#IMPLIED 1

[Skittle]

Can anybody explain to me the function of '#IMPLIED' on the DTD attribute definition line below? The Element is called 'child' and the attribute is 'gender' with a value of 'female' or 'male' but I don't understand the '#IMPLIED'.

<!ATTLIST child gender (female ¦ male ) #IMPLIED>




Dazed and confused

 

[ChrisHunt]

It means the attribute is optional, the opposite of #REQUIRED.

I don't know why the powers-that-be chose the word "IMPLIED" instead of something more obvious. I suppose it means (to the prospective writer of the XML document) "You don't have to give a value to this attribute. If you miss it out, an appropriate value will be implied by the recipient".

-- Chris Hunt

http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk

http://www.napitalia.org.uk

http://www.leicesteryha.org.uk

 

[Skittle]

Many thanks.

Dazed and confused