Oort 0.3

Overview

These are the main packages:

oort.sitebase

Contains classes used for declarative definitions of displays, used for matching resources and rendering a particular output (html, json etc.). By defining aspects, the type (or super-type) of a selected resource is mapped to a particular RdfQuery and an associated template.

One or more displays are put in the context of a resource viewer, which becomes a WSGI application ready to mount in your WSGI environment.

oort.rdfview

Contains classes and functions used for defining RDF queries and selectors, i.e. declarations used to pick properties and associated sub-queries from a chosen resource (similar to how many ORM-toolkits work).

How?

A couple of RdfQuerys:

from oort.rdfview import *
from myapp.ns import SITE # your own..

class Node(RdfQuery):
    title = localized(DC)

class SiteNode(Node):
    altTitle = localized(DC.alternative)
    relations = collection(SITE) >> Node
    nodeContent = localized_xml(SITE)

class Person(RdfQuery):
    name = one(FOAF)
    knows = each(FOAF) >> THIS_QUERY

And a web application:

from oort.sitebase import *
from myapp import rdfqueries
from myapp.ns import SITE

class ExampleViewer(ResourceViewer):

    resourceBase = "http://example.org/oort/"
    langOrder = 'en', 'sv'

    class PlainWebDisplay(Display):
        name = "main"
        default = True
        outputMethod = 'xhtml'
        outputEncoding  = 'iso-8859-1'
        templateBase = "view/mainweb"
        globalQueries = {'languages': rdfqueries.sitelabels }
        aspects = [
                Aspect(SITE.SiteNode, "sitenode.xhtml",
                        {'node': rdfqueries.SiteNode}) ,
                Aspect(FOAF.Person, "person.xhtml",
                        {'person': rdfqueries.Person}) ,
                Aspect(RDFS.Resource, "not_found.xhtml")
            ]

    class JsonDisplay(Display):
        name = "json"
        contentType = 'application/x-javascript'
        aspects = [
                JsonAspect(SITE.SiteNode, {'node': rdfqueries.SiteNode})
            ]

But wait, there’s more..

Paste!

Makes WSGI go down smoothly. ResourceViewers take RDFLib Graph instances in their constructors and become callables adhering to the spec.

To get started quickly, run:

$ paster create -t oort_app
... fill in desired values in the dialogue
$ cd myapp/
$ vim # edit and test..
$ chmod u+x webapp.ini
$ ./webapp.ini

Why?

Because RDF is a formidable technology that could revolutionize the way information is treated and shared. Python and WSGI are exemplary technologies to use when building applications dealing with such data.

Why Oort?

• The Oort Cloud is a fascinating, alien phenomenon in a region less travelled..

• Imagine all the BNodes in that cloud just waiting for an URI on the Web..

• “Output-Oriented RDF Toolkit”!

• a Dutch surname, so the way may be obvious to Oort..

Copyright (c) 2006 Niklas Lindström

License: BSD-style <http://opensource.org/licenses/bsd-license>