Re: idref()

["G. Ken Holman" <gkholman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 99/05/04 21:04 +0200, a participant wrote to me privately:
>G. Ken Holman <xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote at 4 May 99, 14:32:
> 
>> · id(1) returns the element whose unique identifier is the string value "1"
>
>At least for validating parsers the spec requires IDs to be Names, 
>which can not start with a number. Typo ?

Yes, there is such a validity constraint: XML Section 3.3.1 requires the ID
match the Name production.

But it isn't a well-formedness constraint.

XSL section 4.2.1 does have such a constraint, so I'm assuming XSL doesn't
care (and certainly XT doesn't complain).

Indeed, before writing the page of material, I used the following:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE test [
<!ATTLIST test look ID #IMPLIED>
]>
<test val="a" look="a">
  <test val="b" find="1">
     <test val="c" look="1">
        <test val="d" find="a">
          <test> a 1
          </test>
        </test>
     </test>
  </test>
</test>

and was able to use select="idref(1)" quite successfully with XT.  I wanted
to prove to myself the wording used by James wasn't incorrect, where he
says "converts its argument to a string" ... so I tried the above before
adding it to my book.

................. Ken


--
G. Ken Holman                  mailto:gkholman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Crane Softwrights Ltd.           http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/s/
Box 266, Kars, Ontario CANADA K0A-2E0  +1(613)489-0999  (Fax:-0995)
Website: XSL/XML/DSSSL/SGML services outline,  XSL/DSSSL shareware,
         stylesheet resource library, conference training schedule,
         commercial stylesheet training materials, on-line XSL CBT.
Next instructor-led XSLT Training:                  WWW8:1999-05-11


 XSL-List info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list