200 likes | 375 Views
Paper Overview. Introduction to FISH and MIDAS MIDAS XML Heritage Exchange Protocol Data Validation Tool Conclusions. FISH and MIDAS. Forum for Information Standards in Heritage: English Heritage The National Trust The Archaeology Data Service Scottish and Welsh Royal Commissions
E N D
Paper Overview • Introduction to FISH and MIDAS • MIDAS XML • Heritage Exchange Protocol • Data Validation Tool • Conclusions
FISH and MIDAS • Forum for Information Standards in Heritage: • English Heritage • The National Trust • The Archaeology Data Service • Scottish and Welsh Royal Commissions • Many others… • MIDAS: Monument Inventory Data Standard • Data standard used throughout UK for Monument Inventories • Ten years development and use • Used for monuments and related information including: • Related Events • Related References • Cultural Heritage and Monument Management
MIDAS XML and the FISH Toolkit • FISH Toolkit: • Initiative by FISH to create interoperability ‘Toolkit’ for heritage professionals: • XML schemata • Data Validators • Exchange Protocols • MIDAS XML • Improved version of MIDAS • Formalised Structure • XML Encapsulated
XML Technology Overview • Open standard: • Well used, well documented & well supported • Text based: • XML files are human-readable and logically organised • Can be viewed/editing using simple text editor • Designed for encapsulation and exchange: • XML can contain one monument or entire HER • Designed for interoperability • Formally structured: • XML schema dictates structure • Structural capabilities contribute to future development
MIDAS XML Design Philosophy • Keep it Simple • Identify and standardise common components • Re-use existing terminology wherever possible • Keep it Usable: • Do not sacrifice usability to obtain pure semantic clarity • Make it scalable, extensible • Keep it Loose: • Flexible schema encourages use • Do not enforce HER benchmarks with XML schema (do this by other means) • Continue to tighten schema as sector’s use of XML matures
Spatial Schema… • Consolidated: records Address, Placename, Geographic (GIS), and map data in a single element set • Universal: common element used in monument, event and casework schemata • Versatile: geography node can be used to record all spatial aspects of a monument, including monument location, scheduled area, ownership and land use. • Shapely: Can be used to represent monuments/events as points, lines or polygons. • Mobile: use to exchange geographic data for single spatial feature. • Standard: Based on OGC (Open Geographic Consortium) and CRM • Vendor-Neutral: GIS platform independent
Historic Environment Exchange Protocol Designed to facilitate and formalise communication and data exchange between two Heritage Services using MIDAS XML • Protocol Document:text document that uses a very formal, specific language. It does not cover implementation of a HER Service, but only the communication between Services. • Schemata:The HEEP relies on MIDAS XML for the exchange of data, but has its own schemas for inter-Service querying and communication. The protocol is not a working application, but rather a set of rules that developers can use to create another major toolkit component.
What can the HEEP do? • Archive Updates: a local service can automatically update itself at weekly intervals with data from a national service • Data Synchronisation: two national research framework projects studying sites with rock art, one in North England, one in Scotland, can synchronise their data with a central database of UK rock art. • Transparent querying and Linking: a user viewing a webpage of an historic building will be shown a list of hyperlinks on nearby ancient monuments • Amalgamation: a user running an ‘Ancient Britain’ website writes an application which collects and gathers all information from the NMR, RCHMS, and CADW relating to henge monuments.
HEEP Schemata • REQUESTS: Structure of queries that are sent to a HEEP Service • CAPABILITIES How HEEP Services report their capabilities (what data they hold and what they can do with it) • EXCEPTIONS • How HEEP Services report errors
Data Validation Tool: Overview • Validates the contents of MIDAS XML documents against formal wordlists and thesauri • Provides a level of content control that XML schema cannot match • Core Components • PHP Code: the magic that makes it happen • Documentation: explains the code and how to use it • Database Configuration: one database contains HER Benchmark configurations, the other contains the configurations for the DVT application itself.
Data Validation Tool: How it Works • XML document is uploaded to the DVT validator • The document is parsed, and the number of monuments, events, etc. within the document are counted • The system looks up the rules and rulesets required for the requested benchmark • Each monument/event/reference is validated against rules and rulesets • The monument (event, etc.) fails if any rules or rulesets fail • The XML document fails if any of the monuments it contains fail • Results of the validation are returned to the user
Data Validation Tool: results Rule name Value(s) in brackets (rule failed) Rule Set Record result
Internet Data Validation Tool: Network Overview • The DVT can run on one or more machines • The DVT can use one or more INSCRIPTION databases The current system: One possible system: DVT at OAD + DVT and INSCRIPTION on OAD’s Development Server EH Thesauri NT and ALGAO lists *The DVT is completely separated from the resources it uses for validation RCHMS thesauri
Data Validation Tool Summary • Validates content as well as structure • Can connect and validate against any online thesaurus or wordlist • Is extensible, customisable and can be regionalised • Provides formal mechanism for producing ‘seal of approval’ • Can enrich data after validating: • Translate coordinate and long/lat from grid reference • Supply preferred terms
Final Conclusions on the Toolkit • I18n: International in scope • Modular: complete separating of tools from data and application • Web Service based: platform and OS independent • Use through Usability: aim of FISH is to promote standards use and adoption through the provision of professional, desired, usable and well-considered information tools.
http://www.fish-forum.info Tyler Bell: tyler.bell@oxarchdigital.com Andrew Larcombe: andrew.larcombe@oxarchdigital.com Yegor Veter: yegor.veter@oxarchdigital.com