This paper is the first step in the solution of the problem of finite completion of comma-free codes. We show that every finite comma-free code is included in a finite comma-free code of particular kind, which we called, for lack of a better term, canonical comma-free code. Certainly, finite maximal comma-free codes are always canonical. The final step of the solution which consists in proving further that every canonical comma-free code is completed to a finite maximal comma-free code, is intended...

This paper is the first step in the solution of the problem of finite completion of comma-free codes. We show that every finite comma-free code is included in a finite comma-free code of particular kind, which we called, for lack of a better term, canonical comma-free code. Certainly, finite maximal comma-free codes are always canonical. The final step of the solution which consists in proving further that every canonical comma-free code is completed to a finite maximal comma-free code, is intended...

This paper is a sequel to an earlier paper of the present author, in which it was proved that every finite comma-free code is embedded into a so-called (finite) canonical comma-free code. In this paper, it is proved that every (finite) canonical comma-free code is embedded into a finite maximal comma-free code, which thus achieves the conclusion that every finite comma-free code has finite completions.

This paper is a sequel to an earlier paper of the present author, in which it was proved that every finite comma-free code is embedded into a so-called (finite) canonical comma-free code. In this paper, it is proved that every (finite) canonical comma-free code is embedded into a finite maximal comma-free code, which thus achieves the conclusion that every finite comma-free code has finite completions.