Re: Bob needs a new catchphrase

"Gene Wirchenko" <genew_at_ocis.net> wrote in message news:tigdk2pu2lqfl81gts4bpq3op2s43gaet4_at_4ax.com...
> Bob Badour <bbadour_at_pei.sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> >paul c wrote:
> >
> >> BobTheDataBaseBoy wrote:
> >> ...
> >>
> >>> To quote Allen Holub (a coder): "Just say No to XML". I will add, in
> >>> all its forms.
> >>
> >> The thing is, a bunch of people were asleep at the switch when the
> >> internet's growth underlined the need for better transfer formats, so
as
> >> often happens the first attempt even though inferior prevailed.
> >
> >I respectfully suggest no new transfer formats were needed in the first
> >place. To the ignorant, everything is a novel idea. Or perhaps better:
> >those who ignore history are doomed to re-invent it.
>
> Some *adjustments* would be nice.
>
> Better handling of quoted strings is probably the biggest for me.

CSV had a rule for quoted strings.

Lowest level, the string has no commas in it, and doesn't begin with double quote: just put the string in as is. The first comma marks the end of the field.

Next level: the string contains no double quotes. Start and end the string with a double quote.

Next level: the string contains double quotes: A pair of double quotes represents a double quote. An the string begins and ends with an unpaired double quote.

This worked well enough for me. Received on Tue Oct 31 2006 - 11:57:12 CET