Re: [topicmaps-comment] mergeMap Pointing to More ThanOnetopicMapElement

["W. Eliot Kimber" <eliot@isogen.com>]

Lars Marius Garshol wrote:

> | In this example, the current constraint on mergeMap that it address a
> | single topicMap is obeyed, but I could just as easily do:
> |
> | <mergeMap xlink:href="test-map-01.xtm#//topicMap"/>
> 
> Uh, yes. I have noted this as an issue with XTM, but personally I
> think that we should *not* allow XPointer expressions in <topicRef/>
> and <mergeMap/> references.
> 
> The rationale is that without creating a DOM from the input document
> it is very difficult to support XPointer resolution, and building a
> DOM is not a good idea from a performance and scaling point of view.

How can you disallow it when the spec uses xlink:href? Doesn't that
implicitly import all the semantics of XLink? 

Besides, I don't buy the "I need a DOM" answer--you could certainly do
XPointer resolution in a non-DOM context, although it might be a bit
more work :-)

Cheers,

E.
-- 
W. Eliot Kimber, eliot@isogen.com
Consultant, ISOGEN International

1016 La Posada Dr., Suite 240
Austin, TX  78752 Phone: 512.656.4139