Reasoning-aware, format versatile Web querying that makes querying as easy as creating data

On 3-years of visXcerpt Demos

Xcerpt's patterns are great at extracting (complex, interrelated) information from semi-structured data and reassembling that data in new ways. However, there is another common task when processing semi-structured data: transformations where the result is closely related (at least) in structure to the input but some changes to the data are made.

There have been several demonstrations on Xcerpt and its visual companion language visXcerpt. You find the sources for these demonstrations at http://svn.amachos.com/xcerpt/applications/2006/demos-visxcerpt/. Note that the programs are in Xcerpt XML syntax, not in the usual term syntax. This is to make program processing using XML tools and in visXcerpt easier.

  1. 2006 Plan-X Demonstration:
    Applications and services that access Web data are becoming increasingly more useful and wide-spread. Current main-stream Web query languages such as XQuery, XSLT, or SPARQL, however, focus only on one of the different data formats available on the Web. In contrast, Xcerpt is a versatile semi-structured query language, i.e., a query language able to access all kinds of Web data such as XML and RDF in the same language reusing common concepts and language constructs. To integrate heterogeneous data and as a foundation for Semantic Web reasoning, Xcerpt also provides rules. Xcerpt has a visual companion language, visXcerpt, that is conceived as a mere rendering of the (textual) query language Xcerpt using a slightly extended CSS. Both languages are demonstrated along a realistic use case integrating XML and RDF data highlighting interesting and unique features. Novel language constructs and optimization techniques are currently under investigation in the Xcerpt project (cf. http://xcerpt.org/).
  3. 2004 ISWC/ER Demonstration:
    Query and transformation languages such as XPath, XQuery and XSLT have evolved to standard development tools for Web applications. Arguably those languages are not fully suited for Semantic Web applications. The query and transformation languages Xcerpt and visXcerpt have been conceived with both standard Web and Semantic Web applications in mind. They are twin languages both based on the same paradigms and principles. Xcerpt realizes these paradigms and principles textually, visXcerpt visually. A mixed standard Web and Semantic Web application scenario implemented in Xcerpt and visXcerpt is presented. Xcerpt and visXcerpt are ongoing research projects; prototypic implementations of the languages are available.
  5. 2003 VLDB Demonstration:
    With the advent of XML as a format for data exchange and semistructured databases, query languages for XML and semistructured data have become increasingly popular. Many such query languages, like XPath and XQuery, are navigational in the sense that their variable binding paradigm requires the programmer to specify path navigations through the document (or data item). In contrast, some other languages – such as UnQL and Xcerpt – are pattern-based: their variable binding paradigm is that of mathematical logics, i.e. the programmer specifies patterns (or terms) including variables. Arguably, a pattern-based variable binding paradigm makes complex queries much easier to specify and to read, thus improving the programming efficiency. Sustaining this first claim with practical examples is one of the objectives of the present demonstration. Xcerpt is an experimental pattern-based query and transformation language for XML and semistructured data. Xcerpt uses patterns both for binding variables in query expressions and for reassembling the variables (bound to data items in query expressions) in so-called construct terms. Arguably, a pattern-based document construction combined with a pattern-based variable binding results in a rather intuitive, user friendly, and programming efficient language. Sustaining this second claim is another objective of the present demonstration.

If you have questions or comments about these demonstrations post them here or at the xcerpt-devel mailing list. It's also usually a good idea to get in touch with Sacha Berger who is responsible for visXcerpt development.