Nested Surveys

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From: Richard Knapp (gyp_caver_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Sep 02 2001 - 16:15:42 CEST 

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From: "Richard Knapp" <gyp_caver_at_yahoo.com>
To: "cavexml_at_cartography.ch" <cavexml_at_cartography.ch>
Date: Sun, 02 Sep 2001 10:15:42 -0400 (EDT)
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Subject: Nested Surveys
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I've been thinking about nested surveys... again. In my current (play) DTD, I'm using a SurveyGroup element to allow
multiple surveys to be grouped together. However, that only allows one level of nesting:

<SurveyGroup>
        <Survey>
        </Survey>
        <Survey>
        </Survey>
</SurveyGroup>

I think, for easy of coding and better capability, it would be better to allow surveys to be nested directly:

<Survey>
        <Survey>
                <Survey>
                </Survey>
                <Survey>
                </Survey>
        </Survey>
        <Survey>
        </Survey>
</Survey>

The "Colorado Survey Standard" attempt allowed nesting like like the SurveyGroup example. However, I think Survex
has a more robust grouping scheme by allowing multiple begin/end pairs. With XML, nesting should be easier (at least if
the document is properly formed).

This isn't a large change in DTD code but it is a fairly significant change in functionality.

(old DTD code)
<!ELEMENT Survey (%SurveyHeader;, Data)>

(new DTD code)
<!ELEMENT Survey ( (Survey)+ | (%SurveyHeader;, Data) )>

The one thing the SurveyGroup does provide is nesting other than by Survey. For instance, Surveys could be grouped
because of their location - entrance crawl, BFR, Left Hand Tunnel. However, a SurveyGroup cannot - at this time -
contain another SurveyGroup which is a little limiting.

My opinion (currently) is I like the nested Surveys more than the SurveyGroup. It's easier to follow, allows more nesting.
The downside is if used to create areas in a cave, it really isn't a proper name (not a location or anything if that makes any
sense).

If this works, I think I could also get rid of my Surveys element. It was used to break the raw data away from other cave
data that could be included later: pictures, mineralogical inventory, bio inventories, etc.

What do you think?

        - Richard Knapp

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