[eml-dev] EML 2.1.0 update, part II

[Margaret O'Brien]

Hi all -
To reiterate the first part of this update (attached), since the 
EML2.1.0 schema is now backward-incompatible, we have opened the door 
for other enhancements to be included. So we can consider other new 
features which might make it a better (and more useful) step forward.

There are 10 schema changes listed here which have, to varying degrees, 
impeded current uses. They fall into four general groups, where the 
problem could be mitigated by a change to a) cardinality, or b) data 
typing, c) feature requests, or d) housekeeping (e.g. naming 
inconsistencies). They are presented roughly in order of the effort 
required to make the change, but they require varying degrees of 
discussion among eml-dev and other interested parties. These 10 have 
been retargeted in bugzilla for 2.1.0 to make them stand out.

Please review and comment on these issues, either here or  in the 
individual bug entries.


Cardinality:
1. EML should be able to handle "ongoing" data sources
http://bugzilla.ecoinformatics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1794
This bug highlights data products which cannot have an end date 
accurately assigned to them. Particularly as Barbara describes, that EML 
needs to be capable of describing more than just static datasets. The 
simplest fix it to make the endDate tag optional. This does not free 
authors from the responsibility of including end dates for datasets that 
are static snapshots, but are planned to be appended in the future.
discussion thread:
http://mercury.nceas.ucsb.edu/ecoinformatics/pipermail/eml-dev/2004-October/001032.html

2. Unable to describe SOM map projections
http://bugzilla.ecoinformatics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2125
This problem could be easily addressed by relaxing the cardinality on 
some elements, as long as that doesn't open the door for abuses when 
describing other projections. Is this the best solution? or necessary 
now? This needs input from someone better versed in spatial data than I am.


Naming inconsistencies:
3.  bug 1152 dateTime vs datetime
4.  bug 2568 methods vs method
these are mostly housekeeping, but require concommitant changes to the 
eml display stylesheets, and also to be included in a 201-to210 
conversion stylesheet. So they fall second in term of effort required.


Typing:
5. dataTable/.../attribute bounds group, retype xs:decimal to float
See the recent comments in bugzilla: 
http://bugzilla.ecoinformatics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2272
Other data types may warrant reconsideration, particularly lats and 
longs which are xs:float, but should probably be decimal

6. xs:string - TextType, for some fields
Everyone seems to agree that <title> is for presentation, but should 
others be considered? Chris was going to produce a list of candidates.


Feature requests
These two elements are all fairly straightforward to add, if the dev 
group agrees they are warranted.
7. http://bugzilla.ecoinformatics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3164 add a contact 
tree to literature.xsd
8. http://bugzilla.ecoinformatics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3165 description 
of a url, which could transformed into the anchor tag content

These last two items are related to each other, and more complicated to 
implement. Accommodating them may require that geographicCoverage be 
restructured.
9. http://bugzilla.ecoinformatics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=3488 datum added 
to geographicCoverageType
10. http://bugzilla.ecoinformatics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1019 altitude 
units recieve an enumeration list (lengths)


OTHER BUGS: See the list of "general bugs"  at:
http://bugzilla.ecoinformatics.org/buglist.cgi?bug_file_loc=&bug_file_loc_type=allwordssubstr&bug_id=&bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&bugidtype=include&chfieldfrom=&chfieldto=Now&chfieldvalue=&component=eml%20-%20general%20bugs&email1=&email2=&emailtype1=substring&emailtype2=substring&field-1-0-0=bug_status&field-1-1-0=component&field-1-2-0=product&field0-0-0=noop&keywords=&keywords_type=allwords&long_desc=&long_desc_type=allwordssubstr&product=EML&query_format=advanced&remaction=&short_desc=&short_desc_type=allwordssubstr&type-1-0-0=anyexact&type-1-1-0=anyexact&type-1-2-0=anyexact&type0-0-0=noop&value-1-0-0=NEW%2CASSIGNED%2CREOPENED&value-1-1-0=eml%20-%20general%20bugs&value-1-2-0=EML&value0-0-0=&votes=&order=bugs.target_milestone%2Cbugs.bug_id&query_based_on=
and look for targeted beyond 2.1.0, postponed or unspecified.


Regards,
Margaret

-- 


========================
Margaret O'Brien
Information Management
Santa Barbara Coastal LTER 
Marine Science Institute
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA  93106-6150

805-893-2071
mob at icess.ucsb.edu
http://sbc.lternet.edu
========================


-- 
========================
Margaret O'Brien
Information Management
Santa Barbara Coastal LTER
Marine Science Institute
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA  93106-6150

805-893-2071
mob at icess.ucsb.edu
http://sbc.lternet.edu
========================

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