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Re: [ddlm-group] Handling single string values longer than maximumline length

If we allow for line-folding to occur after parsing, and backslash (aka 
reverse solidus) is not used as an elide/escape character, then no 
special rules are needed to put line-folded strings within triple-quoted 
strings.

Semicolon-delimited strings are a special case because folding is 
considered in preventing a subsequent semicolon to be interpreted as 
beginning on a new line, and not accepted as the close-quote.

However, if the lexer does not unfold long strings, this actually is an 
elide mechanism. The consensus seems to be heading towards no elide 
mechanism, so maybe breaking long lines just before a semicolon should 
simply be prohibited.

ALSO, SOMETHING I JUST REALIZED: Line folding makes it possible to break 
an embedded triple-quote into two parts, so it actually provides a way 
to elide triple quotes indirectly within a large triple-quote string. 
Therefore, as long as CIF2 keeps line-folding, it is trivial to put 
CIF-within-CIF, or any other unrestricted string, without any of the 
reverse-solidus elide rules.

Joe

Brian McMahon wrote:
>> (I've switched the thread title to deal separately with line folding.)
> 
> Well, I didn't because I was distracted when about to hit the
> 'Send' button!  So this is just a repeat of the previous posting but
> under a new thread in case we wish to take up this general discussion
> later.
> 
> Regards
> Brian
> 
> As Herbert says, line folding is part of the CIF 1.1 spec (pages 34-35
> of the ITG bible). Currently, it invokes a special meaning for the
> backslash (reverse solidus) character, but only when it is the first
> non-blank after an opening semicolon or comment hash delimiter. We have
> yet to discuss whether to extend it to other string types (specifically
> the triple-quoted strings).
> 
> It's quite easy these days to generate single strings that are longer
> than 2048 characters (or any other arbitrary line limit) - e.g. a
> protein or nucleic acid sequence. Many, many chemical names broke the old
> 80-character line length limit.
> 
> We're very happy with CIF applications that do not interpret the
> line-folding protocol, so long as they preserve the existing backslashes.
> However, a fully-compliant CIF 1.1 parser should be able to return an
> unfolded string to an application that requests it.
> 
> As Herbert says, if this were dropped as part of the CIF2 specification,
> we would need to think carefully about how else to retain this
> functionality.
> 
> Regards
> Brian
> 
> On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 07:54:51AM -0500, Herbert J. Bernstein wrote:
>> The line folding protocol was discussed and adopted by COMCIFS and is
>> posted, aong with other "Common Semantic Features" at
>>
>> http://www.iucr.org/resources/cif/spec/version1.1/semantics
>>
>> but that is neither here nor there.  The point is that the IUCr uses CIF
>> to get work done.  If we disable something they are using, we should offer
>> some equivalent functionality so they can use CIF 2 to do their work.
>> Otherwise, they will have to do the sensible thing, and continue to use
>> CIF 1, or, worse, create their own dialect of CIF 2.
>>
>> Now, I broke my nose yesterday morning and find myself a bit punchy today,
>> so I will drop out of this discussion for a while.  Hopefully, when I
>> return to it, this whole matter will be settled in some way that will
>> allow people to actually use CIF 2, instead of it becoming what it seems
>> on its way to becoming -- something elegant but not terrible useful, a bit
>> like PL/I.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>    Herbert
>>
>> =====================================================
>>   Herbert J. Bernstein, Professor of Computer Science
>>     Dowling College, Kramer Science Center, KSC 121
>>          Idle Hour Blvd, Oakdale, NY, 11769
>>
>>                   +1-631-244-3035
>>                   yaya@dowling.edu
>> =====================================================
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