SAX2: Exceptions

[David Brownell]

David Megginson wrote:
> 
> 4. Modify SAXParseException so that it also has an integer value
>    containing the error number.  If there ever is a standard catalog
>    of XML (and related) errors, we can use this to hold the number.

That one I sort of like ... except that it shouldn't be done
without having such a catalogue, and a means to update it!  In my
experience, API hooks which are incomplete are _always_ trouble;
and identifier namespaces (like error numbers) need to have ways
to evolve over time.

I'd start such a catalogue by identifying every error case in the
XML specification.  Syntax errors might need subcases, since each
grammar production could generate multiple errors, but for each
WFC and VC it's easy to justify separate error identifiers.

However:  do we have experience with applications which _can_ usefully
do more with fatal errors than throw up their hands?  Or with nonfatal
ones (including validation errors) than optionally report them?  Use
cases there should IMHO drive this issue.

- Dave

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