes not. I'd like to pick a lane (so to speak) to be consistent, and I
wanted to know more about it before deciding.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Mary
>
> Mary Seligy
> Business Analyst, IT
> Canadian Science Publishing (NRC Research Press)
> 65 Auriga Drive, Suite 203, Ottawa, ON  K2E 7W6
> T: 613-656-9846 ext. 225 | F: 613-656-9838
> Websites: www.cdnscipub.com, www.nrcresearchpress.com
> JATS-List info and archive
> EasyUnsubscribe (by email)


================================================================
Deborah A Lapeyre              mailto:dalapeyre@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mulberry Technologies, Inc.      http://www.mulberrytech.com
17 West Jefferson Street         Phone: 301-315-9631 (USA)
Suite 207                        Fax:   301-315-8385
Rockville, MD 20850
----------------------------------------------------------------
Mulberry Technologies: Consultancy for XML, XSLT, and Schematron
================================================================