confusing wording in second edition of XML specification from Gignac Donald A CRBE on 2000-10-13 (xml-editor@w3.org from October to December 2000)

From: Gignac Donald A CRBE <GignacDA@nswccd.navy.mil>
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 10:40:49 -0400
To: "'xml-editor@w3.org'" <xml-editor@w3.org>
Cc: "Westbrook Evelyn L (Lori) CRBE" <WestbrookEL@nswccd.navy.mil>, Junod L J II CRBE <JunodLJ@nswccd.navy.mil>, "Garner F J (Joe) CRBE"<GarnerFJ@nswccd.navy.mil>, Le Beau Raymond P CRBE<LeBeauRP@nswccd.navy.mil>
Message-ID: <1F9F67162ADED3119F18009027A8F404C6029A@crbeex03.dt.navy.mil>

Section 2.7 "CDATA Sections" states

Within a CDATA section, only the CDEnd string is recognized as markup, so that left angle brackets and ampersands may occur in their literal form; they need not (and cannot) be escaped using "&lt;" and "&amp;". 

If there is a need for left angle brackets and ampersands within a CDATA section, they MUST occur in their literal form as there is no way of providing them otherwise in a CDATA section.  I recommend revising the above sentence along the following lines for greater clarity:

Within a CDATA section, only the CDEnd string is recognized as markup, so that left angle brackets and ampersands must occur in their literal form; they cannot be escaped using "&lt;" and "&amp;".

Received on Friday, 13 October 2000 10:41:56 UTC