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  1. OASIS Open Document Format for Office Applications (OpenDocument) TC
  2. OFFICE-3025 Public Comment: Suggestion to ODF 1.2 from Danks Standard
  3. OFFICE-3026

Public Comment: Part 1 3.10.2 <config:config-item-set> too loose

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    Details

    • Type: Sub-task
    • Status: Applied
    • Priority: Major
    • Resolution: Fixed
    • Affects Version/s: ODF 1.2 CD 05
    • Fix Version/s: ODF 1.2 CD 06
    • Component/s: General, Public Review
    • Labels:
      None
    • Proposal:
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      To 3.10.2 <config:config-item-set>:
      Add the following text:

      "An ODF Consumer shall use <config:config-item-set> elements to alter application behavior only within the dimensions of variability permitted by this standard"

      Also add an informative note to section 2 of:

      Hazaël-Massieux, Dominique and Lynne Rosenthal, "Variability in Specifications", W3C (2005), http://www.w3.org/TR/spec-variability/

      Show
      To 3.10.2 <config:config-item-set>: Add the following text: "An ODF Consumer shall use <config:config-item-set> elements to alter application behavior only within the dimensions of variability permitted by this standard" Also add an informative note to section 2 of: Hazaël-Massieux, Dominique and Lynne Rosenthal, "Variability in Specifications", W3C (2005), http://www.w3.org/TR/spec-variability/
    • Resolution:
      Hide

      To 3.10.1 <office:settings> General
      Add the following text:

      "An ODF Consumer shall use application settings to alter application behavior only within the dimensions of variability permitted by this standard."

      Note: See [Variability] for variability in specifications.

      To 19.31 config:name make the following adjustments:

      Change "iapplication" to "application" in the first paragraph (if not already corrected by the editor).

      change "should" to "shall" in the second paragraph.

      Also add an informative note to section 2 of:

      [Variability] Dominique Hazaël-Massieux, Lynne Rosenthal, Variability in Specifications, http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/NOTE-spec-variability-20050831/, W3C, 2005.

      Show
      To 3.10.1 <office:settings> General Add the following text: "An ODF Consumer shall use application settings to alter application behavior only within the dimensions of variability permitted by this standard." Note: See [Variability] for variability in specifications. To 19.31 config:name make the following adjustments: Change "iapplication" to "application" in the first paragraph (if not already corrected by the editor). change "should" to "shall" in the second paragraph. Also add an informative note to section 2 of: [Variability] Dominique Hazaël-Massieux, Lynne Rosenthal, Variability in Specifications, http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/NOTE-spec-variability-20050831/ , W3C, 2005.

      Description

      The description is in the first attachment in the public comment posted at
      <http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/office/201006/msg00071.html>

      The complete posted comment:
      <quote>
      The text describing the usage of config-item-sets has changed from ODF 1.1 to ODF 1.2 . It used to give examples of data to store in the config-item-sets, but these examples have been removed.

      Problem:

      In ODF 1.1 it was clear that the <config-item-set>-element was intended to be used to store application specific information such as zoom level and printer settings. So the element should be used to store settings that did not impact document layout nor document functionality. I would imagine that the reason for this element was to allow applications to store their individual settings as printer choice etc in the document - while still making sure that interoperability was not hurt (since these settings did not affect the document itself).

      However - this intention has somewhat failed, since not all vendors use this element exclusively for this purpose and several strategies for extending ODF has since emerged

      An example of "improper" extension of ODF (usage of <config-item-set>-element):
      OpenOffice.org stores a large number of settings that directly affect the document layout. These settings include (but are not limited to) "UseFormerLineSpacing", "AddParaTableSpacingAtStart",
      "IsKernAsianPunctuation", "CharacterCompressionType" etc. This is not the intended usage of the <config-item-set>-element since it directly affects the content of the document.

      An example of "proper" extension of ODF (usage of ODF extension mechanisms):
      Gnumeric defines a list of extensions to (primarily) ODF spreadsheets using the extension mechanisms of ODF. These include (but are not limited to) "gnm:GnmVAlign", "gnm:diagonal-bl-tr-line-style", "gnm:format-magic" etc. These are extensions to the functionality of ODF documents and they correctly use the extension mechanisms of ODF to do so.

      Further, ODF 1.2 introduces the notion of "extended documents" and this makes it even more important to be able to distinguish between documents that are extended and those that are not.

      Proposed solution:

      I propose to add the following to the specification:

      To 3.10.2 <config:config-item-set>:
      Add the following text:

      "The setting elements SHALL not contain settings that directly impact document functionality and SHALL not contain settings that impact document layout. Application settings that impact document functionality or impact document layout SHALL use the machanisms described in 21
      "Document Processing".

      Alternatively, add normatory, explanatory text to section 22.3.2 "OpenDocument Extended producers" clearly saying that any application using the <config:config-item-set>-element to store settings that affect document layout or functionality SHALL be labelled as an "Extended producer".

      Alternatively, add normatory, explanatory text to section 22.2.2 and 22.3.2:

      Documents using config-item-sets SHALL be of conformance class "OpenDocument extended documents" and Applications creating documents using config-item-sets SHALL be of conformance class "OpenDocument extended producers".
      </quote>

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            • Assignee:
              michael.brauer Michael Brauer (Inactive)
              Reporter:
              orcmid Dennis Hamilton (Inactive)
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              Dates

              • Created:
                Updated:
                Resolved: