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Re: Expert's advice needed about XML Schema and definin g some

• To: 'xml-dev@l...' <xml-dev@l...>
• Subject: Re: Expert's advice needed about XML Schema and definin g some kind of relation
• From: Michael Champion <mc@x...>
• Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2003 08:11:42 -0500
• In-reply-to: <531C0947F1E0844FBDDB065F2EA5329501953CB1@u...>
• References: <531C0947F1E0844FBDDB065F2EA5329501953CB1@u...>

On Dec 5, 2003, at 3:36 AM, Barwell Jonathan wrote:

> I wonder whether you are actually using the right technologies to 
> solve your problems.  In essence you are trying to design a relational 
> database using XML.

I had the same reaction to the original post.  As useful as XML is for 
lots of things, one needs to guard against the temptation to see  nails 
that need pounding simply because one has a hammer.  XML per se has no 
notion of cross-document referential integrity nor does XPath/XSLT 1.x 
have the notion of a join.  Obviously these are two great strengths of 
the relational approach.

To the extent that other aspects of the situation here demand an XML 
approach, XSLT 2.0 / XQuery joins across two documents seem like a more 
natural fit than trying to coerce the data into a single document where 
DTD/Schema id/idref constraints can apply.  True those are not mature 
Recommendations, but there is a lot of software out there that supports 
them, from industrial strength XML servers to open source.  Saxon might 
be the best tool with which to start experimenting. 
  

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    • From: Robert Koberg <rob@k...>

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  • RE: Expert's advice needed about XML Schema and definin g some kind of relation
    • From: Barwell Jonathan <Jonathan.Barwell@a...>

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