RE: [egov] Representing polyhierarchical taxonomies in XML

["Ann Wrightson" <ann.wrightson@csw.co.uk>]

Paul,

The best tool I know for this job is Topic Maps, since in a topic map any
one topic can participate in any number of hierarchical classifications. You
can also modularize cleanly by representing each hierarchy as a separate
topic map & merging just the ones you want to use. 

Topic Maps have an XML encoding, however the XML is decoded into a different
abstract structure for use (the latest published version of this
specification is http://www.isotopicmaps.org/sam/sam-model/ - browse the UML
models rather than the text for an overview). Standard query capabilities
for topic maps are coming soon - there are already some pilot
implementations of querying available in topic map products.

IMO navigating the XML itself is a dead duck since XML does not (was never
designed to) support this kind of thing (though it provides a neat syntax
for representing some good ways of doing it). Jonathan Robie disagrees...
but then he would, wouldn't he.

Ann W.

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Spencer [mailto:paul.spencer@boynings.co.uk] 
Sent: 02 July 2004 11:53
To: e-Gov
Subject: [egov] Representing polyhierarchical taxonomies in XML

The UK e-GMS metadata standard is a polyhierarchical taxonomy* in which an
item in the hierarchy can have more than one parent. What would people
consider the best way to represent this in XML? One option is DAML+OIL, but
I am not sure of the status of this and defer to those with greater
knowledge of representing taxonomies in XML.

My aim is to be able to navigate through the taxonomy, in particular, to
find the parent(s) of a known taxonomy item. However, I am sure there are
further applications in the taxonomy reconciliation work.

* see
http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/documents/Tomatoes%20are%20not%20the%20only%20frui
t%202002-12-19.doc

Regards

Paul Spencer
Director
Boynings Consulting Ltd
http://www.boynings.co.uk


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