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(Raised by Frans Englich on the xsl-list at mulberrytech) We don't seem to have any rule that says what should happen if you write $x cast as xdt:anyAtomicType One would think it should fail, because xdt:anyAtomicType is abstract - except that we no longer seem to say anywhere that xdt:anyAtomicType is abstract. Saxon 8.4 allows this expression through, because if ($x instance of T) is true then it treats ($x cast as T) as a no-op. Michael Kay
It should not be allowed. This could be one reason to re-introduce the notion of abstract types (together with xs:NOTATION).
The WGs decided on the joint call on July 12, 2005 to add wording to section 17.1 of the F&O harmonizing with the wording in the XQuery/XPath documents to clarify that casting is not permitted to xdt:anyAtomic type and error XPST0080 is raised if it is attempted.