Re: [ddlm-group] Moving forward with DDLm

Dear DDLm group,

Now that the CIF2 syntax specification is well on the way to approval,
our energies can be turned towards the remaining pieces in the puzzle,
which are DDLm and dREL.

DDLm and dREL are the result of at least a decade of development and
consultation. Given the lack of objections to the DDLm specification
within this group, I am satisfied that the draft of DDLm that is
currently posted is sufficiently well-developed to serve as a version
0.99 document that can be accepted by COMCIFS under its normal
dictionary acceptance procedure.   This group would then become the
DDLm dictionary maintenance group (subject to formal COMCIFS
approval).  Meanwhile, work needs to be done to produce DDLm versions
of current DDL1 and DDL2 dictionaries; this may expose some minor
flaws in the DDLm specification which I believe can be dealt with as
DDLm updates.  Once a few such DDLm dictionaries are ready, we should
then be ready to release a 1.0 DDLm specification together with
accompanying dictionaries.  I note here that David Brown has already
prepared a draft Core dictionary in DDLm based on Nick and Syd's
version.

Therefore, please indicate if you agree to submit DDLm and dREL to
COMCIFS for approval without further discussion on this list.  In any
case, if no objections are received by the end of the year (the expiry
of the term for objections to the CIF2 specification) I will submit
both DDLm and dREL to COMCIFS for approval in the New Year.

James.