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Re: [ddlm-group] Latest draft specification

Done. -- Herbert

=====================================================
  Herbert J. Bernstein, Professor of Computer Science
    Dowling College, Kramer Science Center, KSC 121
         Idle Hour Blvd, Oakdale, NY, 11769

                  +1-631-244-3035
                  yaya@dowling.edu
=====================================================

On Mon, 12 Jul 2010, James Hester wrote:

> As I am not a subscriber to any of these lists, perhaps somebody who is a subscriber could handle
> posting an announcement and relaying back to this group the salient points in any ensuing
> discussion?  I've included below a slightly edited text of the original annoucement to the
> cif-developers list as a possible announcement text.
> 
> James
> ==========================
> 
> Dear CIF users,
> As some of you may be aware, a new CIF dictionary framework is under
> development. This framework consists of an updated CIF syntax
> (CIF2), a new set of dictionary attributes (DDLm), and a
> 
> machine-readable language for describing algorithmic relationships
> between datanames (dREL).  The working group for developing this new
> framework has come up with a final draft for the CIF2 syntax
> component, which is available at
> 
> http://www.iucr.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/41426/cif2_syntax_changes_jrh20100705.pdf
> We are now seeking feedback from the community on this proposed new
> 
> syntax standard.  Please note that this CIF2 standard is designed to
> coexist with the CIF1 standard (which it closely resembles), rather
> than to replace it.
> The discussions surrounding the CIF2 specification are archived at
> 
> http://www.iucr.org/__data/iucr/lists/ddlm-group/ .
> Some highlights of the the proposed CIF2 syntax:
> * A list datavalue is introduced: lists are enclosed by square
> 
> brackets, e.g. [1 2 3 4] or  [[1 'x'] 3 ['y' 5 ['pqr' 7] 8 ]].
> List-valued data items are vital for economically expressing matrix
> and vector relationships in dREL algorithms.
> * A table datavalue is introduced, enclosed by curly braces, e.g.
> 
> {"colour":"red" "size":"really big"}.  Table datastructures allow
> tabulated values (e.g. f' values) to be transparently accessed in dREL
> algorithms.
> * Both lists and tables are recursive, that is, lists and tables can
> 
> contain other lists and tables
> * Multi-line strings may now be delimited using triple quotes (""") or
> triple single quotes ('''), as well as the CIF1.1 <newline><semicolon>
> 
> delimiter.
> * Single-quote delimited strings and double-quote delimited strings
> may not contain instances of the delimiter character.  This differs
> from the CIF1.1 standard, which allowed instances of the delimiting
> 
> character if the next character was not whitespace.
> * CIF2 files are in UTF8 encoding.  Note that ASCII is a proper subset of UTF8.
> The DDLm working group would welcome any feedback you may have on this
> specification, whether through open discussion on this list or by
> 
> contacting members of the working group (see the online discussion
> archive for names of the participants).
> 
> On Mon, Jul 5, 2010 at 11:54 PM, Herbert J. Bernstein <yaya@bernstein-plus-sons.com> wrote:
>       Even though I do not agree with many of the restrictions in this document, I urge
>       starting discussion of these changes on the various community-wide
>       discussion lists.  I suggest announcements to pdb-l, ccp4bb and ccp4-dev
>       lists.
>
>          -- Herbert
>
>       =====================================================
>        Herbert J. Bernstein, Professor of Computer Science
>         Dowling College, Kramer Science Center, KSC 121
>              Idle Hour Blvd, Oakdale, NY, 11769
>
>                       +1-631-244-3035
>                       yaya@dowling.edu
>       =====================================================
> 
> 
> On Mon, 5 Jul 2010, James Hester wrote:
>
>       Brian has now posted the document.  You can find it at:
>       http://www.iucr.org/resources/cif/spec/cif-2-development
> 
>
>       On Mon, Jul 5, 2010 at 2:19 PM, James Hester <jamesrhester@gmail.com> wrote:
>            I am happy to proceed as Brian suggests.  As far actually preparing a draft
>       goes, on May 7 John B kindly
>            provided me with an editable version of the original draft specification with
>       those suggested changes of
>            his that were uncontroversial already included.  I have updated that draft
>       making the following specific
>            changes:
>
>            1. Change the 2048-byte limit to a 2048-character limit
>            2. Incorporate XML-type newline handling
>            3. Refer to UTF-8 as the designated encoding for files conformant to the
>       specification
>            4. State that U+FEFF is not part of the allowed character set (ie. would be
>       everywhere a syntax error).  I
>            include this as the voting on this point, such as it was, gave a slight
>       majority to option 2(a) over option
>            2(c)(ii).
>            5. Disallow Unicode non-characters.  I have *not* dealt with the issue of
>       disallowing non-printing
>            characters.  As the draft currently stands, non-printing characters are
>       acceptable. 
>
>            The updated draft is in Brian's hands, and I'm hoping he will post it to the
>       IUCr website shortly for your
>            comment.
>
>            James.
>
>            On Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 6:25 PM, Brian McMahon <bm@iucr.org> wrote:
>                  Colleagues
>
>                  Like Buridan's ass we are starving to death between the equally
>                  enticing mound of hay that is UTF-8 and the smorgasbord of mixed
>                  vegetables offered by multiple encodings.
>
>                  I suggest that this group complete a *draft* CIF2 specification
>                  that describes (if necessary) specific character allusions in
>                  terms of a canonical UTF-8 encoding, and states that UTF-8 is the
>                  designated encoding for files conformant to the specification.
>
>                  Post the completed draft in the first instance to the cif-developers
>                  list (since that is supposed to the the most relevant target audience),
>                  but certainly to other lists at the same time if folk think that would
>                  be productive. By all means accompany the release with a commentary on
>                  the difficulties we have faced over the encoding issue; by all means
>                  implement a survey and analyse the results to assess community demand
>                  for an upward revision of the draft - but let us give people something
>                  concrete to begin with, and challenge them actively to protest if the
>                  proposal will impede their work.
>
>                  Note that this proposal doesn't necessarily reflect a personal
>                  preference for a single mandatory encoding - I still cannot
>                  decide which I "prefer". But if the suggested draft is published,
>                  I will not vote against it unless I suddenly see clearly a real
>                  problem that it would throw up in the way of any applications I
>                  would envisage writing. I would hope "the community" would respond
>                  in similar vein, so that stated objections would both represent real
>                  difficulties and help to define the environments giving rise to these
>                  real difficulties.
>
>                  Best wishes
>                  Brian
>                  _______________________________________________
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> 
> 
> 
>
>       --
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>       F +61 (02) 9717 3145
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> 
> 
> 
>
>       --
>       T +61 (02) 9717 9907
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>       M +61 (04) 0249 4148
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> --
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> M +61 (04) 0249 4148
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>
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