R. Addie & S. Dekeyser XML for M&C / USQ ? What ? Why ? How ? When ?

R. Addie & S. Dekeyser What? What’s the big deal? –Nothing much –Convention to logically mark up data –In a human-readable text file –Allows a hierarchical structure –Normal evolution from SGML and HTML –Open standard –The big deal is: Extensible Many tools available Data integration / data exchange

R. Addie & S. Dekeyser What? Text file consisting of –(Processing instructions) –Elements –Attributes –Text HTML, given some extra rules, is XML Well-formed-ness Valid-ness –Schema may or may not be there!

R. Addie & S. Dekeyser What? Example David Lai David Mason CSC3400 Databases Not necessary, but good practice Element tag (open) Attribute Element tag (close) Root element Necessarily just one!

R. Addie & S. Dekeyser What? What does this text file (document) do? –NOTHING! Use tools to add behaviour Tools can be written in any language –Parsers available –Object model available –APIs available Transform –Using a tool OR xslt OR … –To any format (e.g. html, LaTeX, C++, VoiceML)

R. Addie & S. Dekeyser What? Schema or DTD –Not mandatory If no DTD, document must only be well-formed If DTD, document must be valid w.r.t. the DTD –Kind of a template Rules about the structure May be tight or loose DTD: limited expressive power XMLSchema supersedes DTD, more powerful –Offers a contract between parties –Special editors may take schema into account

R. Addie & S. Dekeyser Why? EASY! OPEN STANDARD LOGICAL data representation TRANSLATIONS TOOLS Emphasis on data (semi-structured!) Not behaviour (eg rendering, processes, …) “Separation of data and presentation”

R. Addie & S. Dekeyser Why? Data integration & data exchange –between departments, companies, … Why at M&C –To make data reuse possible, practical –To bridge between systems –In future: to push data back to … –To develop course material

R. Addie & S. Dekeyser How? Website development –Use CourseXL system [Ron, Stijn] Study material development –Use GOOD system [Jacek, DeC] Build M&C systems –M&C course database [Leigh] Build your own data-intensive applications –“to-do list”, “publications website”, “family website” [Stijn]

R. Addie & S. Dekeyser When? Now –CourseXL –GOOD –… –Pull university resources Later –Push university resources

R. Addie & S. Dekeyser XML vs LaTeX Largely equivalent for our purposes XML advantages: –Buzz words: (open, standard, w3c, …) –Tools (LaTeX already had many) –Easy parsing, many parsers & APIs –Validness w.r.t. DTD / schema –High level (functional) language for transformations –Explicit support for easy data integration How would you render LaTeX for voice?