Attributes, namespace partitions, and schemas

[james anderson]

Ray Waldin wrote:
>  ...
> 
> > Given the following XML:
> >
> > <a xmlns="uri1" xmlns:b="uri1" c="d" b:c="e"/>
> ...
> > Should SAX2 report two attributes with the same localName and namespaceURI?
> 
> No. The per-element attribute (c) should have a null namespaceUri and the global

This conforms to the spec, but still does not suffice.
The spec is weak on this point. given, for example,

  <a xmlns="uri1" xmlns:b="uri1" c="d" b:c="e"/>
  <!-- ... -->
  <x xmlns="uri1" xmlns:b="uri1" c="d" b:c="e"/>

The two unqualified 'c' attributes could, given the assertion, that they both
"have a null namespaceUri", be misconstrued as be equal. It would depend on
how the implementation construes a "null namespaceUri". Or is it that the
"names" are, in fact equal, but their binding spaces are disjoint. The spec
leaves this matter unclear. It would appear that SAX2 stands to become the
defacto spec on this matter. This is unfortunate.

> ...
> 
> This also explains why "default namespaces do not apply directly to attributes".
> Unqualified attributes *always* belong *indirectly* to whatever namespace their
> parent element belongs to, so they can never *directly* belong to the default
> (unqualified) namespace as global attributes.

The specifics of this relationship are undefined. This is also unfortunate.


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