[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message]

RE: When to namespace a vocabulary?

• To: "'Fraser Crichton'" <fraser.crichton@s...>,<xml-dev@l...>
• Subject: RE: When to namespace a vocabulary?
• From: "Michael Kay" <mike@s...>
• Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2005 09:32:25 +0100
• In-reply-to: <426ED0EC.1060604@s...>
• Thread-index: AcVKuUeQ2Ix5WYVXTIyxvoYdhDmlawASOjFg

Start with the assumption that there is no right answer, and indeed that the
answer you come up with is going to be wrong. It's like deciding the
top-level structure of your application before you start coding, knowing
that you're never going to be able to change it. Or like designing a filing
system which you will never be able to reorganize.

My preference is to use as few namespaces as you can get away with. Only put
two names in different namespaces if they are controlled by different naming
authorities or change control processes.

Michael Kay 
http://www.saxonica.com/

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Fraser Crichton [mailto:fraser.crichton@s...] 
> Sent: 27 April 2005 00:38
> To: xml-dev@l...
> Subject:  When to namespace a vocabulary?
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I'm currently developing a set of schemas for a Government Department 
> which deals with education and I've got some questions about managing 
> dependencies and namespaces. This is a bit tricky to describe 
> so please 
> bear with me.
> 
> Currently I have the following namespaces corresponding to individual 
> schema files (these are just example dummy URIs to get the 
> concept over)
> 
> LEVEL 1 - "core business object Schemas"
> 
> organisationName:classification
> 
> organisationName:standard
> 
> organisationName:qualification
> 
> LEVEL 2 - "Instance Schemas"
> 
> Specific document and message formats which implement various 
> elements 
> from each namespace and other OASIS namespaces.
> 
> I'm about to remodel this to avoid dependencies between my 
> level 1 core 
> schemas and I also have the feeling that this level or 
> granularity maybe 
> unnecessary (?).
> 
> I think I have three options -
> 
> 1) Create one organisation wide namespace containing models of 
> classifications, standards and qualifications in the one file (I like 
> this because in the future it might be clearer where we can 
> separate out 
> namespace specific objects once it's clearer where that may 
> be necessary).
> 
> 2) Chain the Level 1 schemas. My main dependency problem comes when I 
> try to model a classification tree that contains standards so 
> I guess I 
> could import standards into classifications.
> 
> 3) Create another namespace between level 1 and 2. I don't 
> really think 
> that's a solution just an option.
> 
> I guess my main question is -
> 
> What things do you think about when you decide a schema 
> requires split 
> up into different namespaces? 
> 
> Can you point me at any articles on best practice in this area?
> 
> Does anybody have any thoughts or experience?
> 
> Does anybody know what I'm on about??
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Fraser
> 
> SolNet Solutions Limited
> L12, SolNet House, 70 The Terrace
> PO Box 397, Wellington, Aotearoa / New Zealand
> <http://www.solnetsolutions.co.nz>
> <mailto:fraser.crichton@s...>
> 
> Attention:
> This email may contain information intended for the sole use of
> the original recipient. Please respect this when sharing or
> disclosing this email's contents with any third party. If you
> believe you have received this email in error, please delete it
> and notify the sender or postmaster@s... as
> soon as possible. The content of this email does not necessarily
> reflect the views of SolNet Solutions Ltd.
> 
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> The xml-dev list is sponsored by XML.org <http://www.xml.org>, an
> initiative of OASIS <http://www.oasis-open.org>
> 
> The list archives are at http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/
> 
> To subscribe or unsubscribe from this list use the subscription
> manager: <http://www.oasis-open.org/mlmanage/index.php>
> 
> 

• References:
  • When to namespace a vocabulary?
    • From: Fraser Crichton <fraser.crichton@s...>

• Prev by Date: RE: Does Enterprise Mean anything any more, in terms of XML dev?
• Next by Date: RE: incompatible uses of XML Schema
• Previous by thread: Re: When to namespace a vocabulary?
• Next by thread: Re: When to namespace a vocabulary?
• Index(es):
  • Date
  • Thread