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Incubator PMC,
The XMLBeans PMC voted last month to sponsor the XMLBeans/C++
proposal as a subproject for incubation. I have agreed to mentor the
project. The proposal is copied below; the vote results are posted
at: http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/xmlbeans-dev/200506.mbox/
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
I have just created a /repos/asf/incubator/xmlbeanscxx directory in
svn and will be following up shortly with an infrastructure request
for mailing lists. I've also already sent out the root request now
that all iCLAs have been received and recorded.
Thanks,
Cliff
On 5/15/05, Heidi Buelow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> This is a proposal for an xmlbeans subproject which should be
discussed here
> and voted on at the xmlbeans PMC before going to the incubator for
a vote.
>
> Proposal to create a C++ version of the Apache XMLBeans project
>
> Submission date: 15 May 2005, Tim Triemstra, Heidi Buelow (TimT @
RogueWave
> dot-com, Buelow @ RogueWave dot-com)
>
> (0) rationale
>
> Apache currently maintains the XMLBeans/Java project, a tool that
uses XML
> Schema as a basis for generating Java classes used to easily
access XML
> instance data. The goal of the XMLBeans/C++ project is to provide
a very
> similar user experience for C++ developers as that provided by the
> XMLBeans/Java version. This includes generating strongly-typed C++
classes
> for the XML binding as well as providing low-level C++ APIs
enabling access
> to the raw, underlying XML content. Where possible, the XMLBeans/C+
+ project
> will provide a nearly identical API and parallel architecture to that
> provided by the Java counterpart, and will closely mimic both
features and
> schedule.
>
> Rogue Wave Software will help jump start this project by
contributing the
> existing XML to C++ binding code distributed as part of the LEIF
product to
> the Apache community. This product has been in production for over
two
> years, and will provide a solid foundation for a C++ version of
XMLBeans.
>
> (0.1) criteria
>
> Meritocracy: The C++ version of the project should adhere to the
same open,
> merit-based community standards as other Apache projects.
>
> Contributions and Core Developers: Code being contributed is
actually a
> subset of the LEIF product. Currently, work is underway to remove any
> proprietary dependencies from within the code. A "cleaned" version
that is
> ready for contribution will be made available to the community
around the
> middle of May 2005. This initial contribution will be fully
functioning, but
> missing a few key features of the Java version of XMLBeans.
>
> The community should be able to immediately jump in and begin
work, along
> side dedicated Rogue Wave personnel, to turn the initial
contribution into a
> feature-compatible version of XMLBeans for C++.
>
> Community: The community around the Java version of XMLBeans is
already
> vibrant and growing. There is every reason to believe many of
those within
> the existing community have experience and/or general interest in a
> successful, compatible C++ implementation of the toolset. This
should ensure
> an immediately active and vocal community, even if the primary
interest is
> in ensuring a similar experience between versions. There is
already a large
> group of developers "in the wild" using the original XML to C++
binding tool
> that is serving as the original contribution for this project.
These users
> will be migrating to the XMLBeans/C++ code over time and have already
> indicated a keen interest in tracking, and even participating in the
> Apache-led project.
>
> Apache Alignment: The XML binding tool from which the XMLBeans/C++
port will
> morph does not include a full XML parser, but instead uses a
small, focused
> parser designed expressly for tight C++ to XML binding support.
The general
> purpose XML instance data APIs within XMLBeans will require
additional code
> and may be a good fit for the Xerces parser to enable some required
> features.
>
> Additionally, at least one member of an existing Apache project has
> expressed interest in a project like XMLBeans/C++ to aid in his
current
> work. Higher-level projects such as Axis for C++ seem to be natural
> beneficiaries of this work.
>
> (0.2) known risks
>
> Orphaned Products: One of the first questions when a commercial
entity
> offers code to the public is "will this code be abandoned?" To be
clear,
> Rogue Wave decided to initiate this process due to its own
significant
> interest in the XMLBeans feature set already present in Java, and
its need
> for similar features in C++. We have significant product goals moving
> forward around XML for which the XMLBeans model fits perfectly.
Rather than
> simply copy the design and keep the project closed, we felt that the
> downstream products would reap significant benefits from opening
the XML
> layer to the community. Keeping the C++ version in sync with the Java
> version, even if it were to not be accepted as an Apache project,
can only
> help its overall adoption.
>
> Additionally, a diverse committer base is a strong goal for this
project.
> Numerous users of the contributed XML to C++ binding tool have
indicated
> interest in participating, many of whom have critical projects
dependant on
> this work and resources available to continue to ensure the
viability of the
> project well into the future.
>
> Inexperience with Open Source: Like many companies entering this
arena, we
> have limited experience working on open source projects. Our
primary goal is
> to foster an active community around XMLBeans/C++ so advice will
be taken to
> heart, and significant resources will be dedicated to the project
to get it
> off the ground. However, we hope that our experience working in open
> standards groups will aid in the transition to the open source
community.
>
> Initial Reliance on Salaried Workers: Due to the rapid process of
> transitioning to work on the open source XMLBeans/C++ project,
only a few of
> the listed contributors will be outside the commercial realm. We
expect this
> list of external volunteers to grow significantly after the
initial public
> code drop.
>
> Licensing, Patents, Miscellaneous Legal: We are conducting a legal
review of
> the code and existing contracts. This review should be done
shortly and any
> code contributed will be licensed under the latest ASF terms.
>
> Commercial Interest: XMLBeans/C++ will be maintained as an open
source
> Apache project, with all relevant enhancements contributed to the
community.
> Additionally, there is every intention to use XMLBeans/C++ within
future
> commercial products, thereby resulting in even greater testing and
user
> exposure. It is expected that other companies may well wish to use
the
> project's code within their own commercial endeavors, which of
course would
> be fine.
>
> (1) scope of the subproject
>
> The XMLBeans/C++ subproject will conform to the identical scope as
that laid
> out for the partner Java project. Special care will be taken to
implement
> features and add conveniences that would be expected by a C++
developer.
>
> For clarity, the goals of the XMLBeans/C++ project are:
>
> Generation of plain C++ classes to model XML Schema Validation of C++
> objects against the source XML Schema Access to partial document
instance
> data (fragments) Efficient "parse as necessary" access that
forgives extra
> data Access to the full XML infoset
>
>
>
> (2) identify the initial source for subproject code
>
> Some background information may be found on the LEIF product and the
> associated Data Tier.
>
> LEIF product page (http://www.roguewave.com/products/leif)
>
> The C++/XML binding contribution code can be found at the
following link:
>
> xmlBeans open source information
> (http://www.roguewave.com/opensource/XMLbeans.cfm)
>
> (3) identify the ASF resources to be created
>
> (3.1) mailing list(s)
>
> xmlbeanscxx-dev
> xmlbeanscxx-user
> xmlbeanscxx-commits
>
> (3.2) SVN repositories
>
> xml-xmlbeanscxx
>
> (3.3) Bugzilla
>
> xml xmlbeanscxx
>
> (4.0) identify the initial set of committers
>
> This is a preliminary list that will be updated with volunteer
members.
>
> Tim Triemstra (TimT @ RogueWave dot-com)
> John Hinke (Hinke @ RogueWave dot-com)
> Heidi Buelow (Buelow @ RogueWave dot-com)
> Allen Brookes (ABrookes @ RogueWave dot-com)
> David Haney (David.Haney @ RogueWave dot-com)
> Michael Yoder (Michael.Yoder @ RogueWave dot-com)
>
> (5) identify apache sponsoring individual
>
> Cliff Schmidt, of the XMLBeans/Java project, has volunteered to
sponsor this
> project.
>
> Cliff Schmidt (CliffS @ Apache dot-org)
>
> (6) open issues for discussion
>
> The original code contribution has a lot of proven code for
creating a
> binding between XML Schema and C++ classes. However, the
contribution will
> require a significant overhaul, and even complete re-writes in
some areas,
> in order to reach compatibility with the XMLBeans/Java version.
Detailed
> differences will be discussed openly within the community so that an
> appropriate plan for each area can be reached. This proposal is
not the best
> place to lay out all the technical details, however you will find
below a
> preliminary list of issues, priorities, and estimated timelines.
>
> API discrepencies between contributed code and XMLBeans 2.0 The
contributed
> code includes a very similar type-binding API in C++ to that
provided in
> XMLBeans for Java. However, the XMLBeans cursor access to the
underlying
> infoset has no equivilant in the contributed code and will require
extensive
> work to the underlying object model to support.
>
> Addressing this deficiency is considered the highest priority task
facing
> the C++ project.
>
> Several options are available including porting the XMLBeans
object model
> completely over to C++ or looking for ways to augment the
contributed code.
> Most likely a near-complete rewrite of this section will be the best
> approach.
>
> Rough estimates for a working implementation of the cursor feature
are
> between three and five months Code generator
>
> The contributed C++ code is based on a proprietary code generator,
although
> it too is written in Java (not C++). The long-term plan is to
consolidate
> both C++ and Java projects under the same code generator, most
likely the
> one already included in the Java version of the XMLBeans.
>
> This is not considered a priority-1 task at this point, more of a
long term
> goal and convenience. If it saves time in other priority tasks it
will be
> looked at closely, however.
>
> Timeline for this transition is 5-7 months, but may be very much
sooner
> depending on available resources.
>
> Platform support
> Unlike Java, the C++ port will have significant issues around
platform and
> compiler support. In order to help with this the project will be
using the
> C++ standard library, and may in fact benefit greatly from the
proposed
> Apache C++ StdLib (STDCXX). Initially the native StdLib will be used.
>
> Good platform support will be very important so even the early
builds should
> be done on Windows and Linux, and preferably at least one Unix
variety. Long
> term the matrix should be very large.
>
> The initial contribution is working on Linux but it is really just
a preview
> look at code, not a true product build. Windows and Linux support
should
> accompany the initial beta release, with Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, and
other
> Linux distros following within three months.
>
> Estimated timeline (very rough)
> Initial submission of proposal and example code: 12 May 2005 Apache
> structure in place and code building: 1 July 2005 Re-write of
internal
> object model building: 1 September 2005 XMLBeans/Java 2.0 feature
equivilant
> beta: 1 December 2005
>
> This timeline is based on a very preliminary discovery of issues
and is
> based on limited resource information. There is little chance for
this
> schedule to be elongated by very much time as there are already a few
> dedicated resources assigned to the project, but there is also
little known
> about how much a concerted community effort could speed things up. In
> general the feeling is that a greater community involvement will
greatly
> improve the test suite, identified bugs, and platform support - not
> necessarily the initial speed of feature development.
>
>
>
> --------------------
> Heidi Buelow
> Rogue Wave, a division of Quovadx
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