Re: Generic Properties and Specific Classes

Hi,

Normally you define the assignment of properties to classes where the properties
are defined, e.g.:

    <rdf:Property  id ="name">
        <rdfs:comment>This is a very general property</rdfs:comment>
        <rdfs:domain resource = "reference to class to which the property
applies" />
    </rdf:Property>

What I don't understand is how, for generiic properties, which apply to
thousands of classes one can make such assignments ?

Now I could do something like:

   <rdf:Property  id ="name">
        <rdfs:comment>This is a very general property</rdfs:comment>
        <rdfs:domain resource = "#General class" />
    </rdf:Property>

and then as you suggest:

    <rdfs:Class id = "MySpecificClass">
        <rdfs:subClassOf  resource = "General class" />
    </rdfs>

That way, assuming properties are inherited I can use the property 'name' (note
I have left out the long parts of the URI's in these examples).

Ron



Jeff Sussna wrote:

> I would naively assume that you would create a generic base class and assign
> the properties to that, then subclass from it. As far as I can tell, the RDF
> Schema spec never actually defines the meaning of subclassing. Are
> properties inherited? I don't think it says.
>
> Jeff
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ron Lake [mailto:rlake@galdosinc.com]
> Sent: Friday, December 17, 1999 2:03 AM
> To: www-rdf-interest@w3.org
> Subject: Generic Properties and Specific Classes
>
> Hi,
>
> One thing that has bothered me about the rdfs is the assignment of
> properties to classes via rdfs:domain.  Suppose I have very generic
> properties such as in the Dublin core .. now I want these to be
> properties of some very domain specific classes.  Can I put these domain
> statements anywhere or do they have to be part of the Property
> definition ?  If they are part of the property definition than we are
> toast since the whole world would need to update the generic property
> definitions.
>
> Ron