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Re: [ddlm-group] Space as a list item separator>

First amending the arguments

To summarise the arguments:

1. In favour of both space and comma
�� - comma is used in some other non-CIF contexts as a list delimiter
    - comma allows a large subset of lists and arrays to be carried
opaquely in CIF 1 and CIF 1.1 documents.

2. Against comma:
�� - A single type of separator makes the grammar simpler
�� - Space is used everywhere else in CIF as a separator (consistency)
�� - Comma can then be used in non-delimited strings

Then

I vote for comma and space -- 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
                  [email protected]
=====================================================

On Tue, 1 Dec 2009, James Hester wrote:

> Dear CIF2 people: the time has come to vote on the list item separator
> issue.� Firstly: as far as I know, nobody is against space as a separator,
> so spaces will be possible list item separators.� Some may be against
> commas, so this vote is on whether or not to allow commas.
> 
> To summarise the arguments:
> 
> 1. In favour of both space and comma
> �� - comma is used in some other non-CIF contexts as a list delimiter
> 
> 2. Against comma:
> �� - A single type of separator makes the grammar simpler
> �� - Space is used everywhere else in CIF as a separator (consistency)
> �� - Comma can then be used in non-delimited strings
> 
> Space only: Nick, James (Nick is here)
> Comma and Space: ?
> 
> On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 5:30 PM, James Hester <[email protected]> wrote:
>       More specifically, CIF1.1 excludes square brackets as the first
>       character in a non-delimited string.
> 
> 
> On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 9:33 AM, James Hester <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>       Dear Herbert: as CIF 1.1 doesn't define lists, I'm not
>       sure why you suggest that the example below is a valid
>       tag.
>
>       On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 12:36 AM, Herbert J. Bernstein
>       <[email protected]> wrote:
>             Sorry something got lost in the prior message.
>             �It should have
>             read:
>
>                   Dear Colleagues,
>
>                   �Back to the question of commas.
>                   �If you accept the desirability of
>                   having a CIF 1.5, commas in lists
>                   become very useful. �Someone with
>                   a CIF 1.1 editor will be able to
>                   prepare a CIF 1.5 file for many
>                   useful cases by doing all lists
>                   with commas and no embedded blanks
>                   as long as they can make their
>                   lists fit on single lines. �In CIF
>                   1.1
>
>                   [[1,2,3],[4,5,6],[7,8,9]]
>
>                   is a valid value for a tag, but
>
>                   [[1 2 3] [4 5 6] [7 8 9]]
> 
> is not.
> 
> 
> No, neither example is a valid CIF 1.1 tag.� CIF 1.1 explicitly
> excludes brackets as the first character of a non-delimited
> string.
> 
>
>             Having the option of commas in lists
>             will help to smooth the
>             transition for at least some people.
> 
> 
> 
> --
> T +61 (02) 9717 9907
> F +61 (02) 9717 3145
> M +61 (04) 0249 4148
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> T +61 (02) 9717 9907
> F +61 (02) 9717 3145
> M +61 (04) 0249 4148
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> T +61 (02) 9717 9907
> F +61 (02) 9717 3145
> M +61 (04) 0249 4148
> 
>
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