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Re: metadata
- To: docbook at lists dot oasis-open dot org
- Subject: Re: DOCBOOK: metadata
- From: Vladimir Ivanovic <ivanovic at parc dot xerox dot com>
- Date: Tue, 03 Jul 2001 11:40:38 -0700 (PDT)
My assumption is that the purpose of metadata in components is to allow
their contents to be processed independently of DocBook.
So, I have two suggestions: (1) Specify that metadata should be
completely ingnored wrt to presentation. (2) Allow any element to have
metadata containing zero or more arbitrary block elements.
I'd keep the current *info elements and restrict them to containing
elements that result in presentation. I'd add a new meta element that
can contain anything, but is ignored for presentation.
-- Vladimir
"MS" == Michael Sabrio <rms@fpk.hp.com> writes:
MS> The DocBook Tech Committee would like your input on a couple of
MS> issues related to metadata.
MS> HP (like everyone else?) is beginning to create and manage chunks
MS> of DocBook at levels below the section element. For example,
MS> we're creating procedure and example elements that we'd like to
MS> manage separately from any higher-level elements that use them.
MS> Any chunks we manage separately need to allow associated metadata.
MS> Except for some of the common attributes, however, the primary
MS> DocBook containers for metadata are the *info elements, such as
MS> sectioninfo, which holds metadata for a section element. But the
MS> *info elements are not allowed in elements below the section
MS> level.
MS> (1) So the first question is: how should we associate metadata
MS> with elements below the section level? Should we do an element-
MS> by-element review and add an info-like container to the ones that
MS> need it? Should we add some kind of pointer to or from separate
MS> structures?
MS> (2) Second, as long as we're talking about metadata, should we do
MS> anything to rationalize metadata in DocBook?
MS> To hold metadata, DocBook evolved with a bag-o-tags allowed in the
MS> *info elements, a handful of common attributes, plus other
MS> miscellaneous attributes on selected elements (such as the 'status'
MS> attribute on sections). Should we keep such an arrangement with
MS> some tweaks, such as additional attributes or elements? Should we
MS> sync up with something like the Dublin Core (http://dublincore.org)
MS> or PRISM (http://www.prismstandard.org/)? Should we allow different
MS> external metadata modules like Dublin Core or PRISM to be included
MS> as customizations? . . .
MS> The DocBook Tech Committee would like your input on these two issues.
MS> Thanks.
MS> - Michael Sabrio
MS> OASIS DocBook Technical Committee
MS> Hewlett Packard