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The most common syntax errors people make when creating XMLdocuments?

• From: Roger L Costello <costello@mitre.org>
• To: "xml-dev@lists.xml.org" <xml-dev@lists.xml.org>
• Date: Sun, 15 May 2022 22:16:06 +0000

Hi Folks,

I am creating (for fun) an XML parser. I'd like my parser to detect and fix the most common syntax errors in XML documents. 

I created a list of errors that I commonly make. See below. What errors do you find yourself commonly making? I would appreciate it if you would add to the list.  

Common syntax errors in XML documents:

1. Two quotes at the end of a namespace declaration. Example:

xmlns:fn="http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions""

2. End tag repeated. Example:

</xsl:stylesheet>


</xsl:stylesheet>

3. Missing space after attribute value delimiter. Example:

<Document id="ab3"reviewer="John Doe">

4. Incorrect syntax for start of a CDATA section. Example:

<[CDATA[            it should be <![CDATA[

5. Incorrect syntax for the end of a CDATA section. Example:

]>                          it should be ]]>

6. Missing slash in end tag. Example:

<Author>John Doe<Author>

7. Missing question mark at end of XML declaration. Example:

<?xml version="1.0">

8. Unescaped ampersand. Example:

<Publisher>Harper & Row</Publisher>

9. Missing semicolon at end of entity. Example:

<Publisher>Harper &amp Row</Publisher>

10. Space in tag name. Example:

<New York>

What else?

/Roger

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