Focal Point Datatypes

This document describes the RDF vocabulary for Focal Point data types (defined in the vocabulary with prefix fpdt:). Refer to Focal Point Vocabulary Prefixes for the list of all the vocabulary prefixes we use. This vocabulary is published at Focal Point Datatype Vocabulary.

See Focal Point Linked Data for information about the main Focal Point vocabulary.

High Level Design

There are two types of RDF representations for Focal Point elements which we refer to as the natural and the generic representations.

In the generic representation, each attribute of an element is represented as a single triple in which the subject is the URI of the fps:Element resource, the predicate is fps:memberAttribute, and the object is the URI of an fps:Attribute resource. Each fps:Attribute resource has a single triple with predicate rdf:value and object a Focal Point datatype. This representation provides all the detail present in Focal Point and is useful for generic tools, but is not the most natural one.

In the natural representation, each attribute of an element is represented as one or more triples in which the subject is the URI of the element resource, the predicate is URI associated with the name of the attribute, and the object is either the primary RDF datatype (e.g. xsd:integer, xsd:string, or xsd:boolean) associated with the Focal Point datatype if one is defined, or a reference to the Focal Point datatype resource (e.g. a fpdt:TimeGrid or fpdt:Matrix) otherwise. The natural representation looks like a typical RDF representation that might be defined by an OSLC specification.

The Focal Point datatypes are thus partioned into two groups which we refer to as the simple and the complex datatypes. These correspond to subclasses fpdt:SimpleDatatype and fpdt:ComplexDatatype. The primary RDF values associated with the simple datatypes are given by triples that have predicate fpdt:value.

To summarize, in the natural representation of an element, if the datatype of an attribute is complex, then there is a single triple whose object is the complex datatype, otherwise the datatype of the attribute is simple and there is one triple for each fpdt:value triple in the simple datatype. Note that a simple datatype may have zero or more fpdt:value triples. For example, fpdt:Heading always has zero fpdt:value triples and fpdt:MultiChoice may have more than one.

Focal Point Attribute Datatypes

Focal Point supports the following datatypes as values of attributes:

Type	RDF Class	RDF SuperClass	Description
Check box	fpdt:CheckBox	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A box that a member can select or clear to turn an option on or off.
Choice	fpdt:Choice	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A list of predefined items that a member may select a single item from (e.g. status).
Datatype	fpdt:Datatype	n/a	The superclass of all Focal Point datatypes.
Date	fpdt:Date	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A date value (for example 3/31/2010).
File	fpdt:File	fpdt:ComplexDatatype	A document, image or other file in the database, or a list of such files. Maximum total size is 50 MB.
Float	fpdt:Float	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A real number that contains a fractional part (e.g. 3.14).
Heading	fpdt:Heading	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	An attribute consisting only of a title, used primarily for layout purposes.
History	fpdt:History	fpdt:ComplexDatatype	History can display attribute or element history for an element.
Incoming Links	fpdt:IncomingLinks	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A list of elements that link to this element.
Integer	fpdt:Integer	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A real number that contains no fractional part (e.g. 42).
Integration Link	fpdt:IntegrationLink	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A list of link OSLC resources residing in a different repository.
Link	fpdt:Link	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A link from one element to another. The target can be either in this workspace, or in another workspace.
List	fpdt:List	fpdt:ComplexDatatype	A list is a collection of either text attributes or link attributes.
Lock	fpdt:Lock	fdpt:SimpleDatatype	A selection of attributes that can be locked from editing. When the lock attribute is activated for an element the attributes selected in the lock attribute cannot be edited and the element cannot be deleted.
Matrix	fpdt:Matrix	fpdt:Table	A matrix attribute consists of several text, float or integer attributes in a grid.
Mirror	fpdt:Mirror	fpdt:Datatype	A mirrored value of another attribute in another element.
Multichoice	fpdt:MultiChoice	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A list of predefined items that a member may select multiple items from.
Table	fpdt:Table	fpdt:ComplexDatatype	The superclass of table-like datatypes, fpdt:Matrix and fpdt:TimeGrid.
Text	fpdt:Text	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A text field where a member enters and edits text.
Time Grid	fpdt:TimeGrid	fpdt:Table	Use this for calculations based on a time line.
URL	fpdt:Url	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A link to a specific resource on the Internet (e.g. http://www.ibm.com).
Unique id	fpdt:UniqueId	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A text field where the value must be unique. When new elements are created, the unique id attribute is automatically assigned a unique value.
Version	fpdt:Version	fpdt:SimpleDatatype	A number or character that automatically increases based on changes in other attributes.

fpdt:CheckBox

fpdt:CheckBox is a simple datatype.

fpdt:Choice

fpdt:Choice is a simple datatype.

fpdt:ComplexDatatype

fpdt:ComplexDatatype is a subclass of fpdt:Datatype. It contains all complex datatypes. A complex datatype never contains fpdt:value properties. A complex datatype appears in both the natural and the generic representations.

fpdt:Datatype

fpdt:Datatype is the class of all Focal Point datatypes. A datatype may be either simple or a complex.

fpdt:Date

fpdt:Date is a simple datatype.

fpdt:Float

fpdt:Float is a simple datatype.

fpdt:Heading

fpdt:Heading is a simple datatype. It is a pseudo-attribute used for organizing other attributes. It has no primary value.

fpdt:History

fpdt:History is a complex datatype. It shows the history of attributes or the the element. The history may be either a graph or a table. The table may contain a subset of attributes or the element.

TBD.

fpdt:IncomingLinks

fpdt:IncomingLinks is a simple datatype. It is the set of incoming links from other elements. There may be zero or more incoming links.

fpdt:Integer

fpdt:Integer is a simple datatype.

fpdt:IntegrationLink

fpdt:IntegrationLink is a simple datatype. It is a link to another resource.

fpdt:Link

fpdt:Link is a simple datatype. It is a link to another element.

fpdt:Lock

fpdt:Lock is a simple datatype. When set to true it prevents deletion of the element or modification of a configured set of attributes.

fpdt:Matrix

fpdt:Matrix is a complex datatype. It is a subclass of fpdt:Table. See FPDatatypeExamplesMatrix for an example.

fpdt:Mirror

fpdt:Mirror inherits the datatype of the attribute that it mirrors.

fpdt:MultiChoice

fpdt:MultiChoice is a simple datatype.

fpdt:SimpleDatatype

fpdt:SimpleDatatype is a subclass of fpdt:Datatype. There may be zero or more fpdt:value triples in a simple datatype. In the natural representation of elements, each fpdt:value triple maps to a corresponding triple whose subject is the element, predicate is the URI associated with the attribute, and object is the object of the fpdt:value triple.

fpdt:Table

fpdt:Table is a complex datatype that represents a rectangular array of cells. Each cell is the intersection of a row and a column. The rows and columns of the table may have headings. See FPDatatypeExamplesMatrix for an example.

Tables use the following classes:

Tables use the following properties:

fpdt:Text

fpdt:Text is a simple datatype.

fpdt:TimeGrid

TimeGrid is a complex datatype. A timegrid has one or more sheets. Each sheet is a table in which the columns represent time periods.

fpdt:Url

fpdt:Url is a simple datatype.

fpdt:UniqueId

fpdt:UniqueId is a simple datatype.

fpdt:Version

fpdt:Version is a simple datatype.