ISSUE-2082

attributeType auto

attributeType auto

State:

CLOSED

Product:

SVG 1.2 Tiny: Last Call

Raised by:

Doug Schepers

Opened on:

2008-10-01

Description:

Dr. Olaf Hoffmann
<http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-svg/2008Oct/0002.html>:
[[
in 16.2.5 attributeType auto is defined:

##
"auto"
The implementation should match the 'attributeName' to an attribute for the
target element. 
The implementation must first search through its list of supported CSS
properties for a matching property name (all properties supported by the
implementation, not just those defined by SVG), and if none is found, search
the default XML namespace for the element.
##

1. Surprising (already in SVG 1.1) in comparison with the types XML and CSS
is, that it is not explictly required, that 'The attribute must be defined as
animatable in this specification'.
Is this intended? My guess is not, especially because for any attribute or
property is anyway already mentioned, whether it is animatable or not. 
However that this is mentioned for XML and CSS, but not for auto is
inconsistent and a little bit confusing for the reader.

2. If for example a viewer like Opera supports CSS:width and CSS:height, 
the definition seems to suggest, that in case of attributeType auto there is
no visible animation effect for SVG:width and SVG:height, because as far as I
understand CSS:width and CSS:height have no effect on the SVG elements,
SVG:width and SVG:height are applicable for.
My impression is, that this is neither useful nor intended.

Taking into account 1. and 2. especially '(all properties supported by the
implementation, not just those defined by SVG)' results in a situation, 
where it is not predictable for an author anymore, whether an animation 
will have a visible/intended effect in (later) implementations or not, because
the author cannot completely predict, which properties outside of SVG any
viewer may support, which may collide with the name of an SVG attribute,
therefore attributeType auto or no specified attributeType becomes useless 
or even unpredictable for authors.
Assuming that this is not intended, this should be avoided/clarified/fixed in 
the draft.
]]

Related Actions Items:

• ACTION-2289 on Anthony Grasso to Draft a response for ISSUE-2082 - due 2008-10-17, closed

Related emails:

1. SVG/profiles/1.2T doc-svgt12.html,NONE,1.1 (from cvsmail@w3.org on 2008-10-28)
2. Minutes, 24 Oct 2008 SVG f2f (from chris@w3.org on 2008-10-27)
3. New wording for @attributeType (from cam@mcc.id.au on 2008-10-23)
4. Re: [1.2T-LC] attributeType auto (ISSUE-2082) (from Dr.O.Hoffmann@gmx.de on 2008-10-16)
5. Re: [1.2T-LC] attributeType auto (ISSUE-2082) (from anthony.grasso@cisra.canon.com.au on 2008-10-16)
6. SVG/profiles/1.2T/publish animate.html,1.100,1.101 coords.html,1.95,1.96 single-page.html,1.116,1.117 (from cvsmail@w3.org on 2008-10-16)
7. SVG/profiles/1.2T/master coords.html,1.106,1.107 (from cvsmail@w3.org on 2008-10-16)
8. SVG/profiles/1.2T/master animate.html,1.122,1.123 (from cvsmail@w3.org on 2008-10-16)
9. Minutes, SVG telcon Tuesday 14 October 2008 (from anthony.grasso@cisra.canon.com.au on 2008-10-14)
10. Re: [1.2T-LC] attributeType auto (ISSUE-2082) (from Dr.O.Hoffmann@gmx.de on 2008-10-13)
11. Re: [1.2T-LC] attributeType auto (ISSUE-2082) (from anthony.grasso@cisra.canon.com.au on 2008-10-13)
12. Minutes, SVG telcon Friday 10 October 2008 (from anthony.grasso@cisra.canon.com.au on 2008-10-10)
13. Minutes, SVG telcon Thursday 9 October 2008 (from anthony.grasso@cisra.canon.com.au on 2008-10-09)
14. Re: [1.2T-LC] attributeType auto (ISSUE-2082) (from schepers@w3.org on 2008-10-01)
15. ISSUE-2082 (attributeType auto): attributeType auto [Last Call: SVG 1.2 Tiny ] (from sysbot+tracker@w3.org on 2008-10-01)

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