[xliff] Reformat Suggestion for XLIFF 2.0

All,

Despite the suggestion to postpone the reformat element in 1.1, I have still been thinking about the issue

I have been doing more work with an xliff 1.0 implementation for Oracle, and the issue has required numerous untidy workarounds.

This is therefore a new simpler suggestion for 2.0.

If it as simple as I think it may be, I have no objections to reinserting into 1.1

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Problem

One problem overlooked in reformattable elements or attributes, is that any structure that is changed during translation has no placeholder to store the original value

Say we have some structure that is to be modified during translation

For example

x-value="xxx"

During translation this becomes

x-value="zzz"

But we have lost the original value of xxx

New Solution

The idea is that any structure that may be translated is enclosed within a reformat element

x-value="xxx"

<\sourceval>

<\reformat>

is translated to

x-value="xxx"

<\sourceval>

x-value="zzz"

<\transval>

<\reformat>

Any structure not enclosed within a reformat element may not be changed during translation, except state etc.

If concerned about wordiness

<rfmt>

<sval> x-value="xxx"<\sval>

<tval> x-value="zzz" <\tval>

<\rfmt>

If a transunit has five reformattable elements, then we need five <rfmt> elements. If we tried to put all into one element, we will have problems matching up like with like.

An advantage is that any structure can be controlled in this way, regardless of being XLIFF standard or an extension

This is just an Idea. I have not checked to see if it is workable within the schema

Mat

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