Real World XML

XPointer Abbreviations

Because it's so common to refer to elements by location or ID, XPointer adds a few abbreviated forms of reference. Here's an example; suppose that you wanted to locate Venus's <DAY> element:

<?xml version="1.0"?> 
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xml" href="planets.xsl"?>
<PLANETS>

    <PLANET>
        <NAME>Mercury</NAME>
        <MASS UNITS="(Earth = 1)">.0553</MASS>
        <DAY UNITS="days">58.65</DAY>
        <RADIUS UNITS="miles">1516</RADIUS>
        <DENSITY UNITS="(Earth = 1)">.983</DENSITY>
        <DISTANCE UNITS="million miles">43.4</DISTANCE><!--At perihelion-->
    </PLANET>

    <PLANET>
        <NAME>Venus</NAME>
        <MASS UNITS="(Earth = 1)">.815</MASS>
        <DAY UNITS="days">116.75</DAY> <RADIUS UNITS="miles">3716</RADIUS> <DENSITY UNITS="(Earth = 1)">.943</DENSITY> <DISTANCE UNITS="million ...