Advice needed on placement of XML datatype validation methods

[Amit Rekhi]

Hello,
               I am in the process of attaching datatype validation routines
for element content in my XML file. I have come up with 2 approaches (as
listed below)., but am not sure which is a better one.  If someone could
give their expert opinions ....


APPROACH 1

I can use NOTATIONS to identify data validation processes with element
content. eg.

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!DOCTYPE start-ele [
   <!NOTATION Alphabet SYSTEM "AlphabetChecker.vld">
   <!NOTATION Number SYSTEM "NumberChecker.vld">

   <!ELEMENT start-ele (#PCDATA)>
   <!ATTLIST start-ele datatype NOTATION (Alphabet|Number) "Alphabet">
]>
<start-ele datatype="Number">123</start-ele>

where AlphabetChecker.vld and NumberChecker.vld could contain  validation
routines for checking alphabet and number datatypes.


APPROACH 2

I embed my datatype validation scripts in the XSL file I attach to my XML
data.I can embed my datatype validation scripts in HTML which will be
outputted by my XSL file (I am using XSL to do XML -> HTML transformation)
for elements in the XML file. In this case I could possibly use
(JScript/VBScript/JavaScript) as languages to implement my datatype
validation routines.

Which of the 2 approaches is better?

These 2 approaches bring out the basic questions:-

 Where to place datatype validation routines for element content, in the
XML-DTD or in the XSL file attached to the XML data?


                    Thanks in advance,

AMIT REKHI


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