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Re: [xsl] Why should I put code in XSLT to check the input data or the output data?

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Hi,

At 04:59 PM 5/20/2010, you wrote:

Hi Folks,

My thinking is that the input data should be checked using XML Schema and Schematron. Ditto for the data that is output by XSLT.

I see no reason to include in an XSLT program any code to check data. It just makes the program bigger, harder to understand, harder to maintain, and harder to debug.

Do you agree?

I agree with both observations:

(a) XSD (or your schema language of choice) plus Schematron are very good at checking data.
(b) Doing the same thing in your XSLT can be costly, unwieldy, and difficult to maintain.

But I don't think it follows follows from either or both of these that doing so is, categorically, a bad idea.

I'm afraid this is like saying there's never any point in a car with a hatchback, since you can always haul things in your pickup truck. It may be largely true, and it may be especially true for you, but that doesn't mean it's always true for everyone.

Cheers,
Wendell

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Wendell Piez                            mailto:wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mulberry Technologies, Inc.                http://www.mulberrytech.com
17 West Jefferson Street                    Direct Phone: 301/315-9635
Suite 207                                          Phone: 301/315-9631
Rockville, MD  20850                                 Fax: 301/315-8285
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