[tmcl-wg] Why are datatypes not constrained?

[Lars Heuer]

Hi there,

Until Sat 24, 2007 I silently assumed that TMCL is capable to
constrain the datatypes. I don't know why I assumed this but after the
meeting \rho pointed out that it is not possible to constrain
datatypes (i.e. for occurrences). After revising the TMCL document I
realized that it wasn't a joke.

Sorry for bringing this up so late (I must have been sleeping during
the discussion of datatype-awareness of TMCL), but I have some
questions regarding this issue:

  1. Why?
  2. Why?
  3. Why?

If I understand TMCL correctly, it can be used to create constraints
regarding the 'structure' of the topic map. I.e. a person has a
homepage, a shoesize etc. But even if the user satisfies that
structure, she can still do silly things and use i.e. the number 42
as value for the homepage occurrence, which directs me to the
following questions:

  4. Why?
  5. Why?
  6. Why?


Seriously, why is it not possible create datatype-constraints? IMO it
would be a bit short sighted to leave the datatype-constraints out.

Best regards,
Lars
-- 
http://www.semagia.com