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TOPIC MAP

Lee H. J.

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Table of Contents What are topic maps? Role of TM Graphical Notation Linear Topic MAP Notation

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IntroductionA book without an index

is like a country without a map

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What are Topic Maps? ISO standard.

Provide the way to model exchange information over the internet or intranet.

Topic maps provide a simple, yet powerful model for bridging the gap between information and knowledge.

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Topic map based on INDEX Back-of-book index example

Singers, 39-52,See also individual namesBaritone, 46Bass, 46-47soprano, 41-42tenor, 44-45

T opics - the names by which they are known A ssociations (between topics) - in the form of "see also"

references O ccurrences - the page numbers or locators

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The Difference between TM and INDEX

Topic map generalized in order to be able to deal with the vastly more demanding requirements of digital information.

This generalization allows them to incorporate the key features into a single unified model.

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Role of TM

reflects the associative mode typical of the way humans think.

Thus, it becomes possible to navigate around a multidimensional topic space to find the precise pieces of information.

Topic map can be used to answer queries of far greater complexity than any of today’s web search engines would be able to tackle.

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Possibility in KM Topic maps ideal for representing knowledge in other f

ields as well.

Topic maps can be used to encode the interrelation of roles, products, procedures.

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Role of TM in KM Provide a unified model for representing

knowledge

Linking it with the information resources in which it is embodied.

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Is TM fit for KM? the entities involved in an organization (people, roles, p

roducts, etc.) can be represented as topics;

the complex and shifting relationships between those entities can be represented as associations; and

the documentation and other information resources that relate to them can be represented as occurrences.

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Graphical Notationtopic

topic with id "chopin"

topic with declared topic type "person"

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Graphical Notationassociation with id "as243"

association with declared association type "born-in"

topic "chopin" plays a unspecified role in association which type is "born-in"

topic "chopin" plays a role of type "who" in association which type is "born-in"

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What is LTM Notation?

A Simple textual format for writing topic maps. Unlike the XML format, it is compact, simple.

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Why LTM Notation? There are specialized topic map editor, which

would insulate their users from exchange format.

There is still a need for a simple textual format that can be used to concisely express topic map constructs in emails, discussions and similar contexts.

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Complete Example(1/3)/* topic types */[format = "Format"][standard = "Standard"][organization = "Organization"]

/* association types */[format-for = "Format for"][defined-by = "Defined by"]

/* occurrence types */[specification = "Specification"][homepage = "Home page"]

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Complete Example(2/3)/* topics, associations and occurrences */[topic-maps : standard = "Topic maps" = / fullname "ISO/IEC 13250 Topic Maps"]{topic-maps, specification, "http://www.y12.doe.gov/sgml/sc34/document/0129.pdf"}[xtm : format = "XTM Syntax"][ltm : format = "The linear topic map notation"; "linear topic map notation, the" @"http://www.ontopia.net/topicmaps/ltm-tech-report.html"]

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Complete Example(3/3){ltm, specification, "http://www.ontopia.net/topicmaps/ltm-tech-report.html"}

format-for([ltm], [topic-maps])format-for([xtm], [topic-maps])defined-by([ltm], [ontopia])defined-by([xtm], [xtm-wg])[ontopia : organization = "Ontopia AS"]{ontopia, homepage, "http://www.ontopia.net"}[xtm-wg : organization = "XTM Working Group"]{xtm-wg, homepage, "http://www.egroups.com/group/xtm-wg"}

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Defining topics Introduction to the Notation (1)

The basis of the notation is the ability to define topics, which is done by writing the SGML ID of the topic in square brackets. Example

[ltm] [ltm = “The Linear topic map notation”;

“Linear topic map notation, the”]

Base name

Sort name

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Defining topics Introduction to the Notation (1)

Example [foo = “basename”; “sortname”;”dispname”]

[ltm : format = “The Linear topic map notation”; “Linear topic map notation, The”]

[ltm : format = “The Linear topic map notation”; “Linear topic map notation, The” @http://www.ontopia.net/topicmaps/ltm-tech.html]

Topic type

Subject Identifier

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Defining topics Introduction to the Notation (1)

Example

[ltm : format = /norwegian “Den lineare topic map-notasjonen”; “lineare topic map-notasjonen, den” @http://www.ontopia.net/topicmaps/ltm-tech.html]

Scoping of names

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Defining associations Introduction to the Notation (2)

Example Format-for( [ltm] , [topic-maps] )

Format-for( [ltm] , [topic-maps:standard=“Topic maps”])

Association type

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Defining occurrences Introduction to the Notation (3)

Example

{ltm, specification, http://www.ontopia.net/topicmaps/}

typeOccurrence role type Occurrence location

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Formal syntax definition(1/3) LTM syntax uses a formal extended BNF grammar Example

Topic-map ::= encoding? (topic | assoc |occur) +Encoding ::=‘@’ STRINGTopic ::=‘[‘ NAME(WS’:’NAME+) ? (topn

ame)* psi?’]’Psi ::=‘@’STRINGTopname ::=‘=‘scope?basename((‘;’sortname) |

(‘;’sortname?’:’dispname))?Scope ::=‘/’NAME+

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Formal syntax definition(2/3) basename ::= STRING sortname ::= STRING dispname ::= STRING assoc ::= NAME '(' assoc-role (',' assoc-role)* ')'

assoc-role ::= topic (':' NAME )?

occur ::= '{' occ-topic ',' occ-type ',' STRING '}' occ-topic ::= NAME occ-type ::= NAME

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Formal syntax definition(3/3) NAME = [A-Za-z_][-A-Za-z_0-9.:]* COMMENT = /\*([^*]|\*[^/])*\*/

STRING = "[^"]*" WS = [\r\n\t ]+