Re: XML Zebra, a path-based tool for generating diff fingerprints forXML

["Anthony B. Coates \(XML-Dev\)" <abcoatesecure-xmldev@yahoo.co.uk>]

Version 1.0-pre-2 of XML Zebra is now available.  It adds support for  
substitution groups, and you can now set namespace prefixes via the  
command line.

https://launchpad.net/xmlzebra/+announcement/5072

Cheers, Tony.

On Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:16:39 -0000, Anthony B. Coates (XML-Dev)  
<abcoatesecure-xmldev@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> I have written a tool (in Scala) that can be used to check the  
> differences
> between versions of a set of W3C XML Schemas.  The tool can be run with
> Scala, Java, or Apache Ant.  The idea is that for each version, you  
> create
> a fingerprint file that contains paths (like XPaths, but with an extended
> syntax).  By comparing the two fingerprint files for two versions, you  
> can
> see what has changed between the versions of the Schemas.  The tools  
> makes
> use of the XMLBeans API for examining the structure of W3C XML Schemas.
>
> How does this differ from just doing diffs of the individual Schema files
> themselves?  The difference is that the path-based approach shows you not
> only what has changed, but also shows all of the places that are directly
> or indirectly impacted by the change.  Also, the path-based approach
> ignores restructurings that don't impact users, like renaming of Schema
> types or moving of definitions to a different Schema file.  Put another
> way, the path-based approach allows you to evaluate how the Schemas have
> changed from a user-impact perspective, rather than from a simple
> file-change perspective.
>
> The software is open source, released under the Apache licence.  For more
> details, and to download it, see
>
> http://www.xmlzebra.com/
>
> There will be a presentation about this software at the XML Prague 2010
> conference, 13-14 March.
>
> http://www.xmlprague.cz/2010/index.html
>
> Feedback would be very welcome.  Thanks,
>
> Cheers, Tony.

-- 
Anthony B. Coates
Director and CTO
Londata Ltd
UK: +44 (20) 8816 7700, US: +1 (239) 344 7700
Mobile/Cell: +44 (79) 0543 9026
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