Re: [office-comment] Public Comment

[Michael Brauer <michael.brauer@sun.com>]

Hi,

comment-form@oasis-open.org wrote:
> Comment from: elharo@metalab.unc.edu
> 
> I'm not sure what the current status of the OpenOffice format draft is. I.e. is it final or not? However, I did find a clear mistake in it that's worth an erratum if it is final, and perhaps some rethinking if it isn't.
> 
> Section 1.6 states:
> 
> The W3C XML specification [XML1.0]requires that white-space characters are ignored for elements that have element content, in other words that contain elements but not text. 

You are right. The term "requires" might be to strong here. Maybe we 
should use a term like "advises" instead.

> 
> In fact, the XML 1.0 specification requires no such thing. In fact, it requires exactly the opposite:
> 
> An XML processor MUST always pass all characters in a document that are not markup through to the application. A  validating XML processor MUST also inform the application which of these characters constitute white space appearing in element content.
> 
> An application such as OpenOffice is under no obligation to ignore this white space. It may do so if it chooses. However, the XML spec does not use the word "ignore" here. That's something that snuck in through SAX.

Again, you are right. An application may or may not ignore white space 
characters appearing in elements that have element content, but I think 
the intention of the XML specification in fact is that such white space 
characters are ignored. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a requirement to
"inform the application which of these characters constitute white space 
appearing in element content".

> 
> I am just beginning to read the spec, and I am not sure what effect this incorrect belief may have had on the design of the appplication. Possibly it's minor. Possibly it's not. However, the claim that the XML specification requires this, is simply wrong and should be removed from the OpenOffice spec. 

There is no impact on the design of applications. White space characters 
in elements that have element content are ignored, regardless whether 
this is required by the XML specifiaction or whetehr the XML 
specification only pemits this.

Thank you very much for your comment reagrding the specification document.

Best regards

Michael