usefor-article-05 July 2001
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5.3. Message-ID
The Message-ID header contains the article's message identifier, a
unique identifier distinguishing the article from every other
article. The content syntax makes use of syntax defined in [RFC
2822], subject to the following revised definition of no-fold-quote
and no-fold-literal.
Message-ID-content = msg-id
id-left = dot-atom-text / no-fold-quote
id-right = dot-atom-text / no-fold-literal
no-fold-quote = DQUOTE *( strict-qtext / strict-quoted-pair )
DQUOTE
no-fold-literal = DQUOTE *( dtext / strict-quoted-pair ) DQUOTE
A msg-id MUST NOT contain any SP within any strict-quoted-pair. The
msg-id MUST NOT be more than 250 octets in length.
NOTE: The syntax ensures that a msg-id is restricted to pure
US-ASCII, and is thus a strict subset of that defined by [RFC
2822]. The exclusion of SP is to ensure compatibility with
existing software. The length restriction ensures that systems
which accept message identifiers as a parameter when retrieving
an article (e.g. [NNTP]) can rely on a bounded length. Observe
that msg-id includes the '<' and '>'.
Following the provisions of [RFC 2822], an agent generating an
article's message identifier MUST ensure that it is unique and that
it is NEVER reused (either in Netnews or email). Moreover, even
though commonly derived from the domain name of the originating site
(and domain names are case-insensitive), a message identifier MUST
NOT be altered in any way during transport, or when copied (as into a
References header), and thus a simple (case-sensitive) comparison of
octets will always suffice to recognise that same message identifier
wherever it subsequently reappears.
NOTE: some old software may treat message identifiers that
differ only in case within their id-right part as equivalent,
and implementors of agents that generate message identifiers
should be aware of this.
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#Diff to first older
--- ../usefor-article-04/Message-ID.out April 2001
+++ ../usefor-article-05/Message-ID.out July 2001
@@ -2,25 +2,29 @@
The Message-ID header contains the article's message identifier, a
unique identifier distinguishing the article from every other
- article. The content syntax makes use of syntax defined in [MESSFOR],
- subject to the following revised definition of no-fold-quote.
+ article. The content syntax makes use of syntax defined in [RFC
+ 2822], subject to the following revised definition of no-fold-quote
+ and no-fold-literal.
Message-ID-content = msg-id
id-left = dot-atom-text / no-fold-quote
+ id-right = dot-atom-text / no-fold-literal
no-fold-quote = DQUOTE *( strict-qtext / strict-quoted-pair )
DQUOTE
+ no-fold-literal = DQUOTE *( dtext / strict-quoted-pair ) DQUOTE
- The msg-id MUST NOT be more than 250 octets in length.
+ A msg-id MUST NOT contain any SP within any strict-quoted-pair. The
+ msg-id MUST NOT be more than 250 octets in length.
NOTE: The syntax ensures that a msg-id is restricted to pure
- US-ASCII (and is thus in strict compliance with [MESSFOR]). The
- length restriction ensures that systems which accept message
- identifiers as a parameter when retrieving an article (e.g.
- [NNTP]) can rely on a bounded length. Observe that msg-id
- includes the '<' and '>'.
-[Do something about whitespace in dot-atom-text and no-fold-quote.]
+ US-ASCII, and is thus a strict subset of that defined by [RFC
+ 2822]. The exclusion of SP is to ensure compatibility with
+ existing software. The length restriction ensures that systems
+ which accept message identifiers as a parameter when retrieving
+ an article (e.g. [NNTP]) can rely on a bounded length. Observe
+ that msg-id includes the '<' and '>'.
- Following the provisions of [MESSFOR], an agent generating an
+ Following the provisions of [RFC 2822], an agent generating an
article's message identifier MUST ensure that it is unique and that
it is NEVER reused (either in Netnews or email). Moreover, even
though commonly derived from the domain name of the originating site