singhals <singhals@erols.com> wrote: > JD <jd4x4@ wrote: > >> Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> wrote: >> >> <snip> >>>programs... How is a program that expects: >>> >>><date>mm/dd/yyyy</date> >>> >>>going to handle a file generated by a program that produces: >>> >>><date> >>> <year>yyyy</year> >>> <month>mm</month> >>> <day>dd</dd> >>></date> >>> >> Simply by "remapping" back & forth because the expected formats are >> defined in each schema. We can even add an attribute that indicates >> the calendar type without mucking things up. >> > > Don't forget 12 Thermidor XII when you're indicating > calendar types; and don't miss the Hebrew and Hindu > calendars which are lunar, or the occasional 13th month in > the Hindu calendar or the difference between light 2nd and > dark 2nd of the month and what's going to happen to the 2nd > 14th of the month? > :-) I'm SO glad you're interested in the subject of XML! (really!) So, now I'm interested in how you use those calendars in your daily work with info about people/places/relationships, etc. but that's another topic. I, for one, WOULD forget about 12 Thermidor XII (that's an order of food for a large group of people, right?). Not that it really matters to XML.. what would really matter is what are the basic elements and if/how do they relate to the others in the data set. I may not have been aware of these calendars before you shared your schema with me, but since you used a calendar tag, I know that they now at least fit (somehow) into my uses that require a "date" element but without knowing for sure what the actual elements are/mean to you, I'll have to either store them or discard them. And I can't remap my data to send back to you, so unless I already have some of your "calendar" tags just stored & unadulterated to send, I'm afraid I won't be of much help to you. Maybe you can calculate in your schema how to map them to mine since you know the calendar I used? NOW we're getting someplace.. <tangible objects> <people> <cheryl></cheryl> <JD></JD> </people> </tangible objects> <not tangible objects> <concepts> <time/space> <measure> <calendar> <gregorian> <year></year> <month></month> <day></day> <12 Thermidor XII></12 Thermidor XII> </calendar> </measure> </time/space> </concepts> </not tangible objects> So that's my data model for my use, right at this moment. Personally, there isn't anything that I can think of (right now) that I couldn't classify into at least the two core elements. I rarely do that because it isn't of great use to me unless I'm in deep thought or something (like now!). But, that's how I could use your info, if you could at least put it into that context of (minimum) the two core elements. It would be nice not to have to go through all of that if there was a common point at which we diverged, don't you think? Since you know my grouping, it benefits both of us to at least find the most useful common point and assume the rest, imo. And, we can have computers do a lot of the categorizing and relationship calculations.