resuming progress on TAP

[Doug Tody]

Andy -

I wasn't aware that Pat had offered anything more than an interesting
concept for us to ponder, but in any case I have no problem with
further analysis of what is really an architectural concept, so long
as it does not unwind months of effort, prototyping, and interface
design or invalidate our past agreements.  This should not result
in the removal of param query (or adql query) functionality from TAP
but it could possibly help to better organize the interface concept.
I see little in TAP PQ that is separable to the extent that e.g.,
ADQL or VOTable are.

I just want to emphasize again that the current TAP concept already
largely provides this.  TAP defines a common table query processing
functionality, with two main methods for posing a query, syntax-based
(ADQL/otherQL) and parameter-based.  Both have their advantages and
disadvantages and both are valid.  Once the query has been posed with
either of these methods (service operations or abstract interface
methods), everything else in TAP can be the same, including query
execution and output processing, asynchronous execution facilities,
table uploads, etc.  By separating the two main query methods
we already have a strong logical structure for the interface -
the document just needs to more clearly reflect this structure.
Currently it does not but that is easily rectified.

 	- Doug


On Thu, 12 Feb 2009, Andy Lawrence at ROE wrote:

> Doug
>
> I think we just need Pat to deliver on his promise, and it will become 
> obvious whether this works.
>
> Nobody is suggesting PARAM/QUERY go away. We just want it delivered as 
> cleanly as possible. The essence of the problem is that as you say, PARAM 
> needs to be entangled with TAP, but TAP does not need to be entangled with 
> PARAM. I think (I hope !) Pat has a way we can have our cake and eat it... 
> Lets suspend judgement for a very short while until we see it.
>
> All this beer talk is making me thirsty.
>
> andy
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Andy Lawrence : Regius Professor of Astronomy, University of Edinburgh
> Institute for Astronomy,  Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh
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