This was permitted in an early draft of the XML spec, and (IIRC) in the
first Microsoft XML parsers. I remember a client threatening to sue
Microsoft when the spec changed and Microsoft withdrew the capability.

There were of course legitimate arguments on both sides at that stage - the
facility is good or bad depending on your requirements.

At this stage of the game, forget it. The costs of tinkering at the edges of
XML far exceed the benefits, as the XML 1.1 fiasco demonstrates all too
clearly.

Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Melvin Chin [mailto:mc@S...] 
> Sent: 18 August 2006 09:32
> To: XML-Dev
> Subject: [xml-dev] Generic XML Tag Closer </> (GXTC)
> 
> May I seek some opinions on this topic/proposal?
> 
> ===================================================================
> To extend XML spec just a little to permit use of "</>" 
> (GXTC) to be placed wherever it is permitted in the current 
> XML spec to place a closing tag.  The semantics will be to 
> effect a closing of the nearest open tag before the position of GXTC.
> ===================================================================
> 
> Any opinion is fine, useful, crazy, nonsense, should be done, 
> must not coz it's going to break many things ...
> 
> I could see some good use of it, but do note the deep 
> potential impact it may bring.  Would like to hear from you.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> cheers,
> mc
> 
> 
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