Contents - Index


Error Types

 

There are four types of errors:

a/ Fatal errors that stop all list processing - they must be dealt with before other processing can continue.

b/ Semi-fatal errors - they won't affect the processing, but they will cause sort-problems.

c/ Non-fatal errors - they won't affect the processing or cause sort-problems, but may affect some keywording programs.

d/ Trivial errors - they don't really affect anything but are best removed anyway.

 

Errors that we are looking for:

 

Description (Type)  -  Deleting Notes

--------------------------------------------------------

Excess Tabs (a)  -  Can't be deleted automatically because it needs inspection first

Blank Lines (a)  -  Could be deleted but best to be inspected first

Uneven Square Brackets (b)  -  Can't be deleted automatically as we don't know if there is a bracket too many or a bracket too less

Uneven Curly Brackets (b)  -  Can't be deleted automatically as we don't know if there is a bracket too many or a bracket too less

Uneven Round Brackets (b)  -  Can't be deleted automatically as we don't know if there is a bracket too many or a bracket too less

Uneven Diamond Brackets (b)  -  Can't be deleted automatically as we don't know if there is a bracket too many or a bracket too less

Matching Lines (b)  -  Can be deleted automatically, after Excess Tabs and Blank Lines errors are fixed

Illegal Characters (c)  -  Could be deleted automatically but best to be inspected first

Foreign Characters (c)  -  These need transliterating rather than deleting

Non-ASCII Characters (c)  -  Could be deleted automatically but best to be inspected first

Trailing Spaces (d)  -  Can be deleted automatically

Trailing Tabs (d)  -  Can be deleted automatically

Trapped Tabs (d)  -  These are often a marker for a missing Carriage Return, so shouldn't be deleted automatically.

 

 

Error definitions:

Excess Tabs: A line where the number of its tab-indentations compared to the previous line is greater than one.

Blank Lines: A line that is empty, or contains only tab-characters or spaces.

Uneven Square Brackets: A line that has an unequal number of left and right square brackets.

Uneven Curly Brackets: A line that has an unequal number of left and right curly brackets.

Uneven Round Brackets: A line that has an unequal number of left and right round brackets.

Uneven Diamond Brackets: A line that has an unequal number of left and right diamond brackets.

Matching Lines: A line that is identical in every respect to another one. Not the same as a 'Duplicate'.

Illegal Characters: A line that contains characters that the end-user program can not tolerate.

Foreign Characters: Non-ASCII characters that contain diacritics or diacritical marks.

Non-ASCII Characters:  Non-ASCII characters that may cause end-user program errors.

Trailing Spaces: A line that contains space characters at the end of a line, after the text.

Trailing Tabs: A line that contains tab characters at the end of a line, after the text.

Trapped Tabs: A line that contains tab characters between two or more items of text.