DTI Generates EBusiness XML Applications using 4GL MetaCode XPATH and XMLSchema

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DTI Generates E-Business XML Applications using
4GL Meta-Code XPATH and XMLSchema
dti
Jason Brown
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Overview
dti

• DTI Background
• IT History
• Solutions Investigated
• FOX Radical Solution (Demo 1)
• FOX Architecture
• Building Fox Modules (Demo 2 )

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DTI Business Processes
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• Receive Applications
• Issue Notices, Permits, Contracts
• Request Information / Data
• Monitoring

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Our Data
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• Offshore well operations
• Production Reporting
• Environmental Consents Monitoring
• Decommissioning Liability Notices
• Etc.

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Mission
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• UK government mandatory requirements
• Paperless by 2005
• Alignment with the internet (Browser)
• XML data exchange
• Data about our data (Metadata)

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Mission
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dti
Oil Company
Electronic Communications Act 2000
internet
Review Submission
Submit Application
No Paper
Produce Documents
Master Legal documents
Digitally Sign File
Deliver Contract
Acknowledge Contract
Obtain Copy
Obtain Copy
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Challenges
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• Central Government limited resources
• Sizable Complex Data
• Complex Workflow
• Technology Choices for E-business
• Skills Timescales
• Future Support

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IT History
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Problems post Y2K
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• 3GL (been here before)
• Focus diverted
• Restricted XML tools
• GUI less robust
• Individual coding styles
• Lost productivity, reliability, and consistency

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Solutions Considered
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• Oracle pl/sql - stateless
• Mod OSE
• Webview/Webdb/HTML DB
• UIX (bc4j)
• EJB
• Jdev/jsps/servlets
• .NET
• JSF/webforms/ADF
• XSLT

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Radical SolutionFOXUK OIL PORTAL
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The UK Oil Portal
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E-Business
XHTLM JavaScript
FOX
XMLMeta-Code
JDBC
Complex XML Processing Engine
Oil Companies
DTI Staff
J2EE Java Servlet
Other Government Departments
Oracle Application Server 9i
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The Solution in Action Live Demonstration
1http//www.foxopen.net/foxdemo1.html
dti
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Fox ApproachRadical Solution
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• Modules written in XML 4GL Meta-code
• 1 Line of Code Much Work
• XPath used in 4GL meta-code
• XMLSchema design generates 4GL logic and screens
  (e.g. LOV)
• Stateful/Transactional uses module call stack

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Fox Approach (continued)
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• Fewer tables and columns
• ID NUMBER(12), XML_DATA (SYS.XMLTYPE)
• No XMLSchema on tables - data builds over time
• Incremental validation (Levels 1 and 2)
• Level 3 validation using SQL PL/SQL
• XML cached in memory using DOM
• DOM node - a wonderful object (pass it around)

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FOX Development Technology
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• Fox Engine (upfront one-off investment)
• Java J2EE Servlet, IDE Oracle JDEV, 9iAS
• Fox Meta-code XMLSchema, XMLSpy
• Stored in Oracle Tables
• Developer Tools and Features Oracle XMLType,
  Blob, Clob, Collections Toad Beta for XMLType
  Developer Testing

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Fox is Sophisticated
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Module Manager
4-MODULE JAVA OBJECT
Module Cache
DOM Lock Manager
D O M C A C H E
Browser
2-LOAD MODULE
Presentation Generator - XHTML - Java Script
Activity Thread Manager
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SQL Engine
Action Logic Engine
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API Engine
FORM Translator values merged into XML Hierarchy
DML Generator
Selects, PLSQL, Inserts, Updates Deletes
Document Generator
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Application Component BuildLive Demonstration
2http//www.foxopen.net/foxdemo2.html
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Conclusion
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• Handles large complex submissions and complex
  workflow performant
• Manages document preparation signing
• Achieves 100 paperless and electronic legal
  compliance
• XML compliance
• Fox engine improvements benefit all apps at a
  stroke
• Road not always smooth but Good Position

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More Info and Contacts
dti
www.og.dti.gov.uk/ukoug2005

• References / Acknowledgements
• Altova XMLSpy XML Editing, XMLSchema
  Design/Validation XSL-FOhttp//link.altova.com
• The Apache XML Project XPATH Engine (Xerces),
  PDF Document Generation (FOP)http//xml.apache.or
  g/
• interactivetools.com WYSIWYG Text Editor
  (htmlArea)http//www.interactivetools.com/
• Oracle Oracle 9i/10G, 9ias Application Server,
  JDeveloperhttp//www.oracle.com/
• Quest Software Toad Developer Database
  Toolshttp//www.toadsoft.com/
• World Wide Web Consortium DOM, XML, XHTML,
  XPATH, XMLSchema, XSLT, XSL-FOhttp//www.w3.org/