Unicode Expert's way of Writing Data Specifications?

Costello, Roger L. costello at mitre.org
Wed Jun 10 10:10:28 CDT 2015


Hi Folks,

I seek recommendations from the Unicode experts on how to write data specifications that are precise, from a Unicode perspective.

Let's take an example. A (fictitious) data specification says this:

	The name of the airplane's flight path must take 
	this form: FLTPATH xx, where xx = two digits.

Even as a non-expert in Unicode I can see impreciseness:

1. What are the codepoints of these symbols: FLTPATH? Presumably you mean U+0046 U+004C U+0054 U+0050 U+0041 U+0054 U+0048.

2. What are the range of codepoints for the two digits? Presumably you mean U+0030 - U+0039.

Here is a revised version of the data specification: 

	The name of the airplane's flight path must take 
	this form: FLTPATH (U+0046 U+004C U+0054 
	U+0050 U+0041 U+0054 U+0048) xx, where 
	xx = two digits in the range U+0030 - U+0039.

Is that revised version precise, from a Unicode expert's perspective? 

Is there a better way of phrasing it, so that it is more readable? As it stands, reading it is kind of a bumpy ride. 

/Roger



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