Solid

A Solid Schema...

• Must be exportable to the FieldWorks mapper file.
• Will store the implied inferences (transforms?) necessary to infer correct meaning from the data.
• Will be stored as an XML file

A Solid schema might consist of a number of Tree Schemas plus transforms that can (potentially) transition the data from fitting one schema to fitting the next schema.

"Maybe we could use the FieldWorks mapper file as our native schema language, in which case a single schema represents everything: before+inference+after. (Actually, the before is not essential.) By conflating the inference 'transform' with its schema, we would reduce the total number of schemas and would better approximate the user's mental model, and Flex's import model. This might lead more quickly to a good user interface and allow the reuse of a lot of the Flex importer's code. This is my current inclination, after many discussions with John and with Campbell (never at the same time, unfortunately)" -Jonathan Coombs

"If Solid stores the schema natively in the same format as the Flex importer, this may have (positive) implications for merging and round-tripping. I'll attach a diagram that John or Eric should be able to explain." -Jonathan