[uf-discuss] Storing Microformats

[Jim Wilson]

Some microformats are hierarchical (like XOXO[1]), so it would seem to
me that the only ways to represent this in an RDBMS are:

1) Single field containing the original markup

2) Self-referencing table where some elements are "children" of others

I think there could be a way to do the self-referential table concept
to encapsulate all future microformat developments.  However, making
it scale would require some thought.

(Note: I am a relative noob to microformats - those with more
experience may be able to provide better info).

[1] http://microformats.org/wiki/xoxo

-- Jim R. Wilson (jimbojw)


On 9/17/07, Paul Kinlan <paul.kinlan at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have created a C#/.Net Stream-based Microformat parser
> (http://www.codeplex.com/microformat) and I am trying to create some
> reference applications to show it off.
>
> I am in the process of creating an "Operator" like plugin for IE (It
> currently parses and displays the microformats that have been found on
> a page).
>
> One of the other ideas that I am toying with is a Microformat spider,
> that crawls the web looking for microformats, storing them and then
> allowing them to be searched.   My question is: How are people storing
> the data present in microformats so that they can be searched and
> maintained and consumed in applications etc?
>
> In previous projects (www.topicala.com/people) I have stored them in a
> flat structure in a relational database.  I have however found this to
> not be that flexible, especially if a feature on a microformat changes
> or if I want to add support for a new format (which is now entirely
> possible in the Microformat parser I have created - It is as simple as
> changing a config file to get at the new data).  I suspect that
> storing the data exactly as it is formed on the page might be a good
> idea, but I am thinking that there may be drawbacks with this because
> it is not easy to know the semantics of the data held without having
> to re-parse the data again.
>
>
>
> Kind Regards,
> Paul Kinlan
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