1512 2005-06-29 14:03:08 +0000 editorial suggestion for fn:min and fn:max 2007-02-25 23:40:16 +0000 1 1 1 Unclassified XPath / XQuery / XSLT Functions and Operators 1.0 Last Call drafts All All CLOSED FIXED P2 minor --- 1 joannet ashok.malhotra public-qt-comments oldest_to_newest 4379 0 joannet 2005-06-29 14:03:08 +0000 What should be the result of evaluating the following XPath expression? fn:max((xs:integer('10'), xs:float('1'))) instance of xs:integer The description of fn:max says that it "Selects an item from the input sequence $arg whose value is greater than or equal to the value of every other item in the input sequence." It goes on to say that "For numeric values, the numeric promotion rules defined in 6.2 Operators on Numeric Values are used to promote all values to a single common type." Does the function return the promoted value that is greatest, or does it return the item from the original sequence whose promoted value is greatest? The following example appears under fn:min. It seems to indicate that the promoted value should be returned, but so far as I can tell, the descriptions of fn:min and fn:max don't state that explicitly. fn:min((5, 5.0e0)) returns 5.0e0 I believe the intention of the WG is to return the promoted value, and that the description of fn:min and fn:max should be clear that an item from the converted sequence (instead of the input sequence) should be returned. I also noticed that the rules listed in the description of fn:max are disorganized. I suggest the following replacement text for fn:max (and similarly for fn:min) starting from the second paragraph to the link 7.3.1 Collations. ---------------------------------------------------------- The following rules may be applicable to the input sequence. If a resulting sequence exists after applying these rules, then it is referred to as the converted sequence. This function would then return an item from the converted sequence rather than the input sequence. The items in the converted sequence may be reordered in an arbitrary order. · Any values of type xdt:untypedAtomic in the input sequence $arg are cast to xs:double. · For numeric values, the numeric promotion rules defined in 6.2 Operators on Numeric Values are used to promote all values to a single common type. · Duration values must either all be xdt:yearMonthDuration values or must all be xdt:dayTimeDuration values. · All items in $arg must be numeric or derived from a single base type for which the gt operator is defined. In addition, the values in the sequence must have a total order. · If any of these conditions is not met, then a type error is raised [err:FORG0006]. In addition, the following rules may be applicable to the input or converted sequence: · If the sequence is empty, the empty sequence is returned. · If date/time values do not have a timezone, they are considered to have the implicit timezone provided by the dynamic context for purposes of comparison. · If the sequence contains the value NaN, the value NaN is returned. · If the items in the value of $arg are of type xs:string or types derived by restriction from xs:string, then the determination of the item with the largest value is made according to the collation that is used. If the type of the items in $arg is not xs:string and $collation is specified, the collation is ignored. · The collation used by the invocation of this function is determined according to the rules in 7.3.1 Collations. ... ---------------------------------------------------------- Thanks, Joanne 4410 1 ashok.malhotra 2005-07-01 14:07:28 +0000 Thank you, Joanne! I have clarified the wording for fn:min and fn:max taking your suggestions into account. 14133 2 jim.melton 2007-02-25 23:40:16 +0000 Closing bug because commenter has not objected to the resolution posted and more than two weeks have passed.