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

RE: Modeling question: node structure

• To: 'Paul Wuethrich' <paul.wuethrich@e...>
• Subject: RE: Modeling question: node structure
• From: Barwell Jonathan <Jonathan.Barwell@a...>
• Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2004 15:34:02 +0100
• Cc: "'xml-dev@l...'" <xml-dev@l...>
• Return-receipt-to: Barwell Jonathan <Jonathan.Barwell@a...>

I have modelled your situation like this before, though I am still reliant on some processing within the application to ensure that the levels are controlled correctly.  At least you do get a true hierarchy without duplication.

Hope it is of use.

Jon

<xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" elementFormDefault="qualified" attributeFormDefault="unqualified">

        <xs:element name="MerchandiseManagementGroup" type="MerchandisingGroupType"/>
        <xs:complexType name="MerchandisingGroupType">
                <xs:sequence>
                        <xs:element name="MMGID" type="xs:NMTOKEN"/>
                        <xs:element name="Description" type="xs:string"/>
                        <xs:element name="SubGroup" type="MerchandisingGroupType"/>
                </xs:sequence>
                <xs:attribute name="level" use="required">
                        <xs:simpleType>
                                <xs:restriction base="xs:positiveInteger">
                                        <xs:minInclusive value="1"/>
                                        <xs:maxInclusive value="15"/>
                                </xs:restriction>
                        </xs:simpleType>
                </xs:attribute>
        </xs:complexType>
</xs:schema>

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Wuethrich [mailto:paul.wuethrich@e...]
Sent: 05 April 2004 15:06
To: xml-dev@l...
Subject: Modeling question: node structure

Is there a "standard" way for modeling a node structure that can be constrained up to a specific depth whereby all nodes are the same type?

For example, the concept is a dimension which could be any hierarchical concept such as geography, or product, and is constrained to a maximum depth of 15.  In addition, the number of dimensions is constrained to a maximum of 50.  One approach to the metadata definition for geography is straightforward since I can define a dimension generically such that:

       <xs:element name="Dimension">
             <xs:annotation>
                    <xs:documentation>A Dimension is a user defined element such as 'Geography'.</xs:documentation>
             </xs:annotation>
             <xs:complexType>
                    <xs:sequence>
                           <xs:element name="Dimension_Member" maxOccurs="15">
                                 <xs:complexType>
                                        <xs:attribute name="Id" type="xs:ID" use="required"/>
                                        <xs:attribute name="Label" use="required">
                                        ...
             </xs:complexType>
       </xs:element>

Note that the hierarchy can be defined using either a sequence number attribute of by assuming that the sequence itself defines the hierarchy.

The problem with this implementation is the duplication of element data and there will be thousands of "rows".

<GEOGRAPHY>
<COUNTRY>USA</COUNTRY><STATE>CO</STATE><CITY>DENVER</CITY>
<COUNTRY>USA</COUNTRY><STATE>CO</STATE><CITY>ASPEN</CITY>
<COUNTRY>USA</COUNTRY><STATE>CO</STATE><CITY>VAIL</CITY>
<COUNTRY>USA</COUNTRY><STATE>CO</STATE><CITY>COLORADO SPRINGS</CITY>
<COUNTRY>CANADA</COUNTRY><STATE>QC</STATE><CITY>HULL</CITY>
<COUNTRY> CANADA </COUNTRY><STATE> QC </STATE><CITY>HUDSON</CITY>
<COUNTRY> CANADA </COUNTRY><STATE> QC </STATE><CITY>MONTREAL</CITY>
<COUNTRY> CANADA </COUNTRY><STATE> QC </STATE><CITY>HULL</CITY>
</GEOGRAPHY>
<PRODUCT>
Different hierarchy...
</PRODUCT>
<ANOTHER DIM>
Different hierarchy...
</ANOTHER DIM>
...

What I would like is a more generic way for defining dimensions such that I can model the hierarchy and avoid duplication.

<GEOGRAPHY>
            <COUNTRY>
                        <STATE>
                                    <COUNTY>
                                                <CITY></CITY>
                                    </COUNTY>
                        </STATE>
            </COUNTRY>
</GEOGRAPHY>

Since the maximum node depth is known I also took the following approach but it seems like there has to be a better way.

       <xs:element name="DimensionData">
             <xs:complexType>
                    <xs:sequence>
                           <xs:element name="Dim1" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                                 <xs:complexType>
                                        <xs:complexContent>
                                               <xs:extension base="DimensionMemberData">
                                                     <xs:sequence>
                                                            <xs:element name="Dim2" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">

                                                                   <xs:complexType>
                                                                         <xs:complexContent>
                                                                                <xs:extension base="DimensionMemberData">

                                                                                       <xs:sequence>
                                                                                             <xs:element name="Dim3" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">

                                                                                                    <xs:complexType>
                                                                                    ...and so on til a depth of 15

Is the answer to use the anyType or something else?

Thanks in advance.

Paul

• Prev by Date: Modeling question: node structure
• Next by Date: Eclipse: the new Emacs? (and the XML story)
• Previous by thread: Modeling question: node structure
• Next by thread: RE: Modeling question: node structure
• Index(es):
  • Date
  • Thread