[x3d-public] Mantis 1320: relax requirement for quoted single-string value in MFString array

[Don Brutzman]

* Mantis 1320: relax requirement for quoted single-string value in MFString array
   https://www.web3d.org/member-only/mantis/view.php?id=1320
   Specification: 19776-1 (X3D XML Encoding)

A superfluous, confusing and error prone requirement in XML Encoding is to always require quotation marks around every string value, including when using a singleton string as part of an MFString array.

This requirement can be relaxed without ambiguity, provides reduced difficulty for converters and parsers, and has no backwards-compatibility issues for model content. Relaxing this requirement also makes MFString more compatible with SFString.

Suggested specification prose addition:

* "Unquoted MFString values are treated as a singleton SFString value."

Corresponding prose removal:
================
NOTE The construct "string3" is not a valid instance of an MFString. Such an MFString would be properly specified as '"string3"'
================

TODO need to check other encodings and language bindings to ensure this relaxation is similarly applied.

Specification reference:

* X3D XML encoding, 5 Encoding of fields, 5.15 SFString and MFString
   https://www.web3d.org/documents/specifications/19776-1/V3.3/Part01/EncodingOfFields.html#SFString

[This long-standing issue may have a prior Mantis entry, but I was not able to find it.  Cross-reference issues welcome.]

all the best, Don
-- 
Don Brutzman  Naval Postgraduate School, Code USW/Br       brutzman at nps.edu
Watkins 270,  MOVES Institute, Monterey CA 93943-5000 USA   +1.831.656.2149
X3D graphics, virtual worlds, navy robotics http://faculty.nps.edu/brutzman