Re: gEDA: XML in EDA

[James Jackson <jjackson-at-NOSPAMsigntech_dot_com>]

Well folks, this is what it's all about.

The DTD that they have posted on their web site looks (from initial
examination) suspiciously like EDIF 4 0 0 in syntax.

Guess what? _This_ is where the future of EDA tools is headed!

The EdaXML.DTD that they are using _does_ cover everything from Netlist
to Schematic, PCB, FPGA, etc. - but _that_ is what you want! 

It is your XML Stylesheet that determines how much of this DTD that is
actually displayed/converted/implemented in your browser/editor
software.

These sort of methods are here today. Specialized proprietary CAD
formats are history. If you are writing your software to use a
proprietary format, then you are yesterday - not today. Period.

As for what else is required... one needs to take the information and
map it to the screen for display. This is the second part of the
equation. There are several ways to do this... SVG (Scalable Vector
Graphics) is one that seems to be the way to go - and is supported in
software such as Corel Draw (just to name one).

As to whether it is cheaper... well that depends on how you look at it.
Much of the work is already done and being supported by Microsoft and
Netscape with their browsers. Other companies are beginning to see the
value and benefits of implementing XML for database transfer.

There is a group at Georgia Tech. that is working on implementing the
IPC GenCAM standard in XML (GenX). This will enhance the capability of
GenCAM, which will probably morph their standard to something along the
lines of GenX.

As to whether it is worth it for an individual to invest the time to
learn and implement such a thing as XML, that has to be up to each
individual to decide.

ME? I've started investing in XML books and software to help me learn it
and implement it in any future software that I create.

My .02 worth. 8-) 8-)

James Jackson


Magnus Danielson wrote:
> 
> From: "Alex Zamfirescu" <mno1@ricochet.net>
> Subject: gEDA: XML in EDA
> Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 19:15:46 +0900
> 
> > Dear Experts:
> >
> > What do you think about
> >
> > "XML tools debut for EDA" at
> > http://www.eet.com/story/OEG20000215S0014
> > ?
> > Two other questions:
> >
> > Is there a need for anything else then an EDA XML viewer?
> >
> > Is the XML implementation path cheaper
> > since the DOM is there to play with?
> 
> I have briefly looked at the EDA DTD that they provide, and it is pretty large.
> My gut-feeling is that it tries to do too much and one really has to define
> a small subset of it to be allowed for some particular case like a netlist or
> whatever. My concern is that so much is allowed, that you may run into trouble.
> However, there is a good point in that a viewer can be made generic, but my
> concerns relates to tools operating and exchanging files, not viewers of the
> data.
> 
> Thus, if one is to take such an DTD into use for EDA, one has to at least
> define subsets for each type of type of exchange (netlist, PCB layout,
> constraints, BOM, etc, etc.).
> 
> Cheers,
> Magnus