Augmented BNF for Syntax Specifications: ABNF
RFC 2234

I don't like either of today's proposed changes.  The change to allow blank lines doesn't allow whitespace-only lines, which is potentially confusing; the change to prose-val to allow c-wsp makes the grammar ambiguous when parsing a prose-val with a semicolon.

I thought the original plan was to reclassify RFC 2234 as Draft Standard, without reissuing.  If we're issuing a new document, especially with grammar changes, I think it's a different game.

A few more grammar errors were identified during IESG review.  A new draft will be needed to fix these issues and the currently documented errata:

; Suggested change to allow blank lines within rules:
c-wsp          = *c-nl WSP
; This allows comments at col. 1 within rules; is this a problem?
;c-wsp          =  WSP / (c-nl WSP)

the prose-val change:
prose-val      =  "<" *(%x20-3D / %x3F-7E / c-wsp) ">"
                      ; bracketed string of SP and VCHAR
                      ;   without angles
                      ; prose description, to be used as
                      ;   last resort
; c-wsp added after DRUMS chair's note 1998-08-11
; orig: prose-val      =  "<" *(%x20-3D / %x3F-7E ) ">"

I have a complete grammar with updates included to be shared with the document editors.