RE: [dita] 12005 supports 12052--adding DITAArchVersion to the dita element

["Yas Etessam" <yas.etessam@xmetal.com>]

Hi Paul,

Your observations are correct.   XML editors currently need to use a
combination of topic-level atts and the <dita> element to identify DITA
documents.  

Adding DITAArchVersion to the <dita> element would slightly simplify the
process of identifying DITA documents.  Although, there are clearly
already workarounds to this issue if you check the topic-level atts.

During our original pass on the feature set, we supported 12052 as a
simple change.  We will continue to support it.   I don't see how if
will have any major architectural effects (like the 12051 proposal).  


Yas
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Grosso, Paul [mailto:pgrosso@ptc.com] 
> Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 9:23 AM
> To: dita@lists.oasis-open.org
> Subject: [dita] 12005 supports 12052--adding DITAArchVersion 
> to the dita element
> 
> In our short list, I see:
> 
> 12005 Recognizing DITA Documents 
> 
> I read the thread referenced there (it is broken into two 
> parts in the archive, so you need to look for two starts to 
> the thread).
> 
> It sounds very much like Paul Prescod was trying to say the 
> same thing I was saying in my argument for adding 
> DITAArchVersion to the dita element.  So two DITA editor 
> vendors both seem to see a similar need.
> 
> ErikH answers PaulP that the DITAArchVersion attribute should 
> give him what he wants.  Erik goes on to say (about DITA 
> document elements that have the DITAArchVersion attribute):
>


>  The sole exception is the <dita> element, which has an odd 
> role  because it has no semantics and merely contains a list 
> of topics.
>  Because the <dita> element cannot be specialized, it's name 
> cannot  be changed. If someone wanted to make the case that, 
> for convenience  and consistency, the <dita> element should 
> also take the [DITAArchVersion]  attribute, I could buy that. 
>

 
> I understand Eliot's points about the fact that you cannot 
> infer a document's doctype from its document element, but I 
> don't think that is the issue here.  Besides, Eliot has voted 
> for 12052 (adding the DITAArchVersion attribute to the dita element).
> 
> And reading the thread for 12005, it doesn't sound like PaulP 
> changed his desire for a DITAArchVersion attribute on the 
> dita element.
> 
> So reading 12005, I see even more support for 12052.
> 
> paul
>