FW: file-format

[Jonathan Leffler]

On Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 12:32 PM, Olson, Arthur David (NIH/NCI) [E] <
olsona at dc37a.nci.nih.gov> wrote:

> I'm forwarding this message from hsv, who is not on the time zone
> mailing list. Those of you who are on the list, please direct replies
> appropriately.
>
>                                --ado
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: hsv at tbbs.net [mailto:hsv at tbbs.net]
> Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 3:01
> To: tz at lecserver.nci.nih.gov
> Subject: file-format
>
> The man-page describes a fairly loose fileformat, but the actual files
> show less looseness: there is no quoted sharp (#), all one name s Rules
> are in a bunch in time order, with no other Rule or Zone in between, all
> weekday-names are three-letter-long abbreviations of capital letter and
> twain small letters. Can I afford to count on that, or is it really
> needful to parse a much looser-formatted file than really is there?
>


It depends on whether you are willing to risk your code breaking at an
unspecified time in the future when the rules you see in action - as opposed
to those documented - are suddenly but legitimately altered (remaining as
documented).  If you can afford to take the risk, you can parse to the
stricter rules you see in use.  If you cannot afford to take the risk, you
should follow the documentation.

-- 
Jonathan Leffler <jonathan.leffler at gmail.com>  #include <disclaimer.h>
Guardian of DBD::Informix - v2008.0513 - http://dbi.perl.org
"Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall never cease to be
amused."
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