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<TITLE>RE: [PROPOSAL] standard multivalue parameter mechanism</TITLE>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>The only concern I see with this is that an association handle may contain commas.<BR>
> Associations are referred to by a handle, which MUST be a string<BR>
> 255 characters or less, and consist only of ASCII characters in<BR>
> the range 33-126 inclusive (printable non-whitespace characters).<BR>
<BR>
Is there a reason to have the authentication spec itself define this? Could it define it only for the required field(s) and then where it discusses that multiple keys with the same name are not allowed, it also recommend that extensions use a comma as a delimiter when needed?<BR>
<BR>
--David<BR>
<BR>
-----Original Message-----<BR>
From: specs-bounces@openid.net on behalf of Dick Hardt<BR>
Sent: Sat 9/30/2006 4:45 PM<BR>
To: specs@openid.net<BR>
Subject: [PROPOSAL] standard multivalue parameter mechanism<BR>
<BR>
Motivating Use Case<BR>
----------------------------<BR>
Passing multiple values for the same parameter, or lists is useful <BR>
for the protocol. Having a standard way of doing it will make it <BR>
easier for implementors and less prone to error. openid.signed takes <BR>
a list, and openid.ax.required and openid.ax.if_available apply to <BR>
zero or more items.<BR>
<BR>
Given that multiple parameters is not desired due to 1) the <BR>
enumerated list for what was signed cannot have multiple values, and <BR>
2) a number of web application platforms are allergic to multiple <BR>
parameters of the same name, putting multiple values in the same <BR>
parameter separated by a delimiter is the other obvious option.<BR>
<BR>
Proposed Implementation<BR>
-----------------------------------<BR>
Given that the comma "," is already being used as a delimiter for <BR>
openid.signed, that a comma be considered the delimiter for any <BR>
OpenID parameter.<BR>
<BR>
The comma would then be an escape character in all OpenID strings, <BR>
and that if a comma is in a string, that it is escaped out with <BR>
another comma as such ",," ie. the string "Apt. 123, 55 Sesame St." <BR>
would be "Apt. 123, 55 Sesame St."<BR>
<BR>
... suggestions for other delimiting mechanisms welcome!<BR>
<BR>
-- Dick<BR>
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