Discussion List Archives

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

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
                  [email protected]
=====================================================

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 <[email protected]> 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
>       � � � � � � � � [email protected]
>       =====================================================
> 
> 
> 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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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
>       � � � � � �_______________________________________________
>       � � � � � �ddlm-group mailing list
>       � � � � � �[email protected]
>       � � � � � �http://scripts.iucr.org/mailman/listinfo/ddlm-group
> 
> 
> 
>
>       --
>       T +61 (02) 9717 9907
>       F +61 (02) 9717 3145
>       M +61 (04) 0249 4148
> 
> 
> 
>
>       --
>       T +61 (02) 9717 9907
>       F +61 (02) 9717 3145
>       M +61 (04) 0249 4148
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> ddlm-group mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://scripts.iucr.org/mailman/listinfo/ddlm-group
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> T +61 (02) 9717 9907
> F +61 (02) 9717 3145
> M +61 (04) 0249 4148
> 
>
_______________________________________________
ddlm-group mailing list
[email protected]
http://scripts.iucr.org/mailman/listinfo/ddlm-group

Reply to: [list | sender only]
International Union of Crystallography

Scientific Union Member of the International Science Council (admitted 1947). Member of CODATA, the ISC Committee on Data. Partner with UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in the International Year of Crystallography 2014.

International Science Council Scientific Freedom Policy

The IUCr observes the basic policy of non-discrimination and affirms the right and freedom of scientists to associate in international scientific activity without regard to such factors as ethnic origin, religion, citizenship, language, political stance, gender, sex or age, in accordance with the Statutes of the International Council for Science.

Useful links