Elements to add to TabularSkyService

[Gretchen Greene]

Martin,

I wouldn't rule-out NVO using TabularSkyService at all.  We are in the
process of populating and testing new schemas just the same.  Our
prototypes were based on much earlier concepts and then yes...we have
advanced services which have their own similar set of 'elements' such as
skynodes.  This doesn't mean we are not interested in using these newer
schema elements,  it is simply a process of development that we are
exploring.  

With all the discussion on the theoretical aspects of the schema dev,  I
encourage you to share some instance examples.  It really helps clarify
how the schemas apply.  Project drivers always differ yet real examples
go a long way.  Throw some out there!

-Gretchen

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-registry at eso.org [mailto:owner-registry at eso.org] On Behalf
Of Martin Hill
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 1:42 PM
To: registry at ivoa.net
Subject: Re: Elements to add to TabularSkyService


Ray Plante wrote:

>><ErrorColumn> - an optional element with a value of the column name,
>>that holds the error for the values in this column.
> 
> I'm concerned that, given our past discussions (on this and other 
> lists) that this one is not sufficiently well defined to be added to 
> the schema now.  This discussion came up wrt VOTable, and it was 
> recognized as one of a general problem of associating columns.  Column

> groups were the answer.

Ahem, well actually this particular one is very well defined for *most*
cases :-)

Yes we can discuss the wider general problem that we can sort out later;
what 
I'm really after just now is a way of making this particular
association.

> We
> could add it now as a "simple but useful" solution with the
possibility of 
> having to yank it out later.  (I'm less worried about this kind of 
> volatility in VODataService.)

That's exactly what I would like to see.  As we actually publish real
data we'll 
see how these fields get filled in, and no doubt there will be more
changes to 
follow.  Who knows, it might turn out looking just like VOTable headers
:-)

> Regardless, I encourage you to post your update to VOResourceV010Disc 
> (perhaps just include the new definition of the Param type);  it's a 
> lot easier to discuss when we have something concrete down.

All I want to add (for now!) is the optional elements:

    <xs:element name="ErrorColumn" type="xs:string"/>

and

    <xs:element name="UcdPlus" type="xs:string"/>

to

    <xs:complexType name="ParamType">

so that both can be filled in as we deploy datacenters *now*; we can
always 
transform the metadata documents later if we change our minds. However
if I'm 
going to have to persuade data owners to go through a few hundred
columns I'd 
like to fill out the metadata fields as completely as possible, rather
than 
leaving some bits out and having to go over the whole laborious process
again 
later when we finally get around to agreeing a set of comprehensive
tags.

Perhaps the best thing to do is for Astrogrid to develop the
TabularSkyService 
type, since it appears that noone else is going to use it anyway?  As I 
understand it, the only other people developing SkyNodes are NVO, and
they are 
not going to provide this metadata as a document.  We can make sure the
relevent 
elements are compatible with VOTables!

Cheers,

MC


-- 
Martin Hill
www.mchill.net
+44 7901 55 24 66