[x3d-public] Request for X3D encoding comment output from X3DPSAIL

John Carlson yottzumm at gmail.com
Mon Jan 5 11:18:47 PST 2026 

Another stylesheet try from Claude.ai to defeat newlines inside attribute
values, yet make other newlines in comments into single line comments.

<xsl:stylesheet version="2.0" xmlns:xsl="
http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">

<!-- Identity template: copy everything as-is -->
<xsl:template match="@*|node()">
<xsl:copy>
<xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()"/>
</xsl:copy>
</xsl:template>

<!-- Handle comments -->
<xsl:template match="comment()">
<xsl:choose>
<!-- Check if comment contains attribute-like patterns with quotes -->
<xsl:when test="matches(.,
'[''"][^''"]*\n[^''"]*[''"]')">
<!-- Has newlines inside quoted strings - normalize as single comment -->
<xsl:comment>
<xsl:value-of select="normalize-space(.)"/>
</xsl:comment>
</xsl:when>
<xsl:otherwise>
<!-- Safe to split into multiple single-line comments -->
<xsl:for-each select="tokenize(., '\n')">
<xsl:if test="normalize-space(.) != ''">
<xsl:comment>
<xsl:value-of select="normalize-space(.)"/>
</xsl:comment>
</xsl:if>
</xsl:for-each>
</xsl:otherwise>
</xsl:choose>
</xsl:template>

</xsl:stylesheet>

Probably not perfect yet.  I’m not sure if this attempt to handle multiple
newlines inside a out attribute inside an element inside a comment is
different or not.

<xsl:stylesheet version="2.0" xmlns:xsl="
http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"> <!-- Identity template: copy
everything as-is --> <xsl:template match="@*|node()"> <xsl:copy>
<xsl:apply-templates
select="@*|node()"/></xsl:copy> </xsl:template> <!-- Handle comments
--> <xsl:template
match="comment()"> <xsl:choose> <!-- Check if comment contains
attribute-like patterns with quotes --> <xsl:when test="matches(.,
'[''"][^''"]*\n[^''"]*[''"]')"> <!-- Has newlines
inside quoted strings - normalize as single comment --> <xsl:comment>
<xsl:value-of
select="normalize-space(.)"/> </xsl:comment> </xsl:when> <xsl:otherwise> <!--
Safe to split into multiple single-line comments --> <xsl:for-each
select="tokenize(., '\n')"> <xsl:if test="normalize-space(.) != ''">
<xsl:comment> <xsl:value-of select="normalize-space(.)"/> </xsl:comment>
</xsl:if> </xsl:for-each> </xsl:otherwise> </xsl:choose></xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

On the surface, they are similar.

Does this handle the case we are most concerned about?

Thanks,

John

On Mon, Jan 5, 2026 at 12:42 PM John Carlson <yottzumm at gmail.com> wrote:

> What’s relevant to me is I have often commented out large multi-line
> chunks of XML in my .x3d files with a multi-line comment, so going back and
> making them multiple single line comments without making long lines is
> especially relevant!
>
> I’m going to pursue the Java SAXParser in the short term as an
> experiment.  If it doesn’t work out, I’ll revert the .x3d code and think
> again!
>
> If you put a newline in an “XML” attribute in a multi-line comment, dang
> it, I can’t handle that yet,  can a better XSLT tokenizer identify newlines
> between quotes in a multi-line comment?  What a hairy mess!
>
> I don’t really like newlines in XML attributes, maybe they should be
> banned in the XML encoding?
>
> I guess I can put a better parser for comments in the SAXParser.
>
> Back to you, Don.
>
> Thanks for wise words,
>
> John
>
> On Mon, Jan 5, 2026 at 10:42 AM Don Brutzman <don.brutzman at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Here are some details and a separate XML example that is relevant.
>>
>> XSLT makes it easy to normalize all whitespace characters in a comment,
>> or attribute.  For example, the XSLT function normalize-space(.)
>> replaces a whitespace character, tab, newline, or linebreak character with
>> a single space between other non-whitespace characters.
>>
>> Authors can maintain positive control of their model comments in X3D
>> source files (XML, ClassicVRML, JSON, binary, turtle) by splitting or
>> combining each comment themselves.  JSON does not have any comment
>> capability, by the originator's design, so we have represented them by
>> creating an explicit class.
>>
>> Often a comment with longer edited multiline prose might be better served
>> by producing other documentation, or by splitting and separating into
>> smaller chunks.  Shifting to plain-old XML, for example, the X3D tooltips
>> inserts hints and warnings in attribute text.
>>
>>    - Extensible 3D (X3D) 4.0 Tooltips
>>    - X3D Tooltips provide authoring hints for each node and field found
>>    in X3D Architecture version 4 International Specification (IS).
>>    Developmental work on X3D draft 4.1 is also supported.
>>
>> Corresponding source, XSLT stylesheet and output:
>>
>>    - https://www.web3d.org/x3d/tooltips/x3d-4.0.profile.xml
>>    - https://www.web3d.org/x3d/tooltips/X3dTooltipConversions.xslt
>>    - https://www.web3d.org/x3d/tooltips/X3dTooltips.html
>>
>> As before: persistent multiline comments are not a consistent feature in
>> many file encodings or programming-language bindings.  Nor are they a
>> requirement in X3D Architecture.  The option to maintain persistence of
>> single-line comments is a goal requirement in order to maintain
>> round-tripping interoperability.  Round-trip conversion of comments in X3D
>> Example Archive models is an excellent way to test this, typically starting
>> with the .x3d XML encoding.
>>
>> Popping up a level:  if an author wants to ensure that any downstream
>> application can never legally strip extra information, then they should use
>> X3D MetadataString/MetadataSet structures for always-persistent retention
>> and machine-readable structured data.
>>
>> Popping up another level of abstraction, with apologies to René
>> Magritte:  <!-- this is not a comment -->
>>
>>    - Wikipedia: The Treachery of Images
>>    - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treachery_of_Images
>>
>> all the best, Don
>> --
>> X3D Graphics, Maritime Robotics, Distributed Simulation
>> Relative Motion Consulting  https://RelativeMotion.info
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Jan 4, 2026 at 2:01 PM John Carlson <yottzumm at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> My current plan for replacing multiple line comments with single lines
>>> comments where the comment content are preserved on separate lines is as
>>> follows:
>>>
>>> 1.  Write a Java SAX parser to replace newlines with —>\n<!— inside XML
>>> comments.
>>>
>>> 2.  Compile with GraalVM native-image into rnl.exe, if not taken.
>>>
>>> Write a script to apply to all original .x3d files in my examples.  This
>>> will call vim or ex (vim command-line), with the command, %!rnl.exe, then
>>> save and exit.
>>>
>>> If needed, I will include carriage return.
>>>
>>> Others would try to make this a stylesheet, but I don’t know if
>>> comment() can be split on newlines in XSLT.   So I’ll ask claude.ai
>>> again!
>>>
>>> <xsl:stylesheet version="2.0" xmlns:xsl="
>>> http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
>>>
>>> <xsl:template match="@*|node()">
>>> <xsl:copy>
>>> <xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()"/>
>>> </xsl:copy>
>>> </xsl:template>
>>>
>>> <xsl:template match="comment()">
>>> <xsl:for-each select="tokenize(., '&#xA;')">
>>> <xsl:if test="normalize-space(.) != ''">
>>> <xsl:comment><xsl:value-of select="normalize-space(.)"/></xsl:comment>
>>> </xsl:if>
>>> </xsl:for-each>
>>> </xsl:template>
>>>
>>> </xsl:stylesheet>
>>>
>>> Gobbledegook to me, but maybe someone can use it.
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>> On Sun, Jan 4, 2026 at 3:32 PM John Carlson <yottzumm at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> For example, it nearly requires program to do this in Python or Perl.
>>>>
>>>> Claude.ai reports:
>>>>
>>>> perl -i -0pe 's/<!--(.*?)-->/join("\n", map {"<!-- $_ -->"} grep
>>>> {s|^\s*||; s|\s*$||; $_} split("\n", $1))/gse' file.xml
>>>>
>>>> Obviously I can put this in a shell script, but I like stuff I can
>>>> understand!
>>>>
>>>> Something in Java would be great!  Maybe I’ll write and contribute if
>>>> it doesn’t already exist?
>>>>
>>>> Seems like a simple SAX parser, frankly!
>>>>
>>>> John
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, Jan 4, 2026 at 3:10 PM John Carlson <yottzumm at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Thanks, it wasn’t clear to me that multi-line comments were not
>>>>> supported in X3D XML encoding.  That clears up most of my questions!
>>>>>
>>>>> I will replace multi-line comments with single-line comments in my
>>>>> examples.   Does X3D-Edit support this feature?  This would be great, and
>>>>> encourage me to use it!
>>>>>
>>>>> John
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, Jan 4, 2026 at 2:46 PM Don Brutzman <don.brutzman at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> For clarity, here is a recap of key points that can be found in prior
>>>>>> responses and ticket issues:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>    - Persistent single-line comments are an important feature for
>>>>>>    X3D model conversions and interoperability.
>>>>>>    - You are welcome to use all Python features, including
>>>>>>    multi-line comments, whenever programming with Python and x3d.py.
>>>>>>    - Individual multi-line comments are not supported in a number of
>>>>>>    file encodings and programming languages.  Nor are they defined by X3D
>>>>>>    Architecture, nor are they supported by several X3D encodings (such as XML
>>>>>>    and ClassicVRML).  Thus multi-line comments are not a required feature.
>>>>>>    - Persistent comments in x3d.py Python are already supported via
>>>>>>    a Comment class.
>>>>>>    - Persistent single-line comments are now partially supported by
>>>>>>    X3dToPython.xslt converter, if present as children of Scene head and
>>>>>>    grouping nodes.  Further future work on content-model representations in
>>>>>>    the Python class hierarchy may be able to add them elsewhere (e.g. inside
>>>>>>    Shape Appearance Material geometry etc.
>>>>>>    - Tickets are closed after careful review if they are
>>>>>>    unrepeatable or unactionable.  Suggestions and questions about a clearer
>>>>>>    ticket are usually included.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hope this helps.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> all the best, Don
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> X3D Graphics, Maritime Robotics, Distributed Simulation
>>>>>> Relative Motion Consulting  https://RelativeMotion.info
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sun, Jan 4, 2026 at 5:57 AM John Carlson <yottzumm at gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Blowing off some steam.  Apologies, I probably should work out
>>>>>>> instead.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I am unsure if it’s easier to output straight line code instead of
>>>>>>> hierarchical code in Python; multi-line non-persistent comments might
>>>>>>> become easier in straight line code.  I don’t know about comments() in
>>>>>>> XSLT.  In straight line code, wrapping a multi or single line comment in
>>>>>>> “””…””” is a cinch.  Even if newlines need to be added for the Python
>>>>>>> interpreter.
>>>>>>> AFAIK, I’ve already mentioned that straight line code is easier to
>>>>>>> debug, in my mind.  I think the Java large file discussion is still
>>>>>>> open; I know hierarchical code is more succinct, and less likely to stack
>>>>>>> overflow.  I think the choices between code structure in Python and Java
>>>>>>> might be different.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Persistent multi-line comments are desirable, even if they aren’t
>>>>>>> present in the archive.  We will probably make different choices between
>>>>>>> hierarchical and straight line code when this feature is available.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Short term hacks like single line comments work until features are
>>>>>>> introduced.  That doesn’t mean tickets should be closed prematurely, or
>>>>>>> examples outside the archives are invalid.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> John
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Tue, Dec 30, 2025 at 3:42 AM John Carlson <yottzumm at gmail.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Don, thanks for your comment on this ticket that naively adding
>>>>>>>> Comment to a children field might not work.  That was one of my intentions
>>>>>>>> on expressing myself so vocally.  I apologize for using your time to do
>>>>>>>> this, but I think it revealed a possible design consideration.  I think if
>>>>>>>> I had discovered it, it would have gone over like a wet balloon.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thank you again, I will not put comments arbitrarily in the
>>>>>>>> scenegraph for now with my PythonSerializer.js, until you indicate it’s
>>>>>>>> ready!   I will leave them out of the scenegraph, as they are now.   Since
>>>>>>>> I handle comments generically, I will have to research the nodes you’ve
>>>>>>>> accomplished.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Now, can we have other multi-line comments, not in the persistent
>>>>>>>> scenegraph, in Python translated from .x3d, in the short term, like:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> #
>>>>>>>> # This is comment line 2
>>>>>>>> # This is comment line 3
>>>>>>>> #
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> ?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> John
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> From the ticket:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> “
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> This is not an easy fix for converting files because Comment is not
>>>>>>>> part of the content model for all nodes. Solving this will probably require
>>>>>>>> extending class _ X3DNode in x3d.py and sorting out possible subclass
>>>>>>>> collisions. It will also be difficult to retain the original order of child
>>>>>>>> nodes and child comments within a parent node.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> This might be fixable someday - after some effort I got it working
>>>>>>>> for head, Scene, field, fieldValue.. Deferred as future work.
>>>>>>>>  ”
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Mon, Dec 29, 2025 at 12:52 PM Don Brutzman <
>>>>>>>> don.brutzman at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I have posted a new ticket to capture this point.  Perhaps
>>>>>>>>> a useful exemplar, as well.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>    - X3D SourceForge ticket #82 creating persistent comments in
>>>>>>>>>    python when converting from XML
>>>>>>>>>    - https://sourceforge.net/p/x3d/tickets/82/
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Hope this helps.  Again thanks for your many efforts.  Have fun
>>>>>>>>> improving X3D!  🤔 👍
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
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