OFFICE-3311 - Identifiers - review and consolidate identifiers andreferences to identifiers

[Patrick Durusau <patrick@durusau.net>]

Greetings!

For identifiers we use text:name, style:name and other various
mechanisms.

http://tools.oasis-open.org/issues/browse/OFFICE-3311

Since names are sometimes displayed and yet must also server as
identifiers, that means some names are subject to restrictions, such as
no spaces, that other names are not. 

I propose that we use xml:id as the universal identifier for ODF
elements. All pointing is made to an xml:id.

Where necessary for other purposes, such as display to users, the
various *:name attributes can be retained but for use as names.

I see three advantages to this change:

1) Implementors have to implement one pointing mechanism, not several.

2) Localization requires only changing the display string, not internal
pointing mechanisms.

3) Depending on the internal processing model, implementations do not
have to store names used as targets. It is sufficient that the
pointer/target is generated when the document is saved. 

I am willing to make a list of the elements with attributes that point
to other elements, the nature of that pointing mechanism and any other
use that is made of either the pointer or target. Along with suggested
language deprecating the current mechanisms. (I would prefer to delete
it but suspect some transition time has to be allowed for existing
applications.)

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Patrick
-- 
Patrick Durusau
patrick@durusau.net
Chair, V1 - US TAG to JTC 1/SC 34
Convener, JTC 1/SC 34/WG 3 (Topic Maps)
Editor, OpenDocument Format TC (OASIS), Project Editor ISO/IEC 26300
Co-Editor, ISO/IEC 13250-1, 13250-5 (Topic Maps)

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