XML Base Specification Errata

E04: (Various sections)

It is proposed to make the following amendments:

1. switch the definition of URI reference from RFC2396 to 3986;

2. redescribe xml:base attributes as XML resource identifiers (a new term introduced in XLink 1.1);

3. encourage implementations to return base "URIs" without escaping non-URI characters;

4. clarify the meaning of xml:base="" and xml:base="#frag".

Since these involve edits throughout the document, the XML Core WG is publishing an editor's draft for public review. After possible further modifications in light of comments received, the group expects to request publication as a PER.

E03: Section 4.2

Add the following paragraph to the end of Section 4.2:

The base URI of an element bearing an xml:base attribute with a value that is not a valid URI reference is application dependent.

E02: Section 4.3

Replace the Note with the following:

Note:

The presence of xml:base attributes might lead to unexpected results in the case where the attribute value is provided, not directly in the XML document entity, but via a default attribute. For instance, such a declaration in an external entity might not be read by software which is based on a non-validating XML processor. Defaulting attributes through an external mechanism such as XML Schema may also lead to unexpected results; even if a validating processor is used by the application, the addition of defaulted attributes subsequent to creation of the infoset can cause xml:base attributes to get out of sync with the [base URI] infoset property. For these reasons, xml:base values should be provided either directly in the XML document instance or via default attributes declared in the internal subset of the DTD.

E01: Section 4.2

Add the word "entity" to the second bullet point, as follows:

2. the base URI of the element's parent element within the document entity or external entity, if one exists, otherwise