cgi.py and HTML 4.0 compliancy

[Michael Ströder]

Juergen wrote:
> 
> according to "validator.w3.org" the following URL is not HTML 4
> compliant:
>    <a href="mycgiscript.py?firstParam=Bill&secondParam=Whitters">Some
> Text</a>

Maybe HTML4 mandates to use a form.

<form>
  <input type="hidden" name="firstParam" value="Bill">
  <input type="hidden" name="secondParam" value="Whitters">
  <input type="submit" value="Some Text">
</form>

> I think the correct form of the above URL would be:
>    <a href="mycgiscript.py?firstParam=Bill%26secondParam=Whitters">Some
> Text</a>
> but I am not sure. At least the validator doesn't complain anymore.

Well, this is not the same as the URL above.

> The problem with this URL is, that the cgi modules FieldStorage class
> can't handle this format properly.

Yes, off course. You URL-quoted the ampersand ('&') which is
necessary to separate the input fields.

> As a workaround I modified cgi.parse_qsl by adding a new line:

Don't do that. It violates the standard and works only if your
parameter values does not contain an ampersand.

> I wonder if some Python core developer should take care of this or if
> the HTML validator needs to be fixed.

Both are ok. IMHO your HTML has to be fixed.

Ciao, Michael.