Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!agate!ucbvax!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!ugle.unit.no!nuug!ifi!enag From: erik@naggum.uu.no (Erik Naggum) Newsgroups: comp.text.sgml Subject: Attributes: For or Against? Message-ID: Date: 14 May 91 01:25:58 GMT Sender: enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) Organization: Naggum Software, Oslo, Norway Lines: 36 James Clark's recent question prompted me to look for articles on the use of attributes in general, and I've found a number of references which appear negative or take a firm stand against using them. Without mentioning names, two large projects in which SGML is used take a firm stand against using attributes. The main argument in both is that the application will be able to sort out what's content and what's not, and that using attributes only complicate the parser - application interface, and also the parsing process. 1. What do you think about attributes versus nesting tags? 2. If you have decided against using attributes, what were the main argument(s) against using them? How did you represent the data that would otherwise have been in attributes? 3. Since NOTATION info is frequently provided in an attribute, does this mean you don't use NOTATIONs? 4. Are there parsers or other SGML software out there unable to process attributes? 5. If you have used attributes extensively, what were the major design choices you made between content and attribute for a given piece of information? I'm hoping for a discussion of the de/merits of attributes, and will summarize any private replies I get. Thanks for your time. -- [Erik Naggum] Professional Programmer Naggum Software Electronic Text 0118 OSLO, NORWAY Computer Communications +47-2-836-863