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RE: Stuck on Name() and variable
- From: "Michael Kay" <michael dot h dot kay at ntlworld dot com>
- To: <xsl-list at lists dot mulberrytech dot com>
- Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2002 23:11:55 +0100
- Subject: RE: [xsl] Stuck on Name() and variable
- Reply-to: xsl-list at lists dot mulberrytech dot com
> Not knowing the complete design or the system requirements or
> what XML is used for within this system makes it difficult to
> draw sweeping generalizes about a design.
I would say that being detached from it and seeing it from a distance
makes it much easier. You don't have to take my advice but I would
strongly recommend it: you are building your house on quicksand.
I have seen a £5m project delayed by three months because it exploited a
feature in a Microsoft XML parser that allowed </> as a shorthand for
XML closing tags. When Microsoft fixed this non-conformance to the XML
standard, the project had to negotiate changes with half-a-dozen
subcontractors. Standards matter, and you ignore them at your peril.
Michael Kay
Software AG
home: Michael.H.Kay@ntlworld.com
work: Michael.Kay@softwareag.com
>
> Worrying about whether MS will no longer preserve document
> order in attributes in their next release is of far less
> concern then worrying if they are going to quietly change the
> way events are handled in IE. They have done the later, but
> not the former. Yes, it is not garneted that MS will not
> make such a change, but there are no guarantees in life.
>
> The performance hit that would impact this system to move to
> referencing attributes in a DOM by name instead of by index
> is tremendous. The performance hit is in Dll and script
> files. Such a decrease in performance is viewed by the
> global user base for this application as unacceptable. The
> only location there is any concern in the system is two
> transformations (soon to be down to 1). In all other cases
> the information flows directly from database stored
> procedures. Unless there is going to be a radical change to
> the way queries are run to no longer enforce field order to
> be what the query stated, then there is no concern there.
> The impact of that kind of a change is far reaching and would
> require all kinds of changes to SQL standards. The
> transformations are an easier way to get the data pre-built
> and avoid a number of string concatenation events in a dll.
> They are by no means a cornerstone of the application. This
> was not a decision made lightly, it was one made on
> probabilities. It is unlikely that MS will make a change to
> randomize the order of attributes output by a transformation,
> so that makes the work effort involved in coding around a
> remote possibility extremely difficult to justify. Simply
> because it would be preferable does not make the cut when the
> bottom line is cost.
>
> Along those same lines are some of the properties available
> in MSXML, these are not part of a standard, but does that
> mean you should not use them? MSXML is a tool, using what the
> tool provides and knowing what the tool does allows best use
> of that tool for a given situation. That doesn't mean the
> tool won't change over time, but it does mean that you have
> to be aware of the pluses and minuses of using any aspect of any tool.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-xsl-list@lists.mulberrytech.com
> [mailto:owner-xsl-list@lists.mulberrytech.com]On Behalf Of Michael Kay
> Sent: 6. august 2002 11:50
> To: xsl-list@lists.mulberrytech.com
> Subject: RE: [xsl] Stuck on Name() and variable
>
>
> > I know that this does not follow standards set for XML.
> The order of
> > attributes in this case is well defined. This is an
> internal process
> > handling internally generated data. The processes that handle
> > externally generated data do not make any assumptions on attribute
> > order. To the external world the standards are generally
> followed.
> > Internally, to handle data population and display,
> attribute order is
> > very tightly controlled. It was a design decision made roughly 2
> > years ago. I have no worries about attribute order, SQL Server and
> > MSXML don't alter attribute order. I try to make sure all
> > developers on staff are aware that we are making use of a
> > behavior that is not part of a standard.
>
> You should also be aware that no vendor will make a
> commitment to maintain such behavior across releases. I think
> this is an appallingly bad design decision.
>
> Michael Kay
> Software AG
> home: Michael.H.Kay@ntlworld.com
> work: Michael.Kay@softwareag.com
>
>
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