At 09:17 PM 11/29/2006, was written:
Yes I'm afraid so. The XML that I get from the outside source has all
data wrapped in CDATA. So I have to give it back that way. Their
parser chokes if I don't.
What kind of parser is that?
Please don't call it an "XML parser" if it can't accept data not
wrapped in CDATA marked sections. It's not.
Those who insist on using non-conformant tools can expect trouble
meeting your requirements with other tools, even conformant ones. In
effect, you're back in the realm of defining your own syntax and
writing parsing code for it. It may look like XML, but if it doesn't
follow the XML rules, who's to say?
Andrew writes:
The number of people I come across that happily read and write XML to
disk without using a proper parser/writer for the job outweighs those
that do.
But these are "XML parsers" in name only. I can call myself a
fantasic pastry chef, but does that make me one? At best, they are
"parsers that handle an XML subset". Frequently they may not even be that.
Note I am not saying they can't get useful work done. Just that they
aren't going to integrate well.
I don't know if its because XML looks simple, or that extracting
values or writing XML is relatively hard in comparison to standard IO,
but loads of people seem quite happy doing it. Then they have to
layer on hack after hack as the various input XML breaks the parsing.
Right. In the end, either their system cracks and collapses under the
strain ... or they have implemented an XML parser.
One guy told me he did it for performance reasons...
Those that insist on taking shortcuts through unknown territory
shouldn't be surprised to get lost from time to time, arriving late
or not at all.
It's sort of like going to France and expecting to be able to order
your dinner in English. If you're lucky, you might find someone
who'll take your order, but if you encounter confusion or resistance,
the plea "but they understand it where I come from" doesn't really wash.
Cheers,
Wendell
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Wendell Piez
mailto:wapiez(_at_)mulberrytech(_dot_)com
Mulberry Technologies, Inc. http://www.mulberrytech.com
17 West Jefferson Street Direct Phone: 301/315-9635
Suite 207 Phone: 301/315-9631
Rockville, MD 20850 Fax: 301/315-8285
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