XML 1.0 specs say that default attribute values will be parsed as if those attributes were directly specified:

From the XML 1.0 Spec (http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-xml-20001006#attdecls)

"[Definition: If the declaration is neither #REQUIRED nor #IMPLIED, then the AttValue value contains the declared default value; the #FIXED keyword states that the attribute must always have the default value. If a default value is declared, when an XML processor encounters an omitted attribute, it is to behave as though the attribute were present with the declared default value.]"

I have the following DTD:

<!ELEMENT J ...>
<!ATTLIST J att #FIXED 20>

and the following XML:

<J>
...
</J>

The xml_parse_into_struct function does NOT place the attribute "att=20" into the struct.  Furthermore, if I change the XML to read:

<J att=45>
...
</J>

xml_parse_into_struct WILL place the attribute "att=45" into the struct (so non-default attributes DO work), but in actuality, this should fail, because the #FIXED keyword specifies that the value cannot be changed.

-MM