multiple encoding specs (Re: IE5.0 does not conform to RFC2376)

[Chris Lilley]

Gavin Thomas Nicol wrote:
> 
> >  >An alternative method for achieving the same result is to use a filter
> > >(this can be done in Apache and in Jigsaw) which automatically emits the
> > >correct charset parameter based on reading the encoding declaration in
> > >the XML instance.
> >
> > I think this is the approach that, ultimately, we all are
> > hoping will be deployed.
> 
> I'm not keen on this approach, but it would be a step in the right
> direction. I have some servlets for doing this, and for also handling
> the *.mim type.

Can you post some URIs? Are you willing to share them? I would trust
your servlets to be doing the right thing.

> I still dislike the encoding information in the PI....

(it isn't, in theory, a PI although it looks exactly like one) I am of
quite the opposite point of view - I think that it finally gives authors
the ability to correctly label their documents. Furthermore, instead of
the rather weak HTML equivalent, it is normative. Great.

>  as you noted
> there are 3 levels at which mistakes can be made, 

The same is true of any label. The encoding declaration in the XML
declaration at least always travels with the document, which is always
handy for ensuring metadata doesn't get lost.

> and the PI means
> that you might have to "fix" the document in the face of transcoding.

But if you are transcoding, you have to fix it anyway - so? Similarly if
you were to do any other manipulation of the document that altered some
declaration, such as collecting often-used strings and replacing them
with external entity references - you would have to change the
standalone pseudo-attribute if it said "yes", to "no".

--
Chris



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