30074 2017-03-09 16:08:02 +0000 Instruction for creating arrays 2017-04-03 18:12:58 +0000 1 1 1 Unclassified XPath / XQuery / XSLT XSLT 3.0 Candidate Recommendation PC All CLOSED LATER P2 normal --- 1 mike mike sca.w3c public-qt-comments oldest_to_newest 128480 0 mike 2017-03-09 16:08:02 +0000 From Max Toro on public-qt-comments: I'm curious why there's no instruction for creating arrays in XSLT 3.0, but there is for maps and entries. -- Max Toro 128481 1 mike 2017-03-09 16:15:28 +0000 Personal response. This is an unfortunate result of timing. In our efforts to get the spec finished, we put a freeze on new features and decided not to support XPath 3.1. Later, as it appeared that XPath 3.1 was making good progress, we allowed XSLT 3.0 processors to support 3.1, but did not make it mandatory, and did not add any explicit XSLT capability to support XPath 3.1 extensions such as arrays. Instructions to create arrays would definitely be "nice to have" and in Saxon I will be plugging the gap with saxon:array and saxon:array-member extension instructions. But I'm afraid we really have to ship the spec now; as with a software project, the more features you add the more you risk never getting the thing out of the door. 128515 2 sca.w3c 2017-03-29 20:18:48 +0000 Thank you for your comment. Michaels response is correct that this is a result of timing, but he makes it sound as if we considered doing arrays in XSLT. Individuals may have wanted to add this feature but our efforts were focused on Maps and JSON conversion. In 2011, I chaired a "SWAT" team from the joint Working Groups to see if we could resolve differences that inhibited getting a clean design that would work for both groups, again with the focus on maps and JSON. The XSLT WG did not have an advocate to include arrays in XSLT. Since the work on XSLT 3.0 and XPath 3.1 took considerable effort and time, those members who wanted array functionality could get this feature through the XPath 3.1. optional feature in XSLT 3.0. From the time of Last Call to CR the last few years we could not attempt to add such a significant feature.