PFIF 1.1 specified a fixed order for the fields in each record.
PFIF 1.2 relaxed this, requiring certain fields to be first and then allowing the rest to be in any order.
I am now feeling that this was a stupid mistake on my part, for two reasons:
1. The field order constraint in PFIF 1.2 cannot be expressed in XSD, so PFIF 1.2 cannot be validated against an XML Schema.
2. It is easier to work with conversions to/from CSV, spreadsheets, or other formats if the fields are in a fixed order.
Therefore, I propose that PFIF 1.3 return to specifying a fixed field order, consisting of the fields in PFIF 1.1, followed by the new fields in PFIF 1.2, followed by any other new fields.
Any feedback on this?
—Ping
Google Crisis Response