vcard-errata

vCard errata

In the development of hCard and proxies like X2V, we have discovered various details of RFC 2426 vCard that appear to be mistakes. Thus we are documenting them here as we find them, organized by RFC 2426 section number.

Author(s)

Tantek Çelik

Errata

2.2 Predefined Type Parameter Usage

1. 2005-11-24 by Tantek Çelik

Just after this block:

   The vCard MIME Directory Profile uses the following predefined type
   parameters as defined by [MIME-DIR].

insert this:

        - CHARSET

just before this:

        - LANGUAGE

5. Differences From vCard v2.1

1. 2005-11-24 by Tantek Çelik

RFC 2426 says:

        . The [VCARD] CHARSET type parameter has been eliminated.
          Character set can only be specified on the CHARSET parameter
          on the Content-Type MIME header field.

We believe this to have been a mistake, note in particular that section 1. of RFC 2426 explicitly states that the CHARSET parameter is one of the "Predefined MIME Directory parameters" that is "used". We believe that statement in section 1. of RFC 2426 to be correct.

The most obvious proof of why this is needed is when a vCard .vcf file is stored on and retrieved from a local file-system, you obviously cannot depend on the Content-Type MIME (or HTTP) header field, nor can you assume that the operating system will keep character set metadata about the file in some other location.

Thus it is critical that the CHARSET parameter be reused from MIME-DIR. This requires:

1. delete the above quoted bullet item from section 5.
2. make the change to section 2.2 as noted above.

See Also

• vcard-suggestions
• vcard-implementations
• hCard
• vCard mailing list - a place to raise these issues, and where similar issues can be found.