[XML-SIG] SAX: distinguising empty and non-empty elements?

[BudP.Bruegger]

[Hope this isn't an FAQ, searching on the web I came up w/o a conclusive
answer]

Is there a possibility to distinguish between non-empty elements w/o
content
and empty elements in (Python) Sax?  I found the following text in Sun's
sax
tutorial
(http://java.sun.com/xml/jaxp/dist/1.1/docs/tutorial/sax/2a_echo.html): 
  

<quote>
The single-tag empty element you defined (<item/>) is treated exactly
the same
as a two-tag empty element (<item></item>). It is, for all intents and
purposes, identical. (It's just easier to type and consumes less space.)
</quote>

Does this apply only to the example app that echoes an xml file using a
sax
parser or is it general?  Any differences between Java and Python?

Many thanks for your help

--bud

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