[osis-core] osisRef questions

[Todd Tillinghast]

Harry,

In the encodings from Crosswire they have used 3John.1.1.  I like this
structure better than the alternative.

I think what you really want is a URN.

There are (at least) three pieces of information that you need to
unambiguously identify the equivalent of an osisRef.  
1) The reference system that the reference identifier belongs to
2) The reference identifier itself
3) And optionally, the specific work you want to refer to.  

We could define an OSIS URN syntax as follows:
urn:osis:RefSystem:Identifier(SpecificWork)
urn:osis:Bible.KJV:Ps.1.1(Bible.NIV)

OR
urn:osis:Bible/KJV/Ps/1/1(Bible.NIV)

To represent the equivalent of:
<osisText>
	<header>
		<work osisWork="niv">
			<identifier type="OSIS">Bible.NIV</identifier>
			<refSystem>Bible.KJV</refSystem>
		</work>
	</header>
	<div>
		<reference osisRef="niv:Ps.1.1"/>
	</div>
</osisText>

Of course the suggested URN syntax relies solely on <identifier
type="OSIS"> to identify the work, but if the URN is in the osis
namespace it would make sense that OSIS define ALL of the values that
make up the identifier.

I suspect you will prefer
urn:osis:SpecificWork(RefSystem:Identifier)
urn:osis:Bible.NIV(Bible.KJV:Ps.1.1)

but I think that it will be more common to use a reference system and
identifier and not specify the work than the other way around given that
this will likely be used predominantly for scripture references and much
less frequently for non scripture references (in my opinion).

With the URN you could create the following URLs:
http://www.ccel.org/scripture?osisURN=urn:osis:Bible.KJV:Ps.1.1(Bible.NI
V)
OR 
http://www.ccel.org/scripture?osisURN=Bible.KJV:Ps.1.1(Bible.NIV)

We can also take the other names we have (and will define) and create
things like the following:
urn:osisBibleBookName:Ps
urn:osisWork:Bible.NIV
urn:osisRefSystem:Bible.KJV
OR
urn:osis:BibleBookName/Ps
urn:osis:Work/Bible.NIV
urn:osis:RefSystem/Bible.KJV

Do these ideas make sense and should we adopt them?

Todd
> -----Original Message-----
> From: osis-core-admin@bibletechnologieswg.org [mailto:osis-core-
> admin@bibletechnologieswg.org] On Behalf Of Harry Plantinga
> Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 9:57 AM
> To: osis-core@bibletechnologieswg.org
> Subject: [osis-core] osisRef questions
> 
> 
> I am working on a bible/commentary system that allows
> one to request bible passages from different versions
> or commentary on bible passages, with versification
> scheme translation.
> 
> I haven't found the kinetic energy to overcome the
> huge potential hill of OSIS support vs. the downhill
> ThML path, so this is in the context of ThML at the
> CCEL, but I'm planning to use osisIDs and osisRefs
> overlayed on top.
> 
> Question.  Which is the proper osisID for 3 John 15 --
> Bible:3John.15 or Bible:3John.1.15?
> 
> Comment.  As I recall, we don't have a single string
> that means "Give me what corresponds to the NRSV's
> 3 John 15 in the NIV."  (3 John 15 of the NRSV is the
> last half of 3 John 14 in the NIV.)
> 
> You have to declare a work header element that specifies
> the NIV with the NRSV's osisID system. Maybe give it an
> osisID of myNIV. Then you can say myNIV:3John.15
> 
> Although I was a part of the process of coming up with
> this system, I do have to say that after some time and
> thought, I don't think it's very clear conceptually. It
> conflates a book and a reference system in one identifier.
> As evidence that it is a hard system to understand, I
> point out that we, the designers of the system, have
> been having trouble keeping it clear in mind. Todd has
> a point.
> 
> Anyway, what I want to do is use a URI like this:
> 
>  /ccel/bible/NIV.html?osisRef=Bible.NIV(Bible:3John.15)
> 
> I'm assuming there's no approved osisRef that can do that
> in a single string (without reference to a <work> element
> in the header) and I should forge ahead making up my
> own syntax as shown. Yes? No? Comments or suggestions?
> 
> Or would this really muddy the waters by using the
> Bible: prefix as a reference system name rather
> than a workID?
> 
> -Harry Plantinga
> 
> 
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