VDEX implementation project

Aims & Objectives

The aim is to test and gain experience of using the IMS VDEX specification. We must stress that we are not promising to produce a finished product.

Update: Work on this project finished when the developer left for the job she had always wanted. We're very happy for her, but it does mean that this project wasn't wrapped up as nicely as it may have been. We hope what you find here is interesting, but please note:

• this work is based on the VDEX Public Draft, not the approved spec.
• take note of the objectives.

Objectives

1. To create tool for editing vocabularies in VDEX format.
2. To create a VDEX browse tool which will enable a cataloguer to select a VDEX encoded vocabulary, browse through it to find the desired term, and then export that term coded in a suitable format for inclusion in an IEEE LOM metadata instance.
3. If possible, a facility for importing and exporting zThes vocabularies.
4. If time allows, investigate the possibility of a web service based on the VDEX browse tool.
5. If time allows, investigate the use of VDEX vocabularies in validating IEEE LOM records.

Progress

Starting Point

We start with the rather wonderful Reload package editor, a schema-driven XML editor which supports several IMS specifications.

You shouldn't infer from this that Reload will necessarily gain a VDEX editor as part of it's functionality. I would be great if it did, but it depends how far we get: the guys developing Reload are busy enough without us pushing a half-finished unsupported extension their way.

Release 1, 10 Sept 2003

We have a first cut of the editor available, and are working on ironing out some bugs and on the VDEX browse tool.

Release 2, 16 Oct 2003

We have a first cut of the browser and have added a button to the metadata editor which allows a metadata creator to invoke the browser and use it to find and select the vocabulary item they want to use. At present this facility is available for the classification category only.

The schema location in VDEX files you create should now be correct.

Progress Report

We have written an informal report of our progress up to this point, including information on working with VDEX and Reload. It is available as a MS Word file (43kB).

Release 3, 10 Nov 2003

As well as fixing many bugs, it is now possible use VDEX encoded vocabularies for any vocabulary-type elements in the LOM schema and to import and export vocabularies encoded in the zThes binding (or any other binding you care to write an XSLT for).

Release 4, 21 Jan 2004

Tina has fixed more bugs, and refined the selection of vocabularies offered for selection in the metadata editor to be those suitable for use with that element. Also the vocabulary editor now lets you edit the metadata in the VDEX files (so long as your using LOM for the metadata in your VDEX files). Mostly though, Tina was integrating her source code into the revised code base for Reload.

Timescale

Funding and staff availability now give us up to the end of February 2004 to do this work.

Download

If you are interested, you can download the source code and use it as you see fit.

We would appreciate it if you sent us an email if you download this and find it interesting.

Current Release, release 4 (21 Jan 2004)

Source code only (zip file, 12,059kB)

Everything you need to compile your own version if you know how and if you have a Java compiler (we use JDK 1.4.2_02). There two batch file setpath.bat and setclass.bat which you can edit to reflect where you put the source code. Two other bacth file, build.bat and run.bat let you build and run the code. That's all the support you're getting.

User Guide

Tina has written a short user guide to help you get started once you have installed Reload+VDEX

To understand Reload as a whole, you'll also need the Reload user guide should also help.

Old Releases

release 3 (10 Nov 2003)

Three versions are available, depending on how much Java support/knowledge you have and how long you want to wait for the download:

Source code only (zip file, 3,601kB)

Everything you need to compile your own version if you know how and if you have a Java compiler (we use JDK 1.4.2_02). There two batch file setpath.bat and setclass.bat which you can edit to reflect where you put the source code. Two other bacth file, build.bat and run.bat let you build and run the code. That's all the support you're getting.

Compiled for JRE 1.4.1_05 (executable installer, 12,071kB) (No longer available)

This version will only work if you have JRE 1.4.1_05 on your machine.

Everything you need (executable installer, 28,341kB) (No longer available)

This compiled version includes all the JRE files you need

Release 2, (16 Oct 2003)

Three versions are available, depending on how much Java support/knowledge you have and how long you want to wait for the download:

Source code only (zip file, 3,506kB)

Everything you need to compile your own version if you know how and if you have a Java compiler (we use JDK 1.4.0). There two batch file setpath.bat and setclass.bat which you can edit to reflect where you put the source code. Two other bacth file, build.bat and run.bat let you build and run the code. That's all the support you're getting.

Compiled for JRE 1.4.0 (executable installer, 12,032kB) (No longer available)

This version will only work if you have JRE 1.4.0 on your machine.

Everything you need (executable installer, 27,509kB) (No longer available)

This compiled version includes all the JRE files you need

Release 1 (10 Sept 2003)

Download Reload+VDEX for Windows NT/2000/XP . [34,745kB] (No longer available)

Who's doing this and who's paying them

Tina Manoharan is doing the programming, and Phil Barker is supervising.

We are funding this using money from the CETIS Metadata SIG.

Known Bugs and Other Issues

Yes there are some, here's a quick list (work-arounds are suggested in parentheses).

• The link to the metadata editor in the vocabulary element only works for LOM metadata.
• The version of the installer which we use is time limited, and you won't be able to uninstall Reload+VDEX when the trial period runs out (our fault for being a cheapskate and not buying the installer)
• You cannot have different sources for different instances of any element which uses vocabs or taxonpaths. This is a problem with the basic data model in reload.
• When you have multiple taxonpaths within a single classification you cannot have different sources for each taxonpath.
• The form view doesn't let you add more than one term (use the full view instead!)
• It's not obvious how to add any of your own VDEX files to the files that can be browsed. (you put them in the helpers/md/vdexVocab folder)
• It's not obvious how to add your XSLT files for import and export of vocabularies. (you put them in the helpers/stylesheets folder)
• Metadata added to VDEX vocabularies or items in form view is not treated as XML.
• The version of JRE used is not the latest (source code version works with current JRE, the installer package doesn't support this)
• The choice of vocabularies available as source for each element is not limited to those vocabularies which are relevant
• Export to zThes doesn't work the way you think it might (It's not a bug, it's a feature ;-) To export a VDEX file to zThes, there is no need to first open the VDEX file, you choose the export option and then select the VDEX file you wish to export. The zThes file is created in the helpers/metadata/zthesvocab folder and the VDEX file is opened.)
• Changing vocabulary type is tricky (change in Form view, then again in full view)
• Vocabulary files don't validate (change the schema location to this: xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsvdex_v1p0 http://www.imsglobal.org/xsd/imsvdex_flat_v1p0pd.xsd"
• The only icon to be installed in the start menu program group links to the "uninstall" program. (To run the editor you'll have to go to the directory in which you installed VDEX.)
• The programme runs in "debug" mode, you'll get a console window showing you all sorts of details you'll not be interested in.
• If you use the browse button to select a new item after you add the metadata record to a content package, the VDEX browser window is loaded behind the metadata editor window with no way of selecting it
• When browsing vocabularies, only one thesaurus relationship per term is shown even if more exist
• If the source of a classification is changed, any entries in the taxon path should be deleted

Please let us know of any other bugs you find