Ben Richardson
2005-08-04
1.0
This document describes the SimpleData schema. The aim of this schema is to provide a simple XML schema that can store almost any kind of dataset, including database records, files, and any other repeatable set of data.
The layout of this schema allows it to be used for several different (although related) purposes. Generally, this schema describes things that can be modelled as records in a dataset. For example, it can be used to transfer a list of files that have been changed since the last transfer by use of the metaChangeType attribute on each <rec> tag.
Secondly, it can be used to hold the end result of a DELTA dataset conversion to natural language. Each field tag within rec can be used to markup the character number (with the num attribute), and hold the value of that character.
The records element delimits the set of items (records, files, whatever) that are found in the dataset.
An individual record in the dataset. The metaChangeType attribute permits the source application to flag records that have changed. The name attribute can be used to store any useful handle for the item, for example, the item name of a DELTA ITEMS description.
A field in the record. Holds the value to be used as the content for the field in another system (database, file, etc.). Any unique value can be used for each field in one rec.
A value that represents the field identifier, and may be useful in keeping the dataset in some alphabetic or numeric order. (Probably needs its name to be changed if this is the case.)
Example: <.. num="31">
The value to be used as the key value when storing the record. This might be in a database, or as the name of the file in a static group of files.
A value indicating how to treat the current record in the destination system (database, file, whatever). The value MUST be EXACTLY one of the following values, 'update', 'insert' or 'delete'.