XForms 1.1 delete processing - proposed editorial clarification & proposed namespace node immutability statement

[Vlad Trakhtenberg]

Hi all,

I noticed that in the description of the delete action processing : http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/specs/XForms1.1/index-all.html#action-delete in step 4 the deletion of the root [document] node itself is not explicitly 'prohibited' (or rather ignored), while the deletion of the 'root document element' of an instance is.
I also think, that the similar but perhaps wider clarification statement is required with regard to namespace nodes. The spec is explicit in adopting the XPath data model, as such some XPath expressions over the instance data can easily produce namespace nodes which do not have a full DOM underpinning behind them, which, in turn, makes them [arguably] 'immutable'.
I would like to propose to the working group (if it agrees with my point) to add a general statement to the spec to that effect, or at least explicitly mention them in delete, insert, setvalue, etc. actions as not fitting the bill.

Regards,
Vlad Trakhtenberg.
IBM, Victoria Lab.

[John Boyer]

Hi Vlad,

The working group agreed that inserting, deleting and setting the value of namespace nodes and root nodes is not supported and that the insert, delete and setvalue actions would be amended to say that requests for setting the value of, deleting, or using these nodes as the origin of an insert would all be ignored.  The XForms 1.1 specification will be amended accordingly and implementations can proceed with this understanding.

Thank you,
John M. Boyer, Ph.D.
STSM, Interactive Documents and Web 2.0 Applications
Chair, W3C Forms Working Group
Workplace, Portal and Collaboration Software
IBM Victoria Software Lab
E-Mail: boyerj@...  

Blog: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/JohnBoyer
Blog RSS feed: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/rss/JohnBoyer?flavor=rssdw

From:	Vlad Trakhtenberg/CanWest/IBM@IBMCA
To:	www-forms@..., www-forms-editor@...
Date:	02/23/2009 08:01 PM
Subject:	XForms 1.1 delete processing - proposed editorial clarification & proposed  namespace node immutability statement

---

Hi all,

I noticed that in the description of the delete action processing : http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/specs/XForms1.1/index-all.html#action-delete in step 4 the deletion of the root [document] node itself is not explicitly 'prohibited' (or rather ignored), while the deletion of the 'root document element' of an instance is.
I also think, that the similar but perhaps wider clarification statement is required with regard to namespace nodes. The spec is explicit in adopting the XPath data model, as such some XPath expressions over the instance data can easily produce namespace nodes which do not have a full DOM underpinning behind them, which, in turn, makes them [arguably] 'immutable'.
I would like to propose to the working group (if it agrees with my point) to add a general statement to the spec to that effect, or at least explicitly mention them in delete, insert, setvalue, etc. actions as not fitting the bill.

Regards,
Vlad Trakhtenberg.
IBM, Victoria Lab.