RE: [xml-dev] What approaches do people use to create tag names and attr

[Len Bullard <len.bullard@uai.com>]

1.  There is a defined set of tables or ERDs and the names are derived from
these as is or with domain modifiers (eg, table/column names) as you say.
Watch out for misspellings particularly when using code generator tools that
will *consistently* misspell for you.  The code runs but oopsies everywhere
else.

2.  Domain experts.  Pick one and make sure that they can override anyone
else's input.   Eg, find two experts who agree on the meaning of 'event'.
This gets worse if they are in closely related non-conjunct fields.  This
can also become very expensive.

3.  Remember the internationalization problems.  Not only do translations
have to make sense, it is nice if they fit into the same approximate amount
of layout space.  They almost never do.  I won't get into character sets.
You already understand that.

4.  It would be nice if the terms chosen make sense in other productions.
The VB programmers and the C# programmers diverge on the value of this but
for the long run, it is nice if the SQL or other code using these values
reads well.

5.  Organization has chosen.  That's cool until you try to sell the product
to the next organization.  Scan the web for domain list standards.  These
may be worthy or might not.  For the most weird names I've ever seen, try
looking into HL7.

6.  It is actually easy to distill from a requirements document.  Nouns are
nouns until they become phrases or gerunds.  One problem is if you have
non-native-language speakers building your tables.  For example you can get
"ProfessionalAttentionTo" instead of "skills".

Get ready to repeat this a few times.

len

-----Original Message-----
From: Costello, Roger L. [mailto:costello@mitre.org] 
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 2:56 PM
To: xml-dev@lists.xml.org
Subject: [xml-dev] What approaches do people use to create tag names and
attribute names?

Hi Folks,

I am putting together a list of approaches that people use to create
tag names and attribute names.  I am interested in your input.

APPROACHES FOR CREATING TAG NAMES AND ATTRIBUTE NAMES
 
1. Domain experts are consulted; the experts create (through a
consensus process) a label for each information item.  Those labels are
used as tag and attribute names.

2. There is an existing database; the database column and table names
are used as the XML tag and attribute names.

3. An organization has already created a set of tags and attributes;
they are used.

4. There exists a data requirements document; tag and attribute names
are distilled from the requirements document. (I am not clear on how
tag and attribute names can be systematically distilled from a
requirements document; do you have insights on how to do this?) 


Are there other approaches that people use to create tag names and
attribute names?

/Roger

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