Problem with Hash (#) in name

[Bob Schor]

I have a cluster with an element called "Trial #". According to the "rules" of XML, all 7 characters are valid. According to the "rules" of EasyXML, the space character should be converted to an underscore. Thus I expect the EasyXML code to have a tag that looks like <Trial_#>, but instead, I get <Trial_>, missing the Hash character. I know that this character can have another meaning as a "numeric indicator", i.e. something like "Ӓ" (I think this form is called a numeric character reference, and I think this allows you, in XML, to "encode" any old character by writing its decimal value).

 

Is omitting the "#" in EasyXML a Bug or a Feature? [Haven't experimented with other characters, but have seen references here to the colon character -- is it Treasure Hunt time?]

[Jim Kring]

I have a cluster with an element called "Trial #". According to the "rules" of XML, all 7 characters are valid. According to the "rules" of EasyXML, the space character should be converted to an underscore. Thus I expect the EasyXML code to have a tag that looks like , but instead, I get , missing the Hash character. I know that this character can have another meaning as a "numeric indicator", i.e. something like "Ӓ" (I think this form is called a numeric character reference, and I think this allows you, in XML, to "encode" any old character by writing its decimal value).

 

Is omitting the "#" in EasyXML a Bug or a Feature? [Haven't experimented with other characters, but have seen references here to the colon character -- is it Treasure Hunt time?]

 

Hi Bob,

 

The # character cannot be used in XML names, according to the specification, here:

 

http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml/#sec-common-syn

 

As such, EasyXML will delete it from names.

 

Of course, interpreting the XML specification can be a bit of a "treasure hunt", unless you have a really good understanding of regular expressions

 

Thanks,

 

-Jim