Re: XML Schema, and related topics

[Jody Goldberg <jody gnome org>]

Damn, I'd forgotten all about this and left in my pending pile.

On Wed, Nov 24, 2004 at 06:00:29PM +0000, David J Craigon wrote:
> Question:
> Is the XML Schema in the tarball kept up to date? It's not got the right 
> version number in it.

Yes and no.
It is not entirely up to date, but not much has actually changed.
We've worked hard to keep the format the same.  With the exception
of the sheet objects changes are minor.
 
> Opinion (AKA newcomer sticks oar in, looks foolish):
> I think I read in the archive somewhere that you wanted to make the 
> parsing of the XML "more flexible". I think this would be a bad idea. In 
> fact, if it were up to me, I'd keep the XML Schema up to date, check the 
> gnumeric files against the schema, and die horribly if they didn't 
> match. I think the pain of dealing with non-conforming gnumeric files is 
> not worth it. It's especially unfair on other spreadsheets trying to 
> read your files- not only do they have to emulate your file format, they 
> also have to emulate all the quirks you accept, in the same way as you 
> accept them (see all web browsers, ever).

The intention is to allow users to store extra data for some of the
key objects in the system.  Things like adding an extra subtree to a
cell as baggage.  There's a fairly reasonable usecase for it.  As
you point out that would require weakening validation of files.

We tend to err on the side of permissivness, and recovery.  Users
tend to prefer that their data is retrieved, no matter what the app
things of the file.   I understand the intent of being strict, but
it has periodically been over ridden by the needs of the user.

The .gnumeric format is showing it's age.  There are certainly
things I'd do differently now that we have more experience.  We'll
definitely have to spruce things up a bit during 1.5.x

PS
    we just updated the schema somewhat based on some checking from
    Montel Laurent (kspread developer) as he used it for their
    gnumeric import filters.