What is XML?
This is the subject of many books and cannot really be covered in this FAQ section. However Dan Cornford from the AGSML working party has put together a set of slides to show the basic concepts which can be downloaded from the download section of this website.
Will the data dictionary change?
The working party's current brief is to keep the current group and field names.
Will AGSML be GML compatible?
GML (Geographical Markup Language) is the standard format for spacial data. It is our current view that as borehole and monitoring data is spacial then there is significant benefit for the two formats to be compatible. More information will follow within our progress reports.
Will AGSML replace the current format?
No. The working party's brief is to keep the current set of rules and to run a new XML set of rules alongside the existing format for the foreseeable future.
Will I need new program or an update to my present software?
You will probably need an AGS - XML converter program. The working party will be supplying one of these, free of charge, as part of their brief. Once the format has been adopted then your current software provider will probably supply you with an update.
How much will it cost?
Currently the AGS data transfer publication can be downloaded for free, but the AGS request a registration fee if you are implementing it within your organisation. The small fees raised from this registration contribute towards the running cost of the committee. It is anticipated that the AGSML Schema will be available from the AGS website in a similar manner and that the AGS will either bundle it in with the current registration cost or charge a small additional charge to register for both formats. Either way it is currently envisaged that the cost to register AGSML will be very small.
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