[NNTP] Multi-line blocks

[Peter Robinson]

Clive D.W. Feather <clive at demon.net> wrote:

> [...] I've decided to invent a new term "multi-line data block" and
> rephrase other places to use it. Here's the significant diffs - scream now
> or forever hold your peace.

I'm slightly worried about making changes to the fundamentals at this
stage.  But it does crystallise a useful concept, so I say do it.
Carefully.

I've had a quick look through, and noticed one annoying nit though:

> +3.1.1  Multi-line data blocks

[...]

> -   4.  The lines of the response MUST be followed by a terminating line
> +   4.  The lines of the block MUST be followed by a terminating line
>         consisting of a single termination octet followed by a CRLF pair
> -       in the normal way.  Thus a multi-line response is always
> -       terminated with the five octets CRLF "." CRLF (%x0D.0A.2E.0D.0A).
> +       in the normal way.  Thus a multi-line block is always terminated
> +       with the five octets CRLF "." CRLF (%x0D.0A.2E.0D.0A).

The last sentence is not strictly true since an 'empty' multi-line block
consists only of the last three of those octets.

>     6.  Likewise, the terminating line ("." CRLF or %x2E.0D.0A) MUST NOT
> -       be considered part of the multi-line response; i.e. the client
> +       be considered part of the multi-line block; i.e. the recipient
>         MUST ensure that any line beginning with the termination octet
>         followed immediately by a CRLF pair is disregarded; (the first
>         CRLF pair of the terminating CRLF "." CRLF is, of course, part of
> -       the last line of the response).
> +       the last line of the block).

And again, that's not strictly true for an empty block.

Regards,

Peter