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Subject: RE: [dita] hyphens and file names
On Mon, 21 Feb 2005, Esrig, Bruce (Bruce) wrote:
> Robin,
>
> Thanks for the pointers. The naming conventions thread is interesting.
>
> The more recent document, OASIS Artifact Naming Guidelines, uses hyphens
> for major divisions, and underscores for minor divisions. If camelCase
> is acceptable for minor divisions, then underscores would be unnecessary.
Excellent point, headed in the same direction apparently as Dana
Spradley's message [1].
The most recent (?) public version of the OASIS Artifact Naming Guidelines
[2] does not expose the set of formal requirements being implemented in
the OASIS specification, so it's not obvious why the EBNF prescribes
LOALPHA and DIGIT as the only allowable characters in all contexts governed by
the specification. I can think of contexts (especially in cases of
filenames and URLs) where one might want to allow upper-case characters
and camel case.
I noted in a recent article about the Naming and Design Rules
(NDR) documents published by OASIS, UN/CEFACT, and Navy CIO [3]
that all three NDRs in fact prescribe the use of camel case in
connection with naming components; this would seem potentially
relevant to naming OASIS "artifacts." The UBL NDR specifically
mentions concerns for "readability" and "semantic clarity" as
justification for use of camel case to mark juncture for
closed compounds. [4]
>
> The earlier document, Proposed Rules for OASIS Document File Naming
> (ed. Eve Maler), is much less enthusiastic about underscores, leaving
> them as an option but not a recommended option. In RFC 2119 language,
> I'd use "should not" or "not recommended" with regard to underscores.
Yep. I've already stated my agreement with Deborah Aleyne Lapeyre's
arguments against underscores in URLs, but I realize there may be
legitimate difference of opinion, depending upon the underlying
requirements.
>
> Quotation from Proposed Rules ...> Hyphens are recommended between
> words within the description and extended description portions, though
> underscores may be used. Hyphens are preferred because they are easier
> to see in displayed URIs and easier to type.
That's from Eve Maler's early draft document, I think, not from the OASIS
document of October 25th...
>
> Instead, how about ...> Hyphens are recommended between words within
> the description and extended description portions. For minor
> punctuation, meaning punctuation that is more closely binding than
> hyphens, camelCase is recommended and underscores are not recommended.
> [?? rationale ??:] Compared with underscores, hyphens are easier to
> see in displayed URIs and are easier to type. camelCase is normalized
> away in some contexts, so when it is used, names should be chosen to
> be unambiguous even when reduced to a single case.
If the draft OASIS document is put up for public review, that will be
a key opportunity for you and others on this list to provide input
(and argumentation) of this kind.
I must clarify in this context that despite my email address domain
'oasis-open.org', I am not commenting as an official representative
of OASIS administration.
Mary McRae is the OASIS contact person for this list, and questions
about OASIS norms should be directed to her.
Mary's coordinates:
Mary P McRae
OASIS
Manager of TC Administration
email: mary.mcrae@oasis-open.org
web: www.oasis-open.org <http://www.oasis-open.org/>
phone: 603.232.9090
cell: 603.557.7985
- Robin Cover
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Bruce Esrig
>
> ===
>
> Postscript: Kavi is a marvelous facility, but I was thinking something much more mundane. Just a misunderstanding between people: "Could you please post this?" "How's this?" "Oh, why use underscores in the URL?"
[1] http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/dita/200502/msg00033.html
[2] http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/chairs/200410/msg00056.html
[3] http://xml.coverpages.org/ni2005-01-31-a.html
"XML Naming and Design Rules Specifications Published by OASIS,
UN/CEFACT, and Navy CIO"
[4] OASIS UBL NDR document (excerpts):
http://xml.coverpages.org/UBL-NDRv10-Rev1c.pdf
xsd - represents W3C XML Schema Definition Language.
If a concept, the words will be in upper camel case,
and if a construct, they will be in lower camel case.
XML is case sensitive. Consistency in the use of case
for a specific XML component (element, attribute, type)
is essential to ensure every occurrence of a component
is treated as the same. This is especially true in a
business-based data-centric environment such as
what is being addressed by UBL. Additionally, the use
of visualization mechanisms such as capitalization
techniques assist in ease of readability and ensure
consistency in application and semantic clarity. The
ebXML architecture document specifies a standard use
of upper and lower camel case for expressing XML
elements and attributes respectively. UBL will adhere
to the ebXML standard. Specifically, UBL element and
type names will be in UpperCamelCase (UCC).
[GNR8] The UpperCamelCase (UCC) convention MUST be
used for naming elements and types.
UBL attribute names will be in lowerCamelCase (LCC).
[GNR9] The lowerCamelCase (LCC) convention MUST be
used for naming attributes.
>
>