Re: Structured Document Design for XML or SGML

[Chris Despopoulos <cud@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Dan Emory said:
[snip...  we're talking about the atomic level of documents]

     At this lowest level there are only document
     object types (e.g., paragraphs,
     text ranges within paragraphs, graphics,
     equations, tables, cross-references,
     markers) and sub-types (e.g., text paragraph,
     bulleted paragraph, numbered
     list paragraph, section head paragraph, figure
     caption, table caption,
     bolded or italicized text range, index marker),
     most of which, at least
     in FrameMaker, are represented by descriptive
     tags.

     Now, SGML purists would argue that, in a
     structured document, these "atomic"
     object types and sub-types must be assigned names
     that describe their
     content. Thus, if there are 25 content types,
     there would have to be 25 element
     names for text paragraphs, 25 names for figure
     captions, 25 names for
     bulleted paragraphs, and so on (and on and on and
     on, reductio ad absurdum).

I don't want to start any trouble, but I have yet to meet an
SGML purist wo argued that.  If I understand you, you're
saying that for O = object typeand C = content type, then
you must have O^C (O to the C power) elements in your DTD.
I agree that is absured, and I must admit I'm not an SGML
purist.  But I know a few, I'd even let one marry my son or
daughter...  some of them are my best friends.  And I never
heard them assert anything like this.

Just a 0.02 Euro contribution.

cud


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