[Rets-dev] RETS 1.x Cleanup: XML metadata extesions, using XML namespaces

[Peter Williams]

If a server seeks to deliver a UA-proprietary extension, via RETS
GETMETADATA, that happens to be a specified to use XML namespaces, we
should be clear that - I believe - elements and attributes within an
EXTENSION or PROPIETARY element tags may be associated with namespaces
identified by URI references.

http://www.w3.org/TR/2006/REC-xml-names-20060816 

http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/REC-xml-20040204/

In terms of cleanup, it should be stated that lack of ability to
"understand" one or more namespaces is a basis for a UA to ignore a
metadata extension or proprietary metadata.

==============================

Quote 1.

"Clients requesting metadata in XML format MUST ignore any <EXTENSION>
or
<PROPRIETARY> elements that they do not understand."


Quote 2.

"RETS 1.7 requires all server responses to be well-formed XML, and
additionally requires
GetMetadata responses to be valid XML. In addition, RETS requires that
clients parse server
responses as XML, not as simple text streams. The response formats shown
here are normative
with respect to content, but not normative with respect to form. That
is, servers are free to produce
response XML in any format that complies with the W3C XML 1.0
recommendation, so long as it is
valid with respect to the appropriate DTD. XML escaping of content is
implied, as is XML
processing of whitespace and line endings. See the W3C XML
Recommendation 1.0, Third Edition"

If there are any other relevant quotes, on this issue, please let me
know.