There are two main reasons for an ASCII text representation:
1. Machine readable (Tools should be able to read/compile the model).
2. Human readable (All IETF documents are [currently] written in a fixed format ASCII file).
Both needs must be satisfied, preferably in a single document. In other words, it is conceivable that a standard comprises two documents (one for machines and one for humans). However, the overhead in ensuring consistency between the two makes this alternative less attractive.
regards,
-Walter
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kirk Shrewsbury [mailto:shrews@post.harvard.edu]
> Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2000 12:27 PM
> To: 'Harald Alvestrand'; 'Tom Scott'; 'NIM List'; 'Avri Doria'
> Cc: 'Walter Weiss'
> Subject: RE: Is UML an option for the IETF?
>
>
> How about using XMI as the standard? That is ASCII, and the
> various UML
> tools can export and import it. It's not really for human
> beings, but it is
> ASCII.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-nim@ops.ietf.org
> [mailto:owner-nim@ops.ietf.org]On Behalf Of
> Harald Alvestrand
> Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2000 3:20 AM
> To: Tom Scott; NIM List; Avri Doria
> Cc: Walter Weiss
> Subject: Re: Is UML an option for the IETF?
>
>
> At 11:02 04/09/2000 -0400, Tom Scott wrote:
> >1. A combination of text and UML graphics would be a practical
> >solution, keeping in mind that the "official" version would be the
> >text and possibly a few simplified "ascii art" representations.
>
> there is an ASCII representation format for UML documents.
> The VB Visual Modeller saves its .mdl files in ASCII, doing
> things like
>
> (object Class "CustomerManager"
> quid "389020F8019E"
> superclasses (list inheritance_relationship_list
> (object Inheritance_Relationship
> quid "38902107016D"
> supplier "Logical View::Customer"
> quidu "389002BC0253")))
>
> When I tried to find the basis for this in the UML
> documentation, I did not
> get very far, but there were references suggesting that the format was
> based on an SGML DTD, and WAS part of the standard.
>
> Publishing the ASCII that allows reproduction of the diagrams is an
> acceptable method.
>
> Harald
>
>
>
> --
> Harald Tveit Alvestrand, alvestrand@cisco.com
> +47 41 44 29 94
> Personal email: Harald@Alvestrand.no
>
>
>