xml-dev - TEI pointers

[Peter@ursus.demon.co.uk (Peter Murray-Rust)]

I need a search tool for structured documents and would be
grateful for pointers to existing tools which are free and re-usable.  My
target language is Java.  I would intend to use the TEI syntax (does it
come in different flavours?).  

I would also intend to use a graphically-based query if possible as well
as a commandline.  Has this been tried and are there any metaphors which 
have proved to be useful?  How do most humans currently construct TEI 
quries?  Do they learn the language and use a command line or do they
get customised queries?

This is sufficiently important for me that I shall need to do it myself
if there is no alternative, but it seems like something that can be developed
as a problem-independent module, so long as the API from the parser of 
other tools (e.g. GUIs) is clear.  The search needs to have the flexibility
to include <TT>FOREIGN</TT>, i.e. the ability to include non-XML-based
methods.  (In my own case it would be molecular substructure searches, which
are essentially labelled subgraph matching algorithms).  It should also
include the <TT>SPACE</TT> facility, because this is going to be extremely
important in technical documents.  

[The WG has suggested that the TEI syntax may be an important part of XML
PhaseII, but I am not sure of the timescale for resolution.  My
request would be currently useful for documents prepared for the PhaseI
draft and doesn't prejudge the WG deliberations.]

	P.


-- 
Peter Murray-Rust, domestic net connection
Virtual School of Molecular Sciences
http://www.vsms.nottingham.ac.uk/

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