And finally...
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http://aliman.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/sodc/SoDC-0.2/constraints/index.html
SoDC-CL -- A Language for Expressing Syntax Constraints on Graph-based (Meta)data
1. Introduction @@TODO
SoDC-CL is a language for expressing application-specific syntax
constraints over graph-based (meta)data.
The two basic components of a SoDC-CL document are "graph profiles"
and "resource description profiles" -- "resource profiles" for
short.
2. Resource Profiles
A resource profile is a set of constraints on the properties of a
resource described in some graph. The following constraints can be
expressed in a resource profile...
(property cardinality constraints)
exact cardinality -- the resource must have exactly n values for a given property
minimum cardinality -- the resource must have at least n values for a given property
maximum cardinality -- the resource must have at most n values for a given property
(property value constraints)
URI value -- the resource must have only URI values for a given property
blank node value -- the resource must have only blank node values for a given property
plain literal value (language optional) -- the resource must
have only plain literal values for a given property
plain literal value (language required) -- the resource must
have only plain literal values with language tags for a given property
TODO plain literal value (language optional, fixed) -- the
resource must have only plain literal values for a given
property, and where the plain literal has a language tag, it
must take a given value
TODO plain literal value (language required, fixed) -- the
resource must have only plain literal values with a given
language tag for a given property
TODO typed literal value -- the resource must have only typed
literal values for a given property
TODO typed literal value (datatype fixed) -- the resource must
have only typed literal values with a given datatype for a
given property TODO XML literal value -- the resource must have
only XML literal values for a given property
(given property value constraints)
TODO given URI value -- the resource must have a given URI
value for a given property
TODO given plain literal value -- the resource must have a
given plain literal value for a given property
TODO given typed literal value -- the resource must have a
given typed literal value for a given property
(referential integrity constraints)
TODO URI value reference -- the URI value of a given property
must also be the subject of another description within the same
graph
TODO blank node reference -- the blank node value of a given
property must also be the subject of another description within
the same graph
TODO reference with profile -- the URI or blank
node value of a given property must also be the subject of
another description within the same graph, and the given
profile must be specified in that description
3. Graph Profiles
A graph profile is a set of constraints on a graph. The following constraints
can be expressed...
TODO the graph must describe exactly n resources
TODO the graph must describe at least n resources
TODO the graph must describe at most n resources
TODO the graph must describe exactly n resources with resource profile p
TODO the graph must describe at least n resources with resource profile p
TODO the graph must describe at most n resources with resource profile p
TODO all resources in the graph must have a resource profile
TODO all resources in the graph must have resource profile p
Those marked "TODO" have not yet been implemented in SoDC-CL.
4. SoDC-CL Language & Examples
For convenience of implementation, the SoDC Constraints Language is
defined as an XML language. The W3C XML Schema defining the
language is at the link below...
sodc-cl.xsd -- SoDC-CL Schema
For example, the SoDC-CL document below defines two resource
profiles. The first constrains a resource to have exactly one plain
literal value for the dc:title property, and at least one URI value
for the dc:creator property. The second constrains a resource to
have at least one plain literal value for the foaf:name property...
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<constraints name="simple constraints"
xmlns="http://purl.org/net/sodc/cl">
<profile uri="http://example.com/profile/simple#book">
<constraint property="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/title">
<cardinality>1</cardinality>
</constraint>
<constraint property="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/title">
<value>
<plainliteral/>
</value>
</constraint>
<constraint property="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/creator">
<mincardinality>1</mincardinality>
</constraint>
<constraint property="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/creator">
<value>
<uri/>
</value>
</constraint>
</profile>
<profile uri="http://example.com/profile/simple#person">
<constraint property="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/name">
<mincardinality>1</mincardinality>
</constraint>
<constraint property="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/name">
<value>
<plainliteral/>
</value>
</constraint>
</profile>
</constraints>
Note that resource profiles are identified by URIs. This allows a
profile to be applied to specific resources in a graph (see below).
5. Applying Resource Profiles in SoDC-XML
A resource profile must of course be applied to specific resources
in some graph. In other words, some information must be provided
which can be used to determine which resources in some graph must
match which resource profiles.
The SoDC-XML syntax is designed to allow this information to be
embedded in the graph, via the profile element.
For example, the graph below has embedded profile information...
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<graph xmlns="http://purl.org/net/sodc/xml">
<resource>
<uri>http://example.com/book#1</uri>
<profile>http://example.com/profile/simple#book</profile>
... etc ...
--
Tom Baker <[log in to unmask]>
