Knowledge acquisition and verification for XML data modelling

Abstract

In recent years, data exchange plays an important role under the situation of globalization. XML technology becomes a typical data exchange format between multiple applications because of its simplicity and consistency in its structure. However, there is not an XML database design methodology that is as well as standard XML conceptual schema yet. This project aims to introduce an algorithm that assists in developing XML database design through Knowledge Acquisition. The DTD (Document Type Definition) and DTD Graph are preformed as the logical schema and conceptual schema of an XML document. To this end, a prototype system is implemented to study the feasibility of the methodology. A user friendly graphical user interface (GUI) is made to guide the user to input data semantics interactively according to the data relationships (cardinality, isa, generalization, aggregation, categorization and n-ary). The valid captured data semantics will be stored in a metadata and will be validated to avoid cyclic an XML structure. The tool processes the data semantics to give a solution and maps into the DTD and DTD Graph. It is effective and convenient that using knowledge acquisition to assist the end users to build the XML database system.