Item description data in XML (XML)

[Gregor Hagedorn]

In the separate post "Markup of text descriptions Vs. structured data
(GEN)" I suggested that we need to distinguish between markup and
data.

Markup would be:

<leaf>leaves usually obovate, 3 cm long</leaf>

or

<leaf>leaves usually <shape>obovate</shape>, <length>3 cm<length>
long</leaf>


Don suggested to encode the data element like:

<leaf shape="obovate" length_mm="31"/>

     (NB: Please read the hardcoded namespace as an example only, see
          my separate "(GEN) Schema independence" post)

As far as I understand XML, these attributes would be automatically
hidden from view, which is fine for the markup purpose. However, I
would prefer a coding method, which would allow comprehensive use of
XML for the data definition part as well.

Probably a stylesheet could determine whether only the free text with
hidden markup is visible, only the data, or both?

Any ideas, perhaps any technical suggestions, how to achieve that?

Gregor
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