[NeXus-tech] NXDL definition of "link"

[Pete R. Jemian]

Yes, it is a lot of editing.  With the XML editor we use, the changes 
are tractable since the editor will quickly identify an invalid NXDL 
instruction.  One concern I see is that there is a lot of information in 
the existing NXDL files that describe the intended target of the link. 
We should be able to preserve that somehow through this change.

The change is necessary since the rules as written do not authorize the 
standard use of links in our existing NeXus data files.  See Example 2.2 
in the manual:
	http://download.nexusformat.org/doc/html/bk01ch02s02.html

The goal for NXDL is to define the rules we use in our NeXus data files, 
not to make new rules.  The Schema as written makes a new rule and 
leaves out the rule for something we have been doing.

Since the NXvalidate tool is still in alpha release, this change looks 
like normal work product but Freddie can tell us what is the scope of 
work to implement this change.

Pete


On 10/20/2010 3:58 AM, Mark Koennecke wrote:
> this is really  a lot of editing. Is the change necessary? Links to
> whole groups are entirely possible.
> I think that was also the rationale to make those links a separate
> entity. The important bit is that it
> works with the validation tool. So it is Freddies call really.

-- 
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  Pete R. Jemian, Ph.D.                <jemian at anl.gov>
  Beam line Controls and Data Acquisition, Group Leader
  Advanced Photon Source,   Argonne National Laboratory
  Argonne, IL  60439                   630 - 252 - 3189
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     Education is the one thing for which people
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