This is the "original" message to which Ralph was replying. HTH
Richard
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>From: "Richard Knapp" <gyp_caver@yahoo.com>
>To: "Ralph Hartley" <hartley@aic.nrl.navy.mil>
>Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 17:34:28 -0500 (EST)
>> Hmm... What about...
>>
>> <shot>
>> <station location="from" ID="ABX1" name="ABX1"/>
>> <station location="to" ID="ABX2" name="ABX2"/>
>> </shot>
>> <shot>
>> <station location="from" IDREF="ABX2"/>
>> <station location="to" ID="ABX3" name="ABX3"/>
>> </shot>
>> ? Granted, I don't know if this is proper XML but it's the concept I'm trying to understand.
>Almost. The problem there is that "from" and "to" are really parts of
>shots not stations. What I hope you meant was:
>
><shot>
> <from> <station ID="ABX1" name="ABX1"/> </from>
> <to> <station ID="ABX2" name="ABX2"/> </to>
></shot>
><shot>
> <from statonref="ABX2"/> <!-- stationref is an IDREF --!>
> <to> <station ID="ABX3" name="ABX3"/> </to>
></shot>
I guess this is why I was thinking of stations in a separate area: shots in one section, stations in another.
Then the problem about entering data earlier arises.
There is also the issue of control points. If I do a precision survey and have solid coordinates on points in the
cave, where would they go? Technically, they could be part of a survey but that survey doesn't have any shot
data. So it might be something like...
<survey>
<stations>
<station name="CACA001" X="0" Y="0" Z="0"/>
<station name="CACA002" X="10" Y="5" Z="-44"/>
<station name="CACA003" X="55" Y="-6.4" Z="-55"/>
</stations>
</survey>
However, are there links between the stations? Surely there is a way to connect the points. That was how
the data was "discovered". Hmmmm..
In your example above, the stations are defined within the shot. What if they were pulled out of that scope
and put just into the survey scope?
How about this. A survey is a collection of stations and shots as in the two line format...
<survey>
<station name="A1" ID="00001"/>
<shot>
<from IDREF="00001"/>
<to IDREF="00002"/>
<azi value="33.3"/>
<distance value="10.2"/>
<inclination value="-3.3"/>
</shot>
<station name="A2" ID="00002"/>
</survey>
What I don't know (getting closer to starting the XML book) is if an IDREF can be put in front of a station. On
the other hand, element order must be preserved (from XML spec, attributes maybe). If the 'from' and 'to'
were removed you would basically have the two line format.
<survey>
<station name="A1" ID="00001"/>
<shot>
<azi value="33.3"/>
<distance value="10.2"/>
<inclination value="-3.3"/>
</shot>
<station name="A2" ID="00002"/>
</survey>
That separates the station from the shot, keeps the link in place (which is, unfortunately, positionally
dependant). Since preserving element order is required, I don't think that is a problem. But is does make the
file a little more "interesting" to read. This format also allows for precision data to be linked as well:
<survey>
<station name="CACA001" X="0" Y="0" Z="0"/>
<shot note="connect these stations"/>
<station name="CACA002" X="10" Y="5" Z="-44"/>
<shot note="connect these stations"/>
<station name="CACA003" X="55" Y="-6.4" Z="-55"/>
</survey>
If a previous point was used, then the station could use the IDREF instead of creating an ID.
It also allows attributes to be defined for stations or shots without effecting the underlying or related data
(length, plot, closure exclusions for shots or no adjust for stations).
Does this make sense? Is it valid?
FWIW, you can bring this thread back to the list.
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