Re: [xtm-wg] Scoping in Association

[Robert Barta <rho@bigpond.net.au>]

dcmohan75@yahoo.com wrote:
> I want to use "scope" in associations. I read the articles and the
> XTM Specification. But I need to use in a practical scenario.
> 
> I tried by defining "scope" to the topics.
> For example,
> 
> <topic id="st-fullname">
>  <topname><basename>fullname</basename></topname>
> </topic>

Chandra,

You are using an obsolete syntax. See

  http://www.topicmaps.org/xtm/1.0/

for the specification or

  http://topicmaps.bond.edu.au/tutorials.mc

for XTM tutorials.

> Here, scoping in topics is working fine. I don't know how to do
> scoping in "Associations".

In the XTM version you do not scope _topics_, you scope
_characteristics of topics_.

An example of association scoping could be 

     "Santa Clause brings the gifts at Chrismas".

This association I would scope for "small-children" (silently assuming
that not too many adults believe in that).

> Moreover, if I want associate between two topics,
> for example
> "to get all the employees working under specific manager",

It depends what you want to express (others may please correct me if I
am overinterpreting XTM):

  - if you would like to express that there is a crew in exactly this
    configuration then you would write.....

> <assoc types="working-under">
>  <assocrl types="manager" href="manager-john">
>  <assocrl types="employee" href="eric">
>  <assocrl types="employee" href="john">
>  <assocrl types="employee" href="george">
>  <assocrl types="employee" href="chandra">
> </assoc>

<association>
   <instanceOf><topicRef
......at-australian-government..../></instanceOf>
   <member>
      <roleSpec><topicRef xlink:href="#r-prime-minister"/></roleSpec>
      <topicRef xlink:href="#p-john-howard"/>
   </member>
   <member>
      <roleSpec><topicRef xlink:href="#r-treasurer"/></roleSpec>
      <topicRef xlink:href="#p-peter-costello"/>
   </member>
   ......
</association>

   - If the relationship is "was minister under a prime minister" then
     you would use individual associations:

> <assoc types="working-under">
>  <assocrl types="manager" href="manager-john">
>  <assocrl types="employee" href="eric">
> </assoc>

> If I define the associations separately for the related topics, I'm
> getting all the lists. Suppose if there are 1000 employees, it's very
> difficult to define the associations.

This is the reason why many Topic Map tools allow you to convert
data from 'legacy' applications, such as relational databases or
LDAP servers or ...you name it.

> Is there any way to apply "scoping in this association"?

In the example above we could scope for the period in which this
particular government ruled. If we would relax the association type
to be 'at-government' instead of 'at-australian-government', then
could also scope for 'c-australia'.
 
> It will be a great help by clearing this water.

Water is clearer now? Then you will start to see the sharks. ;-)

\rho

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