Streaming XML (Was RE: XML Information Set Requirements, W3C Note 18-February-1999)

[Matthew Sergeant (EML)]

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Mark Birbeck [SMTP:Mark.Birbeck at iedigital.net]
> 
> John Cowan wrote:
> > Mark Birbeck wrote:
> 
> > >    <stockPrice>
> > >        <ticker>MSFT</ticker>
> > >        <price>1000</price>
> > >    </stockPrice>
> > >
> > > and then at the end of the day, sending:
> > >
> > >    </stockPrices>
> > > No-one so far in the discussion has argued that this is good XML -
> > 
> > I so argue.  It is well-formed, though not valid, XML.
> 
> It's NOT well-formed until the end of the day, when you receive the
> closing tag. Until that time 'stockPrices' is not a complete element,
> and therefore not a complete XML document.
> 
> > Validity inherently can't be checked until you've processed
> everything.
> 
> Nor can well-formedness.
> 
	I don't want to argue this - just add a point.

	It really depends whether you're interested in proving the positive
or the negative. If you're trying to prove that it is well formed you're
SOOL until the end. But at least you can prove that it's not-not well formed
so far in the stream... It's a compromise I guess.

	Still - I agree with your general point. What would be better would
be a stream of XML documents - like network packets - fully self contained.

	Matt.

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