[sword-devel] Question about use of note elements

[Andrew Thule]

One benefit of having markup is that rendering mark-up is left to the
client.  Even so, I'm looking at notes in Xiphos, Bibletime and
Alkitab and each treats them slightly different ways.

For example the following note <note n="+"><reference
type="source">8:15</reference></note> is rendered in:
Xiphos as superscript link "*n%2B" (with contents of the note treated
as footnote)
Bibletime as hover link "+" (with the contents of the note in a window
to the left of the main text)
Alkitab as superscript flat text as "+" (with the contents of the note
visible in a column to the left of the main text)

Of the three the Alkitab approach seems to be most in line with what
the OSIS manual says (about keeping notes inline).  The Xiphos
behavior complete perplexes me - how is *n%2B constructed?  If a
superscript is going to be generated, how can I influence that in the
module?

This note with out a reference  <note type="study">the light from…:
Heb. between the light and between the darkness</note> is rendered in:
Xiphos as superscript link "*n2" (with contents of the note treated as footnote)
Bibletime as hover link * (with the contents of the note in a window
to the left of the main text)
Alkitab as a superscript 'a' (with the contents of the note visible in
a column to the left of the main text)

The OSIS2 Manual says a little about notes on page 44 section 8.3 but
points out that notes are not sharply defined.  Certainly the
treatment of them by clients reflects this.  So this raises a question
for OSIS module developers: Doesn't this represent somewhat of a
weakness with the OSIS standard?  What exceptions can we have with
respect to notes containing other elements, for example references
with in notes? Doesn't it seems the module developer is at the mercy
of client program a bit too much because of something of a lack of
clarity on the part of the standard?

~Andrew