What is a "data object" in W3C terminology ?

[Ludovic Kuty]

Hi,

I am trying to define exactly what is an XML document. I know what it
is of course but for the sake of accuracy, I would like to understand
well the term "data object" used in the last XML recommendation (5th).
Before diving into entities, infoset and the likes.

We can read that "Extensible Markup Language, abbreviated XML,
describes a class of data objects called XML documents" in the 1st
section called "Introduction" or that "Definition: A data object is an
XML document if it is well-formed" in the 2nd section called
"Documents".

Does "data object" mean simply "something" or "something digital" or
has it a more precise meaning than that ?

TIA,

Ludovic Kuty

[Martin Honnen]

There is an "annotated specification":
http://www.xml.com/axml/testaxml.htm

That says:
What Do You Mean By "Data Object?"

Good question. The point is that an XML document is sometimes a file,
sometimes a record in a relational database, sometimes an object
delivered by an Object Request Broker, and sometimes a stream of bytes
arriving at a network socket.

These can all be described as "data objects".

--

Martin Honnen
http://msmvps.com/blogs/martin_honnen/

[The Magpie]

Ludovic Kuty wrote:
>
> [snip]

>
> Does "data object" mean simply "something" or "something digital" or
> has it a more precise meaning than that ?
>

Technically, Ludovic, a data object means any single and
self-contained stream of bytes (which can be a file, a data output
from a relational or other database or even a transmitted string of
text over the internet) which contains *only* the data upon which
operations might be carried out and which does *not* contain the
operations which may be carried out upon the data.

In short, it is a "piece of information" kept as a single unit.

[Ludovic Kuty]

Thanks for your answers