Re: Non-Validating XML Parsers: Requirements

John Cowan (cowan@locke.ccil.org)
Tue, 04 Aug 1998 14:46:43 -0400


David Brownell wrote:

> - Validating Parsers
>
> - Nonvalidating Parsers that read external definitions
>
> - Nonvalidating Parsers that don't read those definitions
>
> Point being that as section 5.2 makes clear, some WF errors will
> not be reported by the third category of parser, but must be
> reported by the other two.

I think, however, that NVPs may read some external entities (the
DTD external subset, say) but not others (like the content of
external general entities).

> That'd be "SHALL NOT" ... but I think that a parser which
> has read the external DTD entities MUST report as a WF error
> such problems. See the XML specification in section 5.2, which
> is explicit that this is a WF error AND that it's not consistently
> reported.

No, it means "MAY fail to" or "MAY or may not".

> > 7. An NVP MAY NOT signal an error if a reference is made to an
> > unparsed entity, if the entity was declared in some external entity.
>
> As above -- this is a "MUST" if the parser reads external entities.
> and a "MUST NOT" elsewhere.

Unless it reads some e.e.s but not others.

-- 
John Cowan	http://www.ccil.org/~cowan		cowan@ccil.org
	You tollerday donsk?  N.  You tolkatiff scowegian?  Nn.
	You spigotty anglease?  Nnn.  You phonio saxo?  Nnnn.
		Clear all so!  'Tis a Jute.... (Finnegans Wake 16.5)