Yes. All bets are off for an XML document with errors. The first error found may actually not be the first error in the document: it is just the place where the parser got stuck.

Consider the following:

<a>
   <d>
      <e>
      </e>
   </b>
</a>

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Where is the error? Should <d> be <b> or should </b> be </d>? Or perhaps they should both be <f> ... </f> tags? How is the parser to know? To be sure the XML is not only well formed but also correct, you will have to validate the XML according to a DTD or Schema definition.

CountZero

A program should be light and agile, its subroutines connected like a string of pearls. The spirit and intent of the program should be retained throughout. There should be neither too little or too much, neither needless loops nor useless variables, neither lack of structure nor overwhelming rigidity." - The Tao of Programming, 4.1 - Geoffrey James

My blog: Imperial Deltronics

In reply to Re^3: XML::Parser XML validation by CountZero
in thread XML::Parser XML validation by Anonymous Monk

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