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zero-digit
- To: xsl-list at mulberrytech dot com
- Subject: zero-digit
- From: Elliotte Rusty Harold <elharo at metalab dot unc dot edu>
- Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 11:09:19 -0500
- Cc: xsl-editors at w3 dot org
- Reply-To: xsl-list at mulberrytech dot com
It strikes me that the text describing the zero-digit attribute of
the xsl:decimal-format element in the XSLT 1.0 spec may be wrong.
What is stated in Section 12.3 is:
zero-digit specifies the character used as the digit zero; the
default value is the digit zero (0)
The issues with this:
1. Why can we specify 0 but not 1 through 9?
2. Changing the character used for 0 is not allowed by the
java.text.DecimalFormat class after which format-number and
xsl:decimal-format is modeled. ()
On the other hand, 0 is a special character used in decimal format
patterns by java.text.DecimalFormat, just like # is. The # character
represents a digit which IS NOT printed when it's an insignificant
zero. The 0 represents a digit that IS printed if it's an
insignificant zero. Otherwise 0 and # are the same. I think it is
this use of 0 in decimal format patterns that was intended for the
zero-digit attribute of xsl:decimal-number.
Assuming this analysis is correct, I think an erratum needs to be
published for XSLT 1.0. This erratum should delete the current bullet
point "zero-digit specifies the character used as the digit zero; the
default value is the digit zero (0)" It should add the following
bullet point to the list of "The following attributes control the
interpretation of characters in the format pattern:
zero-digit specifies the character used for a zero digit in the
format pattern; the default value is the zero character (0)
--
+-----------------------+------------------------+-------------------+
| Elliotte Rusty Harold | elharo@metalab.unc.edu | Writer/Programmer |
+-----------------------+------------------------+-------------------+
| The XML Bible (IDG Books, 1999) |
| http://metalab.unc.edu/xml/books/bible/ |
| http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0764532367/cafeaulaitA/ |
+----------------------------------+---------------------------------+
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