RE: XML2RFC template for MIB modules

["David B Harrington" <dbharrington@comcast.net>]

Hi,

I happened across this old note regarding the MIB template.
> What I had hoped for was that you would have added XML constructs
> for MIB modules.

Let me update mreview on my progress. It isn't much because I'm
editing a number of I-Ds and the template is a low priority at this
time. 

I shared the template with a MIB module editor, who modified the
template to use XML constructs (a simple list approach). We copied the
RFC-editor on our discussion. 

The RFC editor has asked that the MIB template "include" a separate
MIB file in ascii format suitable for smilint/smicng processing rather
than using XML contructs for the contents of the MIB definitions. This
would go inside an <artwork> element. Submitting the mib file separate
from the XML makes their job of validating the MIB easier. (This is
also easier for the MIB editor to do validations.)

Note, however, that I have so far been unable to find a suitable
XML-valid mechanism for including the ascii source file. The ENTITY
approach used for including XML snippets (like bibxml references)
parses the included file. I can use a variant of ENTITY that does not
parse the file (external/general IIRC), but we need to be certain that
the ascii file has no XML-illegal characters such as > and < and /.

(I have had a bunch of suggestions for running it through multiple
pre-processing utilities under control of "make", but I'm hoping to
develop one template that requires only xml2rfc to process it.

In the future, we can work on developing XML contructs for MIB
modules, and once we get the validation tools to work with the XML
constructs, that should be suitable for the RFC editor. While that is
in process, we can use tools to process such XML constructs into an
ascii file that can be included into the xml2rfc source.

I have started using the XXE editor with Bill Fenner's add-on, and
this works nicely for 90% of the editing tasks. Some tasks seem easier
with a raw XML editor, such as changing references from I-Ds to RFCs,
or reorganizing sections and changing depths of indents. It might be
possible to write a MIB module template add-on for XXE to prompt for
various OBJECT fields and generate the appropriate XML constructs, and
to prompt for the approproate versions of boilerplate, such as
security considerations. 

I am concerned about the XXE licensing. Bill says the professional
version is free to use for editing IETF documents, but the license
text doesn't reflect this. They have a free "home" version, but the
license doesn't say corporations can use this to edit IETF documents.
So I hesitate to develop only one template, and have that template be
license-encumbered.


dbh

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wijnen, Bert (Bert) [mailto:bwijnen@lucent.com] 
> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 6:11 AM
> To: dbharrington@comcast.net
> Subject: RE: XML2RFC template for MIB modules
> 
> 
> I had done a very quick check.
> What I had hoped for was that you would have added XML constructs
> for MIB modules. SUch would really be great.
> It would help in more consistent formatting of such MIB modules and
> I think it would even help for automated checking.
> 
> Bert
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: David B Harrington [mailto:dbharrington@comcast.net]
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 05:29
> > To: 'Wijnen, Bert (Bert)'
> > Subject: RE: XML2RFC template for MIB modules
> > 
> > 
> > Hi Bert,
> > 
> > Xml2rfc has changed considerably, and this will affect the
template.
> > You can skip reviewing what I sent you.
> > I may send you a new one to be reviewed, and may work with 
> the xml2rfc
> > mailing list to add mib-specific changes to the general xml2rfc
> > template.
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > dbh
> > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Wijnen, Bert (Bert) [mailto:bwijnen@lucent.com] 
> > > Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 12:09 PM
> > > To: dbharrington@comcast.net; 'Wijnen, Bert (Bert)'
> > > Cc: j.schoenwaelder@iu-bremen.de
> > > Subject: RE: XML2RFC template for MIB modules
> > > 
> > > I'll take a look at this... next week I hope,
> > > I have otehr docs to finish this week.
> > > Ping me if I forget ;-)
> > > 
> > > Bert
> > > 
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: David B Harrington [mailto:dbharrington@comcast.net]
> > > > Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2004 22:49
> > > > To: dbharrington@comcast.net; 'Wijnen, Bert (Bert)'
> > > > Cc: j.schoenwaelder@iu-bremen.de
> > > > Subject: RE: XML2RFC template for MIB modules
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > Hi,
> > > > 
> > > > I apparently attached the wrong documents.
> > > > Try these.
> > > > 
> > > > dbh 
> > > > 
> > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From: David B Harrington [mailto:dbharrington@comcast.net] 
> > > > > Sent: Friday, December 17, 2004 5:56 PM
> > > > > To: 'Wijnen, Bert (Bert)'
> > > > > Cc: j.schoenwaelder@iu-bremen.de
> > > > > Subject: XML2RFC template for MIB modules
> > > > > 
> > > > > Hi Bert,
> > > > > 
> > > > > I have put together an XML2RFC template for MIB modules,
with
> > the
> > > > > intent that such a template coul dbe posted on the 
> O&M web site.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Can you look this over and see if you agree that such 
> a template
> > > > could
> > > > > be useful? 
> > > > > If you agree that such a template might be useful, we can
> > finetune
> > > > the
> > > > > details on the mreview list.
> > > > > 
> > > > > I am also copying Juergen, since he has worked with the
XML2RF
> > > > format
> > > > > writing docs with me, and he might have some 
> suggestions on how
> > to
> > > > > improve it.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Of course, an nroff version would be helpful as well.
> > > > > 
> > > > > David Harrington
> > > > > dbharrington@comcast.net
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > 
> > 
>