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Thread:
Issue: Does TransXML require a consistent framework? |
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Paul Scarponcini
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Issue: Does TransXML require a consistent framework?
Posted:
Saturday, January 29, 2005 3:58 PM (EST)
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The developers of XML provided a flexible encoding scheme in order to satisfy the needs of virtually any application domain. Their intent was to have each domain (independently) develop their own set of tags to make XML specific to their needs. The resultant problem that has arisen is that each domain has approached XML a bit differently. LandXML, for example looks a lot different than JusticeXML though both are XML compliant.
The vision for TransXML is that it will extend the success of LandXML in four business areas, for which nine initial schemas have been proposed. These span the entire transportation facility life cycle process, including planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation. The dilemma which results is that each TransXML schema has the potential for interacting with an external XML schema, and all the external schemas are different.
One approach would be to harmonize each TransXML schema with the existing external schema most appropriate to it. So Area Features would look like LandXML, Contract Pay Items like aecXML, and Crash Records like JusticeXML. Unfortunately, this would mean that that the nine TransXML schemas could end up looking quite different from each other and would be incompatible. The probability that someone could pick and choose various parts of TransXML schemas to satisfy a particular application problem quickly diminishes. The problem would become increasingly worse as more schemas are added beyond this first project.
An alternative is to agree on a TransXML framework. This framework would include rules for using available XML constructs as well as basic types which could be shared across TransXML schemas. This would insure consistency and compatibility between the nine project TransXML schemas as well as additional TransXML schemas in the future.
The Project Team believes strongly that a consistent framework needs to be used for TransXML. It will be the responsibility of each schema development team to adhere to this framework and to develop a strategy to integrate their work with existing, identified external schemas as appropriate.
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