[sword-devel] Importan Issue: Crossreferences

[Rob Barrett/Almaden/IBM]

Joachim Ansorg wrote:
> In BibleTime we use as a quick hack the following syntax (as an example):
>
> <A HREF="ref://Genesis 1:1">Reference to Genesis 1:1</A>
>

FWIW, just a quick opinion from a lurker on this list:
If you are going to use URL-looking syntax, then it would probably be a
good idea to try and stay close to the spec to avoid confusion.  In which
case, the format should be something like
     <protocol>://<location of entity>/<path to entity>
Maybe it doesn't matter, but to use "ref" where the protocol belongs might
be troublesome in the long-run.  It's fine to create your own protocol like
"sword" or something.  But the protocol should refer to "how to get the
information" not "what the information is".  That allows you to later have
multiple methods for retrieving the information later on, if you desire.

Likewise the entry after the double-slash should be *where* to get the
information.  If it is the same place as the current document, then it can
be omitted.

Finally, I believe spaces are generally not permitted in the middle of URLs
and may get in the way of using standard URL parsers and generators.

BTW, the RFC that covers URLs is at:
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/rfc/rfc1738.txt

I mean this to be helpful and not just a random critique.  I've just been
bitten by things like this in the past.

Thanks for all of the hard work and the hearts of service behind the work!

Rob Barrett