CALS Table Model
Encyclopedia
The CALS Table Model is a standard for representing tables in SGML/XML. It was developed as part of the CALS DOD initiative
.
Industry Steering Group Electronic Publishing Committee (EPC).
The EPC subcommittee, of which Harvey Bingham was co-chair and a major contributor, designed the CALS Table Model in 1989-1990. The EPC was made up of industry and military service representatives. Some represented traditional military document printing agencies. Others represented electronic publishing organizations. SGML itself was new. At that time, the CALS intent for all their technical manuals was to use that DTD to achieve system-neutral interchange of content and structure.
Its basis was a minimal description and example of a table from the prior Mil-M-38784B specification for producing technical manuals. The incomplete specification of the semantics associated with the table model allowed too much freedom for vendor interpretation, and resulted in problems with interchange. SGML-Open (now OASIS
) surveyed the implementing vendors to identify differences, as the initial step toward reaching a common interpretation. The next step was an updated CALS Table Model DTD
and semantics. Both are now available from
OASIShttp://www.oasis-open.org/specs/tablemodels.php.
As implementations of the CALS Table Model were developed, a number of ambiguities and omissions were detected and reported to the EPC committee. The differences in interpretation had led to serious interoperability problems. To resolve these differences,
OASIS identified a subset of the full CALS table model that had a high probability of successful interoperability among the OASIS vendor products. This subset is
the Exchange Table Model DTD.
is the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, a global consortium that develops data representation standards for use in computer software.
CALS (DOD)
CALS is a DOD initiative for electronically capturing military documentation and linking related information.The initiative has developed a number of standard specifications...
.
History and Rationale
The CALS Table Model was developed by the CALSCALS (DOD)
CALS is a DOD initiative for electronically capturing military documentation and linking related information.The initiative has developed a number of standard specifications...
Industry Steering Group Electronic Publishing Committee (EPC).
The EPC subcommittee, of which Harvey Bingham was co-chair and a major contributor, designed the CALS Table Model in 1989-1990. The EPC was made up of industry and military service representatives. Some represented traditional military document printing agencies. Others represented electronic publishing organizations. SGML itself was new. At that time, the CALS intent for all their technical manuals was to use that DTD to achieve system-neutral interchange of content and structure.
Its basis was a minimal description and example of a table from the prior Mil-M-38784B specification for producing technical manuals. The incomplete specification of the semantics associated with the table model allowed too much freedom for vendor interpretation, and resulted in problems with interchange. SGML-Open (now OASIS
OASIS (organization)
The Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards is a global consortium that drives the development, convergence and adoption of e-business and web service standards...
) surveyed the implementing vendors to identify differences, as the initial step toward reaching a common interpretation. The next step was an updated CALS Table Model DTD
Document Type Definition
Document Type Definition is a set of markup declarations that define a document type for SGML-family markup languages...
and semantics. Both are now available from
OASIShttp://www.oasis-open.org/specs/tablemodels.php.
As implementations of the CALS Table Model were developed, a number of ambiguities and omissions were detected and reported to the EPC committee. The differences in interpretation had led to serious interoperability problems. To resolve these differences,
OASIS identified a subset of the full CALS table model that had a high probability of successful interoperability among the OASIS vendor products. This subset is
the Exchange Table Model DTD.
See also
OASISOASIS (organization)
The Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards is a global consortium that drives the development, convergence and adoption of e-business and web service standards...
is the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, a global consortium that develops data representation standards for use in computer software.
External links
- OASIS table models Web page
- CALS Table Model History by Harvey Bingham
- OASIS home page