Re: [Refdb-users] xnotes

[Bruce D'A. <bd...@fa...>]

On Dec 12, 2003, at 7:28 PM, Markus Hoenicka wrote:

> I've told you previously that this is not going to work. An xnote
> element contains exactly one note. The note is the text that you want
> to attach to something in the database. The xnote element contains
> this note plus the information that you need to manage this note.

You've told me, but I'd like other opinions ;-)

You only allow title, keywords, and users to be associated with an 
xnote.  This essentially means all of this information is user-level, 
and precludes the possibility of using it in a multi-user context.

Here's what I mean as an example:

<xnote>
   <title>Some Topic</title>
   <note>This is a a subject a group is working on</note>
   <note user="user1">User1 adds a note related to it.</note>
   <note user="user2">User2 follows up.</note>
   <keyword>something</keyword>
<xnote>

Or let's say I have the same thing at the user-level, but want to be 
able to include multiple date-stamped notes within the category?

<xnote>
   <title>Some Topic</title>
   <note>This is a a subject I am working on</note>
   <note date="2002-10-12">I add an original note.</note>
   <note date="2003-12-20">I later add a followup, and want to track the 
different times.</note>
   <keyword>something</keyword>
   <link type="reference" target="one"/>
   <link type="reference" target="two"/>
   <link type="reference" target="three"/>
<xnote>

Or is the problem that it is difficult to fit this into a RDBMS 
context; that because of *that* there can only be one note?

>> The other issue is that whatever we settle on ought to be able to
>> standalone, or to be embedded elsewhere.  In my case, I embed the
>> content in MODS (in its "extension" element).  Here's an example:
>>
>>      <extension>
>>        <xnote xmlns="http://refdb.sourceforge.net/xnotes-ns">
>> 	<note user="darcusb" date="2003-12-11">
>> 	   <p>The note content</p>
>> 	</note>
>>        </xnote>
>>      </extension>
>>
>> Part of why I like the note-level user info is because it's easier to
>> manage when embedding elsewhere (I find it awkward to a) include
>> xnoteset in this context and b) declare the namespace in the same
>> element as the user).
>
> You don't need xnoteset in this context. The user information is
> attached to the xnote element, not to the xnoteset element.

The point is this:

To embed xnotes in mods requires declaring the namespace on the root 
element that is included.  You are right I don't need to use xnoteset, 
but then I end up with:

	<xnote xmlns="http://refdb.sourceforge.net/xnotes-ns" user="darcusb">

It works, of course, but is simply a little awkward for my tastes.

My bigger point is simply in how the structure is conceptualized.

>> The datestamp is validated with schema datatyping, and it along with
>> the user is auto-inserted with the macro templates I've written.
>
> This is great as long as you use Schema and a Schema-aware editor.

The templates aren't specific to any mode.

As for schema and schema aware editors and the larger trajectory of xml 
development, I'm a young scholar; I'd rather not shackle the work I do 
with the limitations of decades' old technologies.  It's why I prefer 
RelaxNG for development, nXML for editing (it's the first thing to come 
along to convince me to learn emacs) and to avoid coding my documents 
with DTD-specific things like character entities.

Bruce