Re: Representing the components of a string in XML --should de

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From: Thomas Passin <list1@t...>
To: xml-dev@l...
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2023 09:29:52 -0500

On 2/26/2023 8:40 AM, Roger L Costello wrote:

Hi Folks,

I am creating an XML representation of the UNIX printf conversion specifier. Here is a sample conversion specifier and its components:

% and . are delimiters. Should they be represented in XML?

Which of the following XML representations is better? If you assert that one is better than another, please explain – in simple, concrete terms – why it is better?

(a) Does not represent the delimiters in XML:

<conversion_specification>

    <flag>+</flag>

    <width>7</width>

    <precision>3</precision>

    <specifier>d</specifier>

</conversion_specification>

(b) Does represent the delimiters in XML:

<conversion_specification>

    <start_of_specifier>%</start_of_specifier>

    <flag>+</flag>

    <width>7</width>

    <start_of_precision>.</start_of_precision>

    <precision>3</precision>

    <specifier>d</specifier>

</conversion_specification>

/Roger

If you do not include the "%" and "." then they will have to be understood by the user or using software. Only you know whether that would be feasible. And of course there is other implicit knowledge, such as that these parts should come in the same order as they appear in the XML fragment, whether any of them can be omitted, etc. You haven't included that kind of information.

You should probably write a little specification for this xml representation. It might help you understand what really needs to be there.

Aside from the above, I'd use attributes - easier to read and more concise:

<conversion_specification>
<start char='%'/>
<flag char='+'/>
...

References:
- Representing the components of a string in XML -- should delimitersbe represented?
  - From: Roger L Costello <costello@m...>

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