cavexml: Re: Data sharing and visualisation

[John Halleck]

On Tue, 6 Feb 2007, Peter MATTHEWS wrote:

> Hi Andrew,
> 
> At 10:08 26-01-07 +0000, Andrew Brooks wrote (to cave-surveying at survex.com):
> 
> >Hello
> >
> >Some elementary questions from a new member!
> 
> [snip]
> 
> >2. Is there now a "standard" file format for cave survey data?  The 
> >latest buzzword these days is XML so I presume someone's come up 
> >with a schema. (Yes, I know the saying which begins "The nice things 
> >about standards is...")
> 
> A few people have used XML files for handling cave survey data, but 
> to the best of my knowledge, and as Wookey says, there is no standard 
> yet. The Informatics Commission of the International Union of 
> Speleology started a working group for cave data exchange via XML, 
> and this concentrated on cave survey data initially, as a pilot. But 
> after a lot of good discussion of a lot of issues by a lot of people, 
> it all got too hard and people lost interest, even for a simple 
> survey type pilot.
> [...]

  Back on my soap box...
  There is a LandXML standard for Land Surveying, and commercial products
  that support it. (And display software that takes it, etc.)
  It is an active project. My experience has been that getting changes
  made, if well justified, is practical.
  I personally think that getting people making legitimate justified
  extensions for what we need would be the better use of our resources
  than "rolling our own" from scratch.

  Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.

> Currently the WG is in hibernation until someone 
> wants to attend to some of the tasks which were identified. The WG's 
> web site is at: http://www.cavexml.uis-speleo.org. If anyone does 
> want to help with any of the tasks listed there :-), and/or resurrect 
> and lead the project :-)), please email me at matthews at melbpc.org.au !
> 
> If an XML-based standard does emerge, I guess RosettaStal could add 
> that to its repertoire of formats.
> 
> Even if the WG does not start up again on survey data, I plan to 
> re-orient it back towards 'ordinary' cave data, but unfortunately 
> domestic duties have delayed the start on this for the last couple of years.
> 
> Peter
> 
> Peter Matthews
> Leader, UIS Cave Data Exchange Format Working Group
>