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RE: [xsl] Stuck on Name() and variable

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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.

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@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Michael Kay
Sent: 6. august 2002 11:50
To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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@xxxxxxxxxxxx
work: Michael.Kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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