Last modified: 2014-06-23 13:47:46 UTC
=#1= ==1.1: Issue== {{#tag:ref}}s in a <references> block supposedly cannot themselves contain _unnamed_ <ref>s (see also #2, below) ==1.2: Test case== ===Article text=== Lorem ipsum<ref name="expl_A" group="n" /> ===Explanatory notes section=== <references group="n"> {{#tag:ref |AAAA <ref>Ref #1</ref> |group="n"|name="expl_A"}} </references> ===References section=== <references /> ==1.3 Test case result== Failure. For one, it will generate a "<ref> tag defined in <references> has no name attribute." message. Obviously, the <ref> here does not need a name. Secondly, the <ref> will not be dealt with. Third, just adding a name does not solve the problem. See #2, below. =#2= ==2.1: Issue== For a _named_ <ref> (compare case #1) inside a {{#tag:ref}} inside a <references> block, the ref handler will carp and ignore the ref. ==2.2: Test case== ===Article text=== Lorem ipsum<ref name="expl_A" group="n" /> ===Explanatory notes section=== <references group="n"> {{#tag:ref |AAAA <ref name="ref1">Ref #1</ref> |group="n"|name="expl_A"}} </references> ===References section=== <references /> ==2.3 Test case result== Failure. Error message "<ref> tag with name "ref1" defined in <references> is not used in prior text." The <ref> is not dealt with. =#3= ==3.1: Issue== ref handler will carp and ignore cross-refs to an existing, predefined, named <ref>s (compare case #1/#2) ==3.2: Test case== ===Article text=== Lorem ipsum<ref name="expl_A" group="n" /> Carpe diem<ref name="ref1">Ref #1</ref> ===Explanatory notes section=== <references group="n"> {{#tag:ref |AAAA <ref name="ref1" /> |group="n"|name="expl_A"}} </references> ===References section=== <references /> ==3.3 Test case result== Failure. Error message "<ref> tag with name "ref1" defined in <references> is not used in prior text." The <ref> is not dealt with. =#4= ==4.1: Issue== A ref inside the <references> block that is *only* linked from another ref in the <references> block, is supposedly nonexistent. ==4.2: Test case== ===Article text=== Lorem ipsum<ref name="expl_A" group="n" /> ===Explanatory notes section=== <references group="n"> {{#tag:ref |BBBB |group="n"|name="expl_B"}} {{#tag:ref |AAAA link to B<ref name="expl_B" group="n" /> |group="n"|name="expl_A"}} </references> ===References section=== <references /> ==4.3: Test case result== Failure. For one, it will twice generate an inappropriate "<ref> tag with name "expl_B" defined in <references> is not used in prior text." (changing the order of the two #tag:refs makes no difference) Secondly, the <ref name="expl_B" group="n" /> is ignored. If however the "expl_A" is moved into the article text, everything is just fine. =#5= ==5.1: Issue== Corollary to #4: a ref tag that is *also* used outside the <references> block will *still* not appear. ==5.2: Test case== ===Article text=== Lorem ipsum<ref name="expl_A" group="n" /> Carpe diem<ref name="expl_B" group="n" /> ===Explanatory notes section=== <references group="n"> {{#tag:ref |Explanation B |group="n"|name="expl_B"}} {{#tag:ref |A link to B<ref name="expl_B" group="n" /> |group="n"|name="expl_A"}} </references> ===References section=== <references /> ==5.3: Test case result== Failure. The <ref> inside the #tag:ref is "invisible". No message. =#6= ==6.1: Issue== Ungraceful handling of refs that have no backlinks ==6.2 Test case== ===Article text=== Some text (no refs) ===References section=== <references> {{#tag:ref |This is a ref without backlinks |name="some_name"}} </references> ==6.3 Test case result== The ref handler will emit an "error" that "<ref> tag with name "expl_B" defined in <references> is not used in prior text." This is unnecessary bitchiness that second guesses the editor. What the ref handler really ought to do is print it without backlinks (in a separate <ul>). If the name has a typo, editors will figure it out. [the same should be done for <ref>s in a <references> block that have no name] Editors ought not to be screamed at. =#7= ==7.1: Issue== If a note defined outside the <references> block is also referenced from inside the <references> block, the note "disappears" entirely. ==7.2: Test case== ===Article text=== Lorem ipsum<ref name="expl_A" group="n" /> similique sunt in culpa<ref name="expl_B" group="n" /> cognito ergo poof.{{#tag:ref|AAAAA |group="n"|name="expl_A"}} ===Explanatory notes section=== <references group="n"> {{#tag:ref|Link to expl. A.<ref name="expl_A" group="n" /> |name="expl_B" |group="n"}} </references> ==7.3 Test case result== The note expl_A disappears. Instead, a spurious "error" message is emitted in its place. "Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named expl_A" =Notes= A) These problems are all limited to tags inside <references>...</references>. They don't apply outside the <references> block. B) The ref handler is much too emphatic. It probably needs to deal with input gracefully, and not shake its fist at editors so much. Please.
This looks like the same issue reported in Bug 20707.
All references defined in the reference list must be invoked in the content, else an error message will show "Cite error: <ref> tag with name "#1" defined in <references> is not used in prior text". But, the first undefined reference shows the message "Cite error: <ref> tag defined in <references> has group attribute "" which does not appear in prior text", even if there is no group defined. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cite_errors/Cite_error_references_missing_key
This looks like an ARRAY BASE issue to me. One piece of code is using an ARRAY BASE OF ZERO and the other is using a base of ONE. I'm not a good enough programmer to find the problem, but hopefully this will give someone a clue where to look.
