Introducing the FIStatXML from FIGIS

Dear colleagues,

Please find attached the XML format proposed by FIGIS as a standard for fisheries statistical data import/export.

The attached documents comprise:

the Introductory document: "XML format for statistical import/export"
the Data Type Definition (DTD) itself (a DTD provides a way to both define the information structure with some enforced structural and integrity rules, and the data dictionary)
example XML files

I wish to outline some important aspects:

This DTD is indeed fully compatible with the FIGIS dissemination and working system. It consists of four components reflecting increasing complexity in existing statistical information systems, from simplest two dimensional matrixes up to systems fully driven by Metadata such as FIGIS. This scalability feature should make it a suitable format for data exchange with any system.
This DTD has been designed to satisfy primarily Fishery statistical time series requirements, however, it should be generic enough to cover core needs that the STAT2000 project would have to cope with.
This import-export format will be complemented by a "universal stats import-export application" that will assist data base managers in exporting / importing between this format and their legacy statistics data bases.
The format and its associated application reflect a strong characteristic of the FIGIS strategy: promoting norms and standards for data exchange with countries or regional partners, thus acknowledging at their level the existence of data bases or systems. We are convinced that it should be a very strong STAT2000 country stat component.

Sources

Introductory document (including DTD in appendix) is available at:

Word format: http://193.43.36.85/dtd/current/TS_import_export/TS_import_export.doc
Acrobat format: http://193.43.36.85/dtd/current/TS_import_export/TS_import_export.pdf

DTDs (actually consisting of 6 files) are located on figis01 server, http reference is http://193.43.36.85/DTD/Current/TS_import_export. Although any DTD is hard to read, this one is full of comments and examples.

There is also an example of a statistical dataset (based on last years' aquaculture dataset). It is much easier to read. It is located in http://193.43.36.85/DTD/Current/TS_import_export/xml_example/ and also consists of several files -- one for each reference table, two for metadata, and one for the actual time series.

[As suggested by Stephen Katz, I dispatch this mail to the Q-INFO and Agstandards lists.]

Contact

Marc Taconet
Fisheries Global Information System (FIGIS) Officer
Fisheries Department (FIDI)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Roma, Italy
Email: marc.taconet@fao.org
Telephone: +39 06 570 53799

Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive.

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