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   RE: [xml-dev] Are people really using Identity constraints specified in

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Peter,

Here's how VAM works in CAM right now.  We have a simple precedence sequence.

Again - in order to remain sane - and to allow implementers of CAM engines and
writers of CAM templates - to do stuff that does not require Teraflops of
processing power or excessive tearing of hair out!

Anyway - the VAM is this - base rules are those in-line rules embedded into
structure members, (or included via an included structure).  These are
overridden by any rules that match the same XPath target(s) that are declared
in the the <BusinessContext> section of the template.  Third - the
<ContentReference> section provides default rules (typically retrieved from the
central registry, but can be in-lined too) - that provide rules if neither the
structure or context section provides any.  Last but not least there is the
<DataValidation> section - this is mostly for external calls to webservices -
and so again - anything failing these checks will be rejected with an
appropriate error - this section is optional though - an intended for backend
internal integration needs against the actual data content - rather than
structural checks.

VAM is certainly a key thing to have explicit.

Thanks, DW

Quoting "Hunsberger, Peter" <Peter.Hunsberger@STJUDE.ORG>:

> w3c@drrw.info writes:
> 
> > Thomas,
> > 
> > When I read this I feel good about how we have engineered CAM.
> > 
> > These real world examples show that we have it right - since 
> > it can handle all of this in its stride.  3 different ways of 
> > looking at one value?  No problems.  And context driven - yes!
> 
> I don't think it can be emphasized too much how important context
> sensitive validation is required.  The real world requirements are
> simultaneously local and global.  Two main issues arise:
> 
> 1) what is best practice for determining context? A simple hierarchical
> mapping works for only some subset of the problem. A complete rules
> engine is complex and expensive.  Similarly, an Ontological traversal is
> complex and expensive.  
> 
> 2) Normalization.  Static XML templates don't easily provide a useful
> degree of normalization.  Given the lack of a clear path for my first
> issue this may not seem like a real problem yet, but we're already
> running into it.  Our business analysts have dumped many requirements on
> us to allow them to reuse already existing template fragments (we use
> them for presentation, styling and validation) across multiple contexts
> when a portion of the template is identical.
> 
> Currently for 1) we use a simple XSLT based rules engine traversing
> multiple XML hierarchies.  I know where I want to go with this and I
> believe I can keep the processing costs reasonable and get an 80%
> solution. The solution to 2 is joined at the hip with 1.  As you
> traverse the rules graph you locate pointers to the template fragments
> needed to create the entire template; start globally, traverse to local,
> (recursively use rules to determine how to combine the results).
> 
> The implication for CAM is that, long run, you also need a VAM: a
> Validation Assembly Mechanism.  This may seem like overkill, but I
> really think this is a multiple dimensional problem with the same
> solution over each dimension: triples driven graph traversal.  
> 
> An interesting side effect of looking at the problem this way is that it
> gives you a precise definition of ambiguity. Ambiguity arises when the
> traversal over each dimension  does not arrive at a single point but
> rather some higher order space (be it 2D, 3D, or whatever).  If you
> arrive at such a space  you have to either have defaults or a way to
> alert some portion of the organizations involved that they have not yet
> agreed on a workable solution; (local augmentation of the rules graphs
> is likely the near term fix...).  Now if only we really knew what each
> dimension was (Zachman's architecture framework anyone ?:
> http://www.zifa.com/).  Clearly, MVC only captures a small portion of
> the problem.
> 
> > 
> > Sure people can bitch about this not being 'simple' - but the 
> > kind of use cases you have shown only proves you need strong 
> > adaptability and flexibility to solve these real world needs.
> > 
> > Fortunately - unlike Tim's thoughts on XQuery - I feel very 
> > confident that CAM has managed to address the needs.
> >
> 
> It appears you're doing very good work on one portion of the problem.
> However, watching the various standards chasing each other in circles
> around the world, feeding on vast amounts of human resources, growing
> ever fatter, and continually failing to simplify my life doesn't make me
> have quite your confidence.
> 
> 
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