[oXygen-user] On-the-fly validation of (X)HTML5 using the v.Nu REST API (was: Creating a RELAX NG datatype library .jar for use with the v.Nu schemas)

[Graham Hannington]

Hi Ben et al,

Following up on my post on 2016-03-18:

> I have some thoughts about [...] the RELAX NG schemas being usable as-is 
across editors/tools, while the required datatype .jar needs to be built 
to match the editor/tool - but they'll keep for now.

I now have some thoughts to share about that; and some software, too.

I've been playing with the schemas from v.Nu in various tools, including 
editors such as Oxygen. But the implementation-specific nature of the 
required datatype library irks me; it's proven to be a barrier, or at 
least a nuisance.

I decided to experiment with the v.Nu REST API (HTTP interface): no need 
for an external datatype library, because it's bound into v.Nu. You get 
the full benefit of v.Nu validation (including Schematron), not just the 
RELAX NG schemas. And, as long as the HTTP interface is still supported, 
it doesn't matter if the underlying validation technology used by v.Nu 
moves away from a RELAX NG schemas.

Based on those experiments, I have developed and published a linter 
provider for the Atom editor that uses the v.Nu REST API:

https://atom.io/packages/linter-vnu

If you're interested in editing (X)HTML, watch the animated GIF on that 
page showing on-the-fly validation.

I have decided not to pursue creating (or rather, creating and then 
maintaining) editor/tool-specific datatype libraries based on the 
definitions in v.Nu. I'm going to leave that to the developers of each 
editor/tool.

If the Oxygen developers judge it to be worthwhile to support validation 
of (X)HTML using (what a member of the v.Nu development team describes as) 
the "canonical" schemas, then they can provide a datatype library (.jar) 
that works with Oxygen. It's up to them; their choice. (Or up to 
individual Oxygen users who want to do this.) I hope that the related work 
I've done, documented at:

https://github.com/unsoup/validator

will prove useful.

Alternatively, the Oxygen developers could consider using the v.Nu REST 
API, as I've done for the Atom editor.

Graham Hannington

Fundi Software Pty Ltd  2016  ABN 89 009 120 290


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