Subject: Re: [xsl] Should "//ename[n]" mean "/descendant::ename"? From: David Carlisle <davidc@xxxxxxxxx> Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 01:08:00 GMT |
I'm frankly shocked and concerned that the WG should even consider such a strange idea as to so radically change the semantics of such a core Xpath feature, keeping the syntax legal but changing its meaning. If compatibility is of such low concern it does not bode well for XSLT 2. In this case the proposed definition seems far less useful than the current definition, but even if it was conceptually an improvement it would be years too late to change. If you need to add a new feature then please use a new syntax, don't abuse existing syntax. Already in your mail you have to special case attributes and for elements you say //ename expands to /descendant::ename but what of //following-sibling:* the current definition ends with a / for good reason giving a single consistent definition for all axes why on earth would you want to change this to some list of ad hoc rules for each axis? >1. Is the proposed definition more intuitive? No, it is a) under specified and b) likely to be less intuitive and more complicated once it is fully specified. >2. How many stylesheets would break under this definition? Thousands, also because the syntax would still be legal they would break in the worst possible way, silently giving the wrong results. A compatibility flag for xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" would not be enough to protect this, stylesheets get updated, as do stylesheet writing tools and if someone ups the version number to use a 2.0 feature they won't be expecting breakage on this scale. Also what of Xpointer and other uses of Xpath where // is used with no indication of versioning. Please do not do this. David _____________________________________________________________________ This message has been checked for all known viruses by Star Internet delivered through the MessageLabs Virus Scanning Service. For further information visit http://www.star.net.uk/stats.asp or alternatively call Star Internet for details on the Virus Scanning Service. XSL-List info and archive: http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list
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