Allow tokens in xsl:mode/@name

[yamahito]

A minor request:

I find I often want to re-use the same behaviours across modes, or use related modes across similar content.

In the xsl:template and xsl:apply-templates, we can use a space separated list of mode names: it would be convenient if I could do the same thing in xsl:mode instructions.

[michaelhkay]

You mean something like

<xsl:mode name="a" on-no-match="fail" />
<xsl:mode name="b" on-no-match="deep-skip"/>
<xsl:mode name="a b" typed="no"/>

with some rule for combining the multiple declarations as with xsl:output and xsl:decimal-format?

Having a list of names on a single declaration would be a departure from current practice and the implications would need working through; we currently have cases where we allow multiple declarations for one component, but not the other way around.

[yamahito]

I was thinking more like

<xsl:mode name="a b" on-no-match="fail"/>
<xsl:mode name="c d" on-no-match="deep-skip"/>

rather than allowing for combinations.

[michaelhkay]

I guess the semantics aren't actually that complex; we just define

<xsl:mode name="a b" on-no-match="fail"/>
as an abbreviation for

<xsl:mode name="a" on-no-match="fail"/>
<xsl:mode name="b" on-no-match="fail"/>

But it's not at all clear to me that it's really a usability improvement.

[michaelhkay]

On balance, I think the complexity exceeds the benefits, and I'm going to propose closing with no action.

[yamahito]

Sad face :(

But understandable.