Re: FSGML:formal public identifier invalid - mystery solved

["Lynne A. Price" <lprice@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 02:57 PM 4/15/99 -0700, Hogan, John (Tempe) wrote:

>1.  Edit the customer supplied SGML declaration to read FORMAL NO
>(thanks Dan, Lynne). That eliminates the parser message, but doesn't
>make the resulting SGML valid.

Sure it does. A public identifer identifies "[t]ext this is known
beyond the context of a single document or system environment,"
that is, it is not something like a file name that is very specific to 
a particular computer. SGML does not in general specify the syntax
of public identifiers. However, it singles out one set of conventions
called formal public identifiers. The SGML declaration indicates whether
or not you are following that particular set of conventions. Either way
is perfectly conforming SGML.

The identifier you have is not a valid formal public identifier. If you
say FORMAL NO, your SGML declaration says the publid identifier doesn't
have to use the formal public identifier syntax. That's why you don't
get an error message; when you change the SGML declaration, the document
does indeed conform to the SMGL standard. 

Nevertheless, your identifier sufficiently resembles a formal public
identifier to conclude that it was intended to be one. Therefore, I think
your decision to change it was probably the right choice.

	--Lynne

Lynne A. Price
Text Structure Consulting, Inc.
lprice@txstruct.com
http://www.txstruct.com


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