Re: ANN: OWL API (Java version and XSLT version)

In a message dated 6/8/2003 9:27:14 AM US Mountain Standard Time, 
costello@mitre.org writes:

> I have implemented an OWL API.  It comes in two flavors: Java and XSLT.
> 
> Here is the URL:
> 
>   http://www.xfront.com/owl/api/
> 

Nice start!

General comments:

1. Needs to be in a package.
2. Should separate these accessor type functions into an interface like this:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
package com.xfront.owl;

/**
 * @author Michael C. Daconta
 */
public interface OwlAccessor 
{
    public String getProperties(String classURI);
    public String getEquivalentProperties(String propertyURI);     
    public String getSuperClasses(String classURI); 
    public String getPropertyTypes(String propertyURI); 
    public String getClassSpecificPropertyDefinitions(String classURI, String 
propertyURI);
    public String getDomain(String propertyURI);
    public String getRange(String propertyURI);
    public String getInstances(String classURI);
    public String getEquivalentClasses(String classURI);
}
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------

3. Use a factory pattern (like DocumentBuilder) to separate the source from 
the 
accessor.  Then, your implementation, would be either the FileBuilder or 
FileSource which would return an instance of a Class which implements 
OwlAccessor.  Like this:

OwlAccessor accessor = OwlFactory.configure(File f);

Which would return your OWL_API class (although this is not a good name for
a Class).  I would rename your class to something like OwlFileAccessor.

4.  Java has a URI class which would is more suitable than Strings because 
the 
validity of the URI will be tested by the URI class.  

I will try and find time to look at each methods parameters and return types 
to determine
if their are better alternatives.

Again, good start ...

 - Mike
---------------------------------------------------
Michael C. Daconta
Chief Scientist, APG, McDonald Bradley, Inc.
www.daconta.net