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Re: ANN: Converting Lexacy Data to XML using a Lexer/Parser Generator

• To: "Roger L. Costello" <costello@m...>,xml-dev@l...
• Subject: Re: ANN: Converting Lexacy Data to XML using a Lexer/Parser Generator
• From: Kohsuke Kawaguchi <kk@k...>
• Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2002 17:56:28 -0400
• In-reply-to: <3D92296B.F52688D2@m...>
• References: <3D92296B.F52688D2@m...>

> I find the use of a lexer/parser generator as an XML tool builder to be
> quite interesting.  It enables you to seamlessly integrate the
> definition of a grammar with a general purpose programming language. 
> [Kind of like having DTDs seamlessly integrated with a general purpose
> programming language.]  I find this to be very powerful.  

What you are doing is essentially building a mini XML parser. But your
solution of using a general lexer/parser generator (such as JavaCC, CUP,
or ANTLR) has an inherent problem.

Namely, you are re-inventing a wheel. And it's a big one. Why build
another XML parser, when you have a lot of free good quality parsers out
there?

Your mini parser isn't even XML parser; it can't handle different
encodings, can't handle entities, Unicode character references,
namespaces ... , the list goes on forever.

You'd better off using a SAX parser as your lexer.


And have a look at RelaxNGCC (http://relaxngcc.sourceforge.net/) I
guess this is close to what you want to do.



regards,
----------------------
Kohsuke Kawaguchi
E-Mail: kk@k...

• References:
  • ANN: Converting Lexacy Data to XML using a Lexer/Parser Generator
    • From: "Roger L. Costello" <costello@m...>

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