Using (Hyper)RDF In Valid XHTML

[This defines a method of using RDF Schemas to add link types to
XHTML, hence the cross post.]

In building the UWIMP project [1] we needed to come up with a way of
importing RDF into a document and still have it validate. The original idea
was to use HyperRDF [2], but it binds link types using the HTML "id"
attribute, which is illegal in the head element. Therefore, we needed to
come up with a variant of HyperRDF that could allow one to:-

     1. Import RDF
     2. Use HyperRDF classes
     3. Bind your own link types
     4. Use the original HTML link classes

To do this, I had to write a very tricky RDF Schema [3] that imports the
binding mechnism set out by HyperRDF, and uses properties as the acual
binding prefies: an empty one for HTML link types, uwimp: for our own one
(i.e. to import RDF into XHTML), HyperRDF: for Mr. Connolly's classes, and
bind: for your own link relationships. A potential use of this is
appendaged to the end of this announcement [4]. The upside of all of this
is that now you can import RDF into XHTML, whilst still using all of the
link relationships set out above. I have also prepared a brief whitepaper
[5] about this.
And after all that work, I'm quite pleased with myself :-)
Comments/questions/criticisms are most welcome.

[1] UWIMP - http://uwimp.com/
[2] HyperRDF - http://www.w3.org/2000/07/hs78/#
[3] UWIMP RDF Schema - http://uwimp.com/1.0/profile/
[4] Example usage (from [5]):-
[...]
<head profile="http://uwimp.com/1.0/profile/">
<link rel="uwimp:RDF" type="text/xml" href="rdfprofile.xml" />
<link id="pre" rel="bind:myclass" type="text/xml"
      href="http://mydomain.com/myclassns/" />
<link id="class" rel="HyperRDF:classes" type="text/html"
      href="http://www.w3.org/2000/07/hs78#" />
[...]
</head>
<body>
<h1>Heading</h1>
<div><a rel="pre:homepage" href="/">my homepage</a></div>
<dl class="class:Rule">
[...]
</dl>
[...]
</body>
[5] Using RDF in XHTML - http://infomesh.net/swnotes/rdfinxhtml.html

I hope to provide a more formal document about this sometime.

Kindest Regards,
Sean B. Palmer
http://www.mysterylights.com/sbp/
http://www.w3.org/WAI/ [ERT/GL/PF]
"Perhaps, but let's not get bogged down in semantics."
   - Homer J. Simpson, BABF07.

Received on Wednesday, 13 December 2000 11:56:09 UTC