docbook-tc — archive

[System]

Draft Proposal for new DocBook elements to support Dublin Core
---------------------------------------------------------

This proposal is my other action item from the last DocBook
TC meeting.  While reading it you should have at hand
the HTML table mapping Dublin Core to DocBook
that I sent out earlier (actually, I attached it
here again).

The following Dublin Core elements are already
covered by DocBook elements and nothing new
is needed.  Please refer to the
HTML table for explanations. 

Title
Creator
Subject
Description
Publisher
Contributor
Date
Language
Rights

The following Dublin Core elements are not covered by
DocBook elements, but can be inferred from them.
I think no new elements are needed for them either.

Type
Format


Below is a description of four new elements that I'm
proposing to support Dublin Core metadata:
  <identifier>
  <source>
  <relation>
  <coverage>

The first three have similar structure since they are
describing resources.

1.  Resource Identifier.
---------------------------
There is a need in DocBook to uniquely identify the current
document.  Any number of identifier schemes could be
used, both formal and informal.  I propose a new
<identifier> element to be included in the *info set.
Given that one resource can be described using more
than one scheme, I think more than one identifier element
should be permitted.

The element's content is an identifier string.  A scheme
attribute can be used to identify a formal scheme, and its
enumerated list can be extended in a customization layer.
I'm open to suggestions on the enumerated list of schema.
One could also use a role attribute to indicate an informal
scheme.  The <isbn> and <issn> elements would eventually be
subsumed under this element.

<!ELEMENT identifier (#PCDATA) >
<!ATTLIST identifier 
                %common.attrib;
                %identifier.scheme.attrib;
                %identifier.role.attrib;
                %local.identifier.attrib;
>

<!ENTITY % identifier.scheme.attrib
               "scheme   (isbn
                         |issn
                         |loc
                         |uri
                         %local.identifier.schema;)       #IMPLIED"
>
<!-- loc is Library of Congress -->

<!ENTITY % identifier.role.attrib "%role.attrib;">


2.  Source.
--------------
It is useful to record if a document or element
(text or graphic) has been derived from another resource.
I propose a new <source> element that is structured
similarly to the <identifier> element to meet that need.
It could appear inside any *info element, including the
<objectinfo> element used for mediaobjects.

<!ELEMENT source (#PCDATA) >
<!ATTLIST source 
                %common.attrib;
                %source.scheme.attrib;
                %source.role.attrib;
                %local.source.attrib;
>

<!ENTITY % source.scheme.attrib
               "scheme   (isbn
                         |issn
                         |loc
                         |uri
                         %local.source.schema;)       #IMPLIED"
>

<!ENTITY % source.role.attrib "%role.attrib;">


3.  Relation
-----------------
This element would capture relationships with other
resources that are not already expressed with the various
DocBook linking elements.  
I propose a new <relation> element that is structured
similarly to the <identifier> element to meet that need.
It could appear inside any *info element, including
the <objectinfo> element in mediaobjects.

The content of <relation> would be the identifier of the
other resource.  The scheme or role attributes would
identify the scheme used in naming the resource.  A "type"
attribute would capture the relationship type, and would
use the enumerated Dublin Core relation qualifiers,
extensible with a parameter entity.

<!ELEMENT relation (#PCDATA) >
<!ATTLIST relation 
                %common.attrib;
                %relation.scheme.attrib;
                %relation.role.attrib;
                %relation.type.attrib;
                %local.relation.attrib;
>

<!ENTITY % relation.scheme.attrib
               "scheme   (isbn
                         |issn
                         |loc
                         |uri
                         %local.relation.schema;)       #IMPLIED"
>

<!ENTITY % relation.type.attrib
               "type     (IsVersionOf
                         |HasVersion
                         |IsReplacedBy
                         |Replaces
                         |IsRequiredBy
                         |Requires
                         |IsPartOf
                         |HasPart
                         |IsReferencedBy
                         |References
                         |IsFormatOf
                         |HasFormat
                         %local.relation.types;)       #IMPLIED"
>

4.  Coverage
----------------
This element's content describes the coverage domain of the
current document or element.  It could appear in
any *info element.  The simplest model
would be just text, but some might want something
more structured.

<!ELEMENT coverage (#PCDATA) >
<!ATTLIST coverage 
                %common.attrib;
                %coverage.role.attrib;
                %local.coverage.attrib;
>



Bob Stayton
8 January 2002
Version 1.0

Title: Dublin Core in DocBook



Dublin Core in DocBook
This table summaries the Dublin Core Elements[1] and how they map to
DocBook elements in the DocBook 4.1.2 DTD. For more information on Dublin Core,
see:
[1] http://dublincore.org/documents/1998/09/dces/
[2] http://dublincore.org/documents/1999/08/05/resource-typelist/