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 ---------------------------------------------------------- Inst. for Plant Virology, Microbiology, and Biosafety Federal Research Center for Agriculture and Forestry (BBA) Gregor Hagedorn Net: G.Hagedorn@bba.de Koenigin-Luise-Str. 19 Tel: +49-30-8304-2220 14195 Berlin, Germany Fax: +49-30-8304-2203

Often wrong but never in doubt!