Parsing Error

**C. M. Sperberg-McQueen** · Jul 20 '05, 05:51 AM

Re: Parsing Error

danab@gemini.co m (Dana) writes:
[color=blue]
> Hello. I'm new to XML and I have a question that looks to me like it
> should be easy to answer, but I have not found anything by searching
> google at all on this.
>
> We are using msxml.dll (Microsoft XML). The xml code that is getting
> the error is:
>
> <!ENTITY question.atts
> 'id ID #IMPLIED
> diff NUMBER "50"
> discrim NUMBER "50"
> weight NUMBER "50"
> rand (yesrand | norand) "yesrand "
> mand (yesmand | nomand) "nomand"
> mustpass (yesmustpass | nomustpass) "nomustpass "
> partmarks (yespartmarks | nopartmarks) "nopartmark s"
> pool (exercise |
> quiz |
> mandatoryrand |
> modpretest |
> modposttest |
> courseposttest |
> tests) "exercise" ' >[/color]

I don't see a problem with this; neither do nsgmls or rxp.
[color=blue]
> The error is: The character '>' was expected.
> Error code: -1072896758
>
> The line and column number are pointing to the 5 in this line:
> diff NUMBER "50"
>
> It looks to me like there may be a maximum line length allowed for an
> element, but I have found nothing to verify that.[/color]

Before I did anything else, I'd check to see whether there is an
unclosed double-quoted string somewhere immediately preceding this
declaration. An XML parser expects a > as the next non-whitespace
character after a double quote when it believes the double quote
ends an entity declaration.

Next (but this is unrelated to your error message) I'd declare this as
a parameter entity rather than as a general entity. You're going to
want to use this entity in an ATTLIST declaration somewhere:

<!ATTLIST question %question.atts; >

It'll need to be a parameter entity (uses %), not a general entity
(uses &).

I hope this helps.

-C. M. Sperberg-McQueen
World Wide Web Consortium

**arnold m. slotnik** · Jul 20 '05, 05:51 AM

Re: Parsing Error

cmsmcq@acm.org (C. M. Sperberg-McQueen) wrote in
news:87r84wk06v .fsf@acm.org:

Michael, Michael, Michael...here' s the problem:
[color=blue][color=green]
>> diff NUMBER "50"
>> discrim NUMBER "50"
>> weight NUMBER "50"[/color][/color]

XML doesn't do NUMBER--those should be NMTOKEN instead.

If rxp didn't catch it, that would be a bug.

--
a. m. slotnik

**Dana** · Jul 20 '05, 05:51 AM

Re: Parsing Error

Thanks guys. It's nice to see XML parsing error messages are similar
to some c++ compiler messages. They may not be specific, but I guess
they generally point to the general location of the error.

I'll fix up the xml and try again. I'll also look into the "parameter
entity vs general entity" as well. Thanks again.

cmsmcq@acm.org (C. M. Sperberg-McQueen) wrote in message news:<87n0fkjvf a.fsf@acm.org>. ..[color=blue]
> "arnold m. slotnik" <slotnik@att.ne t> writes:
>[color=green]
> > cmsmcq@acm.org (C. M. Sperberg-McQueen) wrote in
> > news:87r84wk06v .fsf@acm.org:
> >
> > Michael, Michael, Michael...here' s the problem:
> >[color=darkred]
> > >> diff NUMBER "50"
> > >> discrim NUMBER "50"
> > >> weight NUMBER "50"[/color]
> >
> > XML doesn't do NUMBER--those should be NMTOKEN instead.
> >
> > If rxp didn't catch it, that would be a bug.[/color]
>
> Ouch! Good eye!
>
> Yes, I think it would have to be classed as a bug. Richard, are you
> paying attention to this?
>
> michael[/color]

**Richard Tobin** · Jul 20 '05, 05:52 AM

Re: Parsing Error

In article <Xns93B5E7DB3A9 7Eslotnikattnet @204.127.36.1>,
arnold m. slotnik <slotnik@att.ne t> wrote:
[color=blue]
>XML doesn't do NUMBER--those should be NMTOKEN instead.[/color]
[color=blue]
>If rxp didn't catch it, that would be a bug.[/color]

If the entity were actually *used*, then it would catch it. As it is,
it's just some text, not an ATTLIST declaration. (And it would have
to be a parameter entity, and referenced from the external subset.)

-- Richard
--
Spam filter: to mail me from a .com/.net site, put my surname in the headers.

FreeBSD rules!

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