Redecleration of Element

[Brandt Dainow]

How about a simplistic approach - the root element defines the document
type.  Change the root element, you've just re-typed the doc.
Alternatively, ask what they want to achieve by doing this, then find a way
to achieve that same aim, but within the rules of XML.  In my experience,
most daft or difficult processes in IT are best tackled by looking for a
completely new method of achieving the same aim.

On the other hand, I think the XML world is going to see lots of doc
conversion, switching from one DTD to another.  Since everybody seems to
want to write their own DTD's, especially if they want to maintain their own
legacy data structures, everyone is going to have to do DTD conversion to
exchange data.  From this perspective you're really just converting a doc
from one DTD to another.


Brandt Dainow
bd at internet-etc.com
Internet Etc Ltd
http://www.internet-etc.com

>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-xml-dev at ic.ac.uk [mailto:owner-xml-dev at ic.ac.uk]On
>Behalf Of
>Dennis Thrysoe - GeoGrafik A/S
>Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2000 9:21 AM
>To: xml-dev
>Subject: Redecleration of Element
>
>
>Hi,
>
>I am standing here with a legacy issue. A system was designed
>to be flexible
>be changing the "dataroot" element.
>
>This implies changing the documentroot element's defenition:
>
><!ELEMENT DOCROOT (A)>
>
>or sometimes
>
><!ELEMENT DOCROOT (B)>
>
>I need some help arguing against this practive, as I feel it
>is against the
>spirit of XML and declarative documents. Does anybody know of some
>litterature or a discussion of this anywhere?
>
>TIA,
>
>-dennis
>
>
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