1. Identifying attributes
TMRA 2009 open space session
Peter-Paul Kruijsen
Morpheus
<p.kruijsen@mssm.nl>

2. Problem statement
! Domain: Merge external data into topic map
! Solution: add PSIs in both topic maps to enable
merging
! Consequence: Add PSI to almost every topic
! Cumbersome
! Tricky for customers to grasp
! Solution: Merge without hand-coded PSIs

3. Hand-coded PSIs
! PSIs are usually added by Topic Maps expert based
on identifying attributes
! http://example.org/people/ssn/12345789
! http://example.org/keywords/topic_maps
! http://example.org/system/IPK719
! Not everyone is able to define perfect PSIs
! Unique
! Stable

4. Solution
! Compare topics based on fingerprints
! SSN
! Codes
! Topic name
! Auto-generate PSIs based on these uniquely identifying
attributes
! http://psi.mssm.nl/random/1258041512117–030586nsZN5Gs6Tq
! Apply these PSIs to topics before merge
! Configuration can be stored in topic map
! k:identifying-attribute(i:person : k:topic-type, i:ssn : k:attribute)
! k:identifying-attribute(i:system : k:topic-type, i:code : k:attribute)
! k:identifying-attribute(i:keyword : k:topic-type, k:untyped-name : k:attribute)

5. Example
!"#$%&'()*"+,-./012* !"#$%&'()*"+,-FGB12*
**!"'(#3($"45)67%2* **!"'(#3($"45)67%2*
****!37#869:%2;(<)*=(%!>37#869:%2* ****!37#869:%2=(%H*;(<)!>37#869:%2*
**!>"'(#3($"45)67%2* **!>"'(#3($"45)67%2*
**!"#'')2!"#$%&'()!>"#'')2* **!"#'')2!"#$%&'()!>"#'')2*
**!"#+63%5(?5@"&3<2.ABA5CD5.E!>"#+63%5(?5@"&3<2* **!"#$<()%):7@%&2CDCC5GGG5./0F!>"#$<()%):7@%&2*
!>"#$%&'()2* !>"#$%&'()2*
!"#$%&'()*"+,-./012* !"#$%&'()*"+,-FGB12*
**!37#"+%)3"?"%&2* *!37#"+%)3"?"%&2*
*****++,-..,/012//2134.563782.!"%(9$!%!"!!': *****++,-..,/012//2134.563782.!"%(9$!%!"!!':
9#9%(&3/;<%=/&>?@ 9#9%(&3/;<%=/&>?@
**!>37#"+%)3"?"%&2* **!>37#"+%)3"?"%&2*
**!"'(#3($"45)67%2* **!"'(#3($"45)67%2*
****!37#869:%2;(<)*=(%!>37#869:%2* ****!37#869:%2=(%H*;(<)!>37#869:%2*
**!>"'(#3($"45)67%2* **!>"'(#3($"45)67%2*
**!"#'')2./0FGBEDA!>"#'')2* **!"#'')2./0FGBEDA!>"#'')2*
**!"#+63%5(?5@"&3<2.ABA5CD5.E!>"#+63%5(?5@"&3<2* **!"#$<()%):7@%&2CDCC5GGG5./0F!>"#$<()%):7@%&2*
!>"#$%&'()2* !>"#$%&'()2*
!"#$%&'()*"+,-EDA12*
**!37#"+%)3"?"%&2<33$#>>$'"I7''7I)9>&6)+(7>./GDCF.G./..EJC0CGDB)'KLGM'BNO!>37#"+%)3"?"%&2*
**!"'(#3($"45)67%2!37#869:%2=(%H*;(<)!>37#869:%2!>"'(#3($"45)67%2*
**!"'(#3($"45)67%2!37#869:%2;(<)*=(%!>37#869:%2!>"'(#3($"45)67%2*
**!"#'')2./0FGBEDA!>"#'')2*
**!"#+63%5(?5@"&3<2.ABA5CD5.E!>"#+63%5(?5@"&3<2*
*!"#$<()%):7@%&2CDCC5GGG5./0F!>"#$<()%):7@%&2*
!>"#$%&'()2*

6. Algorithm
! For two topic maps and a configuration
! For each topic in source topic map
! For each identifying attribute for topic type
! Lookup attribute value in target topic map
! If no PSI present: randomly generate PSI
! Apply PSIs from one topic to the other
! After this loop: merge topic maps

7. Demo
Before After

8. Ups/Downs
! Benefits
! Merging no longer requires mastering PSI but only
describing uniquely identifying attributes
! Customers write their own XSLT to generate TM/XML
! Applicable even after large imports
! Merge locally based on fingerprints
! Downsides
! Randomly generated PSIs are unreadable
! Possibility to ‘correct’ afterwards
! Enhancement: remove random PSI after merge