Non-Validating XML Parsers: Requirements

[John Cowan]

(There is nothing official about this: it is what I glean from
reading the XML recommendation plus applying reason and common sense.)
NVP = non-validating conforming parser(s).  Other capitalized terms
are used as in RFC 2119.

1.  An NVP MUST check the document entity for well-formedness and
report any violations.

2.  An NVP MAY check external entities (including the external DTD
subset, external parsed entities, and external parameter entities) for
well-formedness, and if it does so, MUST report any violations.

3.  An NVP MUST process certain attribute list and entity declarations,
and use them to normalize attribute values, include the replacement
text of internal entities, and supply default attribute values.

4.  An NVP MAY process attribute list and entity declarations that
appear in external entities (including the external DTD subset and
external parameter entities).

5.  An NVP MUST NOT process attribute list and entity declarations that
logically follow references to any parameter entities that have not
been read by the NVP.  As usual, everything in the external
DTD subset logically follows everything in the internal DTD subset.

6.  An NVP MAY NOT signal an error if a reference is made to an
undeclared entity, if the entity was declared in some external entity.

7.  An NVP MAY NOT signal an error if a reference is made to an
unparsed entity, if the entity was declared in some external entity.

8.  An NVP MAY NOT signal an error if an entity refers to itself
directly or indirectly, if either the entity or some other part
of the entity circle was declared in some external entity.

9.  An NVP MAY NOT signal an error if a reference to an external
entity is made in an attribute value, if the entity was declared
in some external entity.

10.  An NVP MAY NOT signal an error if a reference to an entity
(other than a parameter entity) is made within the DTD, if the
entity was declared in some external entity.

-- 
John Cowan	http://www.ccil.org/~cowan		cowan at ccil.org
	You tollerday donsk?  N.  You tolkatiff scowegian?  Nn.
	You spigotty anglease?  Nnn.  You phonio saxo?  Nnnn.
		Clear all so!  'Tis a Jute.... (Finnegans Wake 16.5)

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