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Were these derived from a logical data model: XSLT, XML Schema, XHTML, S

• From: "Costello, Roger L." <costello@m...>
• To: <xml-dev@l...>
• Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 07:51:33 -0400

Hi Folks,

I am interested in knowing if these XML vocabularies -- XSLT, XML
Schema, XHTML, Schematron -- were developed by first creating a logical
data model.

By "logical data model" I mean something like a UML diagram, i.e. a
bunch of boxes, the boxes are connected with lines, each box has a
label and properties, and there may be numbers on the lines to show the
cardinality relationship between the boxes such as 1-to-many or
many-to-many.  And the lines may show relationships such as subclass or
composition. Here's a simple example:

------------           -------------
| Airplane |           | Passenger |
|----------|           |-----------|
| type     | 1       n | name      |
| wingspan |-----------| seatnum   |
| maxspeed |           | address   |
|----------|           |-----------|

Read as: An Airplane has "n" Passengers.  A Passenger is on "1"
Airplane.  An Airplane has these properties: type, wingspan and
maxspeed.  A Passenger has a name, seatnum and address.

Okay, that illustrates what I mean by "logical data model."

I believe that many databases are designed by following this
methodology: a logical data model is developed first and then the
database is created to mirror the logical data model.

I wonder how often people designing XML vocabularies follow that
methodology?  I wonder if XSLT, XML Schema, XHTML and Schematron were
developed by following that methodology?

DERIVED FROM A LOGICAL DATA MODEL?

1. XSLT: the XSLT specification [1] describes an XML vocabulary that
can be used to create a stylesheet.  It describes what tags can be used
and the meaning of each tag, i.e., how an XSLT-aware application will
behave when it encounters each XSLT element.

Was the XSLT specification derived from a logical data model?

Was the XML vocabulary that is specified in the XSLT specification
derived from a logical data model?

In Appendix G of the XSLT specification is an XML Schema for XSLT
Stylesheets [2]. Was that XML Schema derived from a logical data model?

2. XML Schema: the XML Schema Structures specification [3] describes an
XML vocabulary that can be used to create an XML Schema.  It describes
what tags can be used and the meaning of each tag, i.e., how a
Schema-aware application will behave when it encounters each XML Schema
element.

Was the XML Schema specification derived from a logical data model?

Was the XML vocabulary that is specified in the XML Schema
specification derived from a logical data model?

In Appendix A of the XML Schema specification is the Schema for Schemas
[4]. Was that XML Schema derived from a logical data model?

3. XHTML: the XHTML 1.0 specification [5] describes an XML vocabulary
that can be used to create an XHTML document.  It describes what tags
can be used and the meaning of each tag, i.e., how an XHTML-aware
application will behave when it encounters each XHTML element.

Was the XHTML specification derived from a logical data model?

Was the XML vocabulary that is specified in the XHTML specification
derived from a logical data model?

In Appendix A of the XHTML specification are the DTDs for the three
versions of XHTML [6]. Were those DTDs derived from a logical data
model?

4. Schematron: the Schematron specification [7] describes an XML
vocabulary that can be used to create a Schematron schema.  It
describes what tags can be used and the meaning of each tag, i.e., how
a Schematron-aware application will behave when it encounters each
Schematron element.

Was the Schematron specification derived from a logical data model?

Was the XML vocabulary that is specified in the Schematron
specification derived from a logical data model?

In Annex A of the Schematron specification is a Relax NG schema for
Schematron. Was the Relax NG schema derived from a logical data model?

SUMMARY OF MY QUESTIONS

Were these derived from a logical data model?

XSLT
 - specification (Yes/No)
 - vocabulary (Yes/No)
 - XML Schema (Yes/No)

XML Schema
 - specification (Yes/No)
 - vocabulary (Yes/No)
 - XML Schema (Yes/No)

XHTML
 - specification (Yes/No)
 - vocabulary (Yes/No)
 - DTDs (Yes/No)

Schematron
 - specification (Yes/No)
 - vocabulary (Yes/No)
 - Relax NG schema (Yes/No)


Thanks!

/Roger

[1] http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt20/
[2] http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt20/#schema-for-xslt
[3] http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-1/
[4] http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-1/#normative-schemaSchema
[5] http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/
[6] http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/#dtds
[7] http://www.schematron.com/iso/dsdl-3-fdis.pdf 

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Were these derived from a logical data model: XSLT, XML Schema, XHTML, Schematron?
    • From: Liam Quin <liam@w...>