Re: [pdf-devel] pdf_time_from_string_pdf

[Aleksander Morgado]

Hi there,

>    Last ' character is mandatory in 1.7, but what with minor versions of pdf
>    files. Is last ' character mandatory also?. If no then
>    pdf_time_from_string_pdf must accept strings without '. Currently it don't
>    accept them.
>
> According to the 7.9.4 section of ISO32000, the format of a date
> should be:
>
>    (D:YYYYMMDDHHmmSSOHH'mm )
>
> where the ' after the HH should be specified only if HH is specified. 
>
> As long as I understand that apostrophe is NOT allowed in ISO 32000
> documents (Aleks, am I missing something?).


Last apostrophe is optional in ISO32000, if I remember correctly... from 
my comments in the source code:
 "'"  (NOTE: Mandatory in 1.7, optional in ISO32000)



> In consequence I would extend the function declaration to:
>
> pdf_status_t
> pdf_time_from_string_pdf (pdf_time_t time_var,
>                           const pdf_char_t *time_str,
>                           pdf_bool_t allow_trailing_apostrophe)
>
> so the caller can have control on what kind of date formats to
> support.
>
> What do you think?

Well, as the last apostrophe is optional in ISO32000, and mandatory in 
PDF1.7, I wouldn't let the caller choose one or the other, and just 
manage it internally as optional, so accept both.

Another thing would be when creating such a string from a pdf_time_t. 
Then, I would always add it, so that it is compatible with both ISO32000 
and PDF1.7

-Aleksander