Data Transformation using Semantic Web Standards

Importing and Using diverse Schemas
and Data with the TopBraid Suite

The enterprise data integration problem

How does government
spending in certain
XML sectors relates to my
company’s earnings?

RDB How does the historic
spending relates to the
current figures?

Spreadsheet
Give me report about
all of my customers
across the whole
organization
© Copyright 2007-2009 TopQuadrant Inc. Slide 2

Merging data with RDF
“Rote” syntactic transformation into RDF (the
mathematically simplest way to denote linked data) Once in RDF:
 Merges happen as part
XML of the infrastructure
 Concepts can be
mapped to one another
For example, to say that

RDB one notion of
“Customer” is more
general than another
Without needing to
Spreadsheet reference the syntactic
type of the source!
Mapping is also captured in RDF
Data transformation (on merged data) make no reference to syntax
of the source – they can be written in a single language (SPARQL)

Semantic Mappings


Benefits of separating Syntactic details
from Semantic mapping - 1
 Rote import provides a name (URI) for every
entity in every data source, so that they can be
referenced
 It is easier to discuss how "my" use of the word
"Customer" relates to "your" use than to agree who
gets to define "Customer“
 By translating into a simple, common language, all
mappings and transforms can be of the same
form (i.e., SPARQL).
 In contrast to several transforms for each pair of
languages

Benefits of separating Syntactic details
from Semantic mapping - 2
 Each new kind of source only needs one new
importer
 In contrast to needing one for each old syntax

 Import modules don’t need to implement the
merge functionality
 The underlying data representation supports merge as
a primitive operation
 No need to worry about a number of information
types and when they can be merged; there is just one.


TopBraid Suite’s Implementation - 1
 Built-in default converters transform information
from a variety of sources into RDF (rote import):
 Arbitrary XML, XML Schema, Spreadsheets, Databases,
etc
 Depending on the complexity, conversion logic is
either encoded in an ontology or in a Java module
 If round-triping is supported, all information from the
original is preserved (sometimes in annotations)


TopBraid Suite’s Implementation - 2
 Once in RDF, SPARQL is used to transform and
map as needed
 Imported RDF “as-is” may not be what a particular
application requires
 Transformation steps are represented using mapping
ontologies and/or SPIN (
http://www.topquadrant.com/spin/ ) rules/templates
 Entire transformation process is saved as a
SPARQLMotion (
http://www.topquadrant.com/sparqlmotion/) script
for repeated executions


Semantic XML


Built-in Converter Example: Semantic XML

 Select an XML file and open it in TopBraid
Composer (you may need to right click on a file
and select Open With > TopBraid)
Each element name becomes a class
Each attribute becomes datatype property
Nesting is mapped into a dedicated object property
(composite:child)

(we are using a simple file describing people and jobs)



Converted
to RDF



Each element becomes
composite:child property captures
a class with instances
the hierarchical nesting in the XML
for each occurrence of
document
the element in the
document

Semantic Tables


Built-in Converter Example: Semantic
Tables *
 Select an Excel file and simply open it in TopBraid
Composer
Each sheet becomes a class
Columns become datatype properties
Rows become instances
Cells will be converted into triples, where the subject is
the row instance, the predicate is the column property,
and the object is a literal with the value of the cell

*Assumes that the spreadsheet is structured as a table. Not all spreadsheets
are designed this way. To support different design patterns TopBraid Suite
offers more than one spreadsheet importer.


Built-in Converter Example: Semantic
Tables

Converted
to RDF


Other default importers
 Relational Databases
 Uses simple mapping of tables to classes, columns and foreign
keys to properties
 XML profiles
 Extends Semantic XML with pre-built profiles such as one for
XHTML
 XML Schema
 Complex logic provided in a specialized Java module
 UML, RDFa, RSS, e-Mail, additional spreadsheet
importers, …


Merging Data


Next Steps
 RDF converted from the XML file and RDF from the
spreadsheet can now be merged:
 Open one, switch to Import tab, drag and drop the second one
or
 Create a mapping/aggregation file and import both, XML and
spreadsheet
 Creating connections
 Conceptually XML and Excel examples are linked:
• XML lis d re p o leinc ingthe jo sa o a tio the
ts iffe nt e p lud ir b nd rg niza ns y
w rk fo
o r
• Exc l ha c m a info a n o a d b ind try s c rs
e s o p ny rm tio rg nize y us e to
 But there are no connections in the raw data
 SPARQL queries (CONSTRUCT) including query templates (to
generalize query patterns) can be used to establish connections
• Ma p sa re o e in them p ingo lo ie a s rip fo re e t
p ing re c rd d ap nto g s nd c ts r p a
e c n
xe utio

Scripting Data Transformations


Step by Step Example

 Extract and convert data from a real XML file
 Publish result as a web page
 Combine SPARQLMotion, Web Service, Semantic
XML, and XSD to accomplish the result.
 Step by step instructions are provided, requires
TopBraid Composer Maestro Edition
 Also requires some familiarity with SPARQL and
SPARQLMotion
 Recommended first step is to go through the
SPARQLMotion tutorial and examples at:
http://www.topquadrant.com/sparqlmotion/

Open XML file
 We will use an XML file from the US Federal Government
about the FEA. Download from:
 http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/fea_docs/FEA_XML_Doc_Rev
_2_3.xml

 Open it with
Semantic XML


Explore converted RDF

 There are 42 BusinessLines in this XML file.
 Each one has a Name, Defintion, and SubFunction detail.
 Click on one and explore in the graph view


Extract some information using SPARQL

 Looking at the graph, write a SPARQL query that will determine
the name of the business line and the BusinessLineID

 Check that the
business line
in the graph
appears in the
solution


Extract correlated information with
SPARQL
 Extend your query to find the corresponding
BusinessLineDefinitionText.
 Display just the names and descriptions of the business lines.

Save this query in a
safe place – we’ll use
it later


Shortcut: SPARQL by EXAMPLE - 1
 Complete queries (or for more complex queries a starting point),
can be generated directly from a graph
 We call this generation capability “SPARQL by Example” – saves a
lot of tedious work and helps to prevent mistakes
 To get started display the graph pattern for a single business line
Click to “pin down”,
all the classes in the
diagram, the rest
will be treated as a
variable
Click to on the star icon to
generate a query
Run it in the usual way

Looks good, but we are not
getting the text fields

Shortcut: SPARQL by EXAMPLE - 2
Click to “pin down” text fields so that they are included in the query
We get one result
But we need names and
descriptions for all business
lines, not just the one we
pinned down!

Modify the query by hand to
turn the name and
description into variables
and to include only these
variables in the SELECT list


Encode the process in SPARQLMotion

 Create a new SPARLQMotion file.
 Click “Yes”, it will declare web services.
 Create a new SPARQLMotion script.
 Start with a CreateSpreadsheet;
call it findLOB


 Bring the XML file into the SPARQLMotion script by dragging it
onto the canvas.
 This automatically makes a SXML import module.



 Connect these two modules together



 Add your query to findLOB (double-click to edit)


 Add a “ModifyPrefixes” module to specify the namespace for the
query you just pasted.
 Connect it with next to findLOB module
 Copy-and paste the base URI of the XML file with a space before
and a # after


Test the script
 Run the whole script with the debug button
 select the last step

 Results appear in the Console tab
 Results are in tab-delimited form


Exposing Results with Web Services


Serve as a web page
 Add a Return Text module to the script. Call it showLOB.
 Make it the last module, right after findLOB


View as a web page
 Point you browser to:
http://localhost:8083/tbl/actions?action=sparqlmotion&id=showLOB


Extend the script to create an HTML file
These first two modules
can be re-used from the
initial script

xhtml.owl can be found
in your TBC folder, just
drag and drop it

ApplyConstruct
See Copy and Paste file
for details

ConvertRDFtoXML
no configuration
needed

ReturnXML
Mimetype text/html

Viewing in a Web Browser
http://localhost:8083/tbl/actions?action=sparqlmotion&id=tabulateLOB


To Learn More

 Attend one of TopQuadrant’s Semantic Web
Technology Trainings:
 Semantic Web Technology & Introduction to TopBraid Suite
 TopBraid Suite Advanced Product Training Series

 For scheduled dates, locations and other
information, visit:
 http://www.topquadrant.com/training/training_overview.html

 Private, on-site trainings are also available
 Call (703) 299-9330 or write to trainings@topquadrant.com.


Data Transformation using Semantic Web Standards

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