RE: [xml-dev] XML for the Restaurant Industry

["Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@ingr.com>]

Welcome to the party, Samuel.

 

I've seen examples of XML that use the menu model in

various books.  I don't remember any complete schemas,

but it shouldn't be too hard to create one.

 

1.  Are you trying to create a schema for the menus

you have at hand, or a generic schema that will work

for any menu, anytime, in any restaurant?

 

2.  Do you have an organization that will sponsor

and promote your schema, or are you doing this

for yourself or a specific customer?

 

Depending on how you answer those, you have

a reasonable job or a very tedious one.  The pain

increases almost geometrically to the level of

metaness and ubiquity you have to support.

 

Have you written many DTDs or Schemas?  If

not, I'd recommend getting a book like Wrox's
Professional XML Schemas or another by

Priscilla Walmsley.  The examples are very

useful.  Also, absolutely do read the XML
Schemas Best Practices page that Roger

Costello maintains at www.xfront.com.

 

len

From: Samuel Dorfman [mailto:sam@philly-direct.com]

I am new to this list and I joined to ask this question

which I hope is appropriate for the XML-DEV list.

 

I am beginning to develop a restaurant menu web page.

I was originally going to use my own flat file database

but when I borrowed a sample menu I concluded that

a real life menu is too complex to handle efficiently

with a flat file.(too many special cases)

 

XML has become my logical choice.

Since I don't wish to reinvent the wheel,

I am asking the following question:

 

Does anyone know of any non-proprietary XML

DTDs or Schemas for the Restaurant Industry?

Or will I be a pioneer in this field?