Re: [dita] Is this correct?

[Robert D Anderson <robander@us.ibm.com>]

Hi Paul - the object element came straight from HTML, to allow users to
insert the same things they can insert in HTML. I suspect the description
of the attribute came from the HTML definition:
http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/struct/objects.html#edef-OBJECT

The attribute is not actually required - this is a bug in the spec. If you
check the DTD itself (topic.mod), the attribute is #IMPLIED. I think the
same thing came up the list a week or two ago with the id attribute on
<topic> -- it is required, but the spec says it is implied. I think both of
these came about through use of conref in the source for the spec (reusing
a definition, or part of a definition, when it did not actually apply).

I know of people who use the object element today to include flash
animations, and others who use it to provide links that open other
applications.

Robert D Anderson
IBM Authoring Tools Development
Chief Architect, DITA Open Toolkit


                                                                           
             "Paul Prescod"                                                
             <paul.prescod@bla                                             
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                                       [dita] Is this correct?             
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           




http://docs.oasis-open.org/dita/v1.0/langspec/object.html

name         Submit the object as part of a form.            CDATA
 #REQUIRED
Yes

Why should it be required if it is only meaningful in the context of a
form, when DITA doesn't even have a forms capability?

I really don't think that this element should be available at all in
DITA (at least as described).

 Paul Prescod