[XML-SIG] [OffTopic?] ... "smooshing docs together"?

[Nicolas Chauvat]

On Sat, 11 Nov 2000, Will Partain wrote:

> Seeking pointers, ideas, direction, ...

To merge those informations, I'd suggest reading all of those files in any
order, adding an attributes "from" to the nodes and using "priority rules"
to decide whether to override or not the value.

For files

<site>
  <softA type=3D"software">
    <config>config1</config>
  </softA>
</site>

and

<host id=3D"host-one">
  <softA type=3D"software">
    <config>config2</config>
  </softA>
</host>
<host id=3D"host-two">
</host>

with a set of rules such as

<rule>
  <target-type>software</target-type>
  <higher-priority>host</higher-priority>
  <lower-priority>site</lower-priority>
</rule>

you'd end up with

<host id=3D"host-one">
  <softA type=3D"software">
    <config>config2</config>
  </softA>
</host>
<host id=3D"host-two">
  <softA type=3D"software">
    <config>config1</config>
  </softA>
</host>

because the rule said the host-specific values for software would override
the site-specific ones.

As rules can be quite complex, you can do fairly advanced stuff
(checking for coherence and all) and even get to hide lots of bugs in the
ruleset itself. The good point is that the mechanism is explicitly stating
what will override what in what situation.

That's my 0,2 euros, it sure needs more thinking/adaptation.

As for the pointers, you may look for subsumption architectures and rule
based systems. There is currently a rule/XML effort going on at
www.dfki.de/ruleml, you'll probably find stuff there. At least a better
syntax for your rules than the one I just gave you ;-)

--=20
Nicolas Chauvat

http://www.logilab.com - "Mais o=F9 est donc Ornicar ?" - LOGILAB, Paris (F=
rance)