No, you can use element form wherever you can specify a DFDL property, subject to the restrictions in section 7.1.3.   The use of dfdl:format in the spec to illustrate element form is just an example.  

Regards

Steve Hanson
Architect, Data Format Description Language (DFDL)
Co-Chair, OGF DFDL Working Group
IBM SWG, Hursley, UK
smh@uk.ibm.com
tel:+44-1962-815848



From:        Alonza Mumford <amumford@gmail.com>
To:        dfdl-wg@ogf.org
Date:        09/08/2012 14:04
Subject:        [DFDL-WG] Question re: dfdl:property element and element form
Sent by:        dfdl-wg-bounces@ogf.org

---

Ref. DFDL v1.0 (Jan 31, 11'), section 7.1.3.2 (Property Binding Syntax: Element Form):

I interpret from the reading that dfdl:property is child of dfdl:format, and implicitly that this form is necessary for element form
binding of dfdl attributes (properties).

Can I then infer that dfdl:format is the only dfld element that can use element form to  specify properties (attributes) for itself?

Thanks in advance.--
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