Re: LYNX-DEV SGML entities question

[Christopher R. Maden]

[Klaus Weide]
> A question for the SGML experts...
> 
> Is the following use of numeric character entities legitimate?
> 
>  "Erroneous results &#91can occur&#93 when"
> 
> Lynx currently recognizes the &#93 (because it is followed by a
> space) but not the &#91 (because it is immediately followed by a
> letter).  Should the letter (or any non-digit) terminate the entity
> reference?

From ISO 8879 (SGML):

   [53] name start character =
     LC Letter |
     UC Letter |
     LCNMSTRT |
     UCNMSTRT

   [55] name =
     name start character,
     name character*

   [56] number =
     Digit+

   [61] reference end =
     ( refc |
       RE )?

   The refc or RE can be omitted only if the reference is not followed
   by a character that could occur in the reference, or by a character
   that could be interpreted as the omitted reference end.

   [62] character reference =
     cro,
     ( function name |
       character number ),
     reference end

   [63] function name =
     "RE" |
     "RS" |
     "SPACE" |
     name

   [64] character number =
     number

Starting with [62] character reference, cro is &#.  The following
string must match either function name or character number.  Since
function names have to be a name, which must begin with an alphabetic
character, 92can is not a function name.  It must therefore be a
character number, which is only repeated digits.  The 'c' can not be
part of the character reference; by the language after [61] reference
end, it should therefore end the character reference.

-Chris
 SGML Geek
-- 
Christopher R. Maden                  One Richmond Square
DynaText SIT Technical Support        Providence, RI 02906 USA
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