Sparse COBOL records

An input XML document need not contain all data items defined in the original structure. This applies to both scalar and array elements. In order to place array elements correctly, a subscript must be supplied when array elements are not in canonical order.

For example, the following XML document uses the subscript attribute to position the array to the second element and then to the fourth element.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> 
<root>
  <data-table>
    [
    <table-1 subscript="2">
      <x>B</x>
      <n>2</n>
    </table-1>
    <table-1 subscript="4">
      <x>D</x>
      <n>4</n>
    </table-1>
    ]
  </data-table>
</root>