--- loncom/publisher/lonpublisher.pm	2005/02/28 21:28:18	1.185
+++ loncom/publisher/lonpublisher.pm	2005/03/03 21:14:10	1.186
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # Publication Handler
 #
-# $Id: lonpublisher.pm,v 1.185 2005/02/28 21:28:18 www Exp $
+# $Id: lonpublisher.pm,v 1.186 2005/03/03 21:14:10 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -548,7 +548,8 @@ sub get_max_ids_indices {
 	    my $counter;
 	    if ($counter=$addid{$token->[1]}) {
 		if ($counter eq 'id') {
-		    if (defined($token->[2]->{'id'})) {
+		    if (defined($token->[2]->{'id'}) &&
+			$token->[2]->{'id'} !~ /^\s*$/) {
 			$maxid=($token->[2]->{'id'}>$maxid)?$token->[2]->{'id'}:$maxid;
 			if (exists($allids{$token->[2]->{'id'}})) {
 			    $duplicateids=1;
@@ -560,7 +561,8 @@ sub get_max_ids_indices {
 			$needsfixup=1;
 		    }
 		} else {
-		    if (defined($token->[2]->{'index'})) {
+		    if (defined($token->[2]->{'index'}) &&
+			$token->[2]->{'index'} !~ /^\s*$/) {
 			$maxindex=($token->[2]->{'index'}>$maxindex)?$token->[2]->{'index'}:$maxindex;
 		    } else {
 			$needsfixup=1;
@@ -674,13 +676,15 @@ sub fix_ids_and_indices {
 		if (!$counter) { $counter=$addid{$lctag}; }
 		if ($counter) {
 		    if ($counter eq 'id') {
-			unless (defined($parms{'id'})) {
+			unless (defined($parms{'id'}) &&
+				$parms{'id'}!~/^\s*$/) {
 			    $maxid++;
 			    $parms{'id'}=$maxid;
 			    print $logfile 'ID: '.$tag.':'.$maxid."\n";
 			}
 		    } elsif ($counter eq 'index') {
-			unless (defined($parms{'index'})) {
+			unless (defined($parms{'index'}) &&
+				$parms{'index'}!~/^\s*$/) {
 			    $maxindex++;
 			    $parms{'index'}=$maxindex;
 			    print $logfile 'Index: '.$tag.':'.$maxindex."\n";