The AstroWeb Interchange Format

The AstroWeb database is coded in an agreed interchange format; the design of this format was negotiated by the Consortium as its first piece of business in February 1994.

-=-=-=- following text is specifications of 2/27/94: -=-=-=- >From: Bob Jackson To: dwells@fits.CV.NRAO.EDU, hmadorf@eso.rog Subject: Draft template Date: Tue, 1 Feb 94 15:43:21 EST Merged Resource List

Merged Resource List

url-title ... short-description: <-------------; section is optional. long-description

Where: url-title = Complete Name of Site or Resource Should be less than ~~60 characters This is the primary visual key Does not contain Acronym No bold face, since already underlined short-description = Acronyms and/or Location This is the secondary key Should be less than ~~20 characters No bold face, since distracts from url-title long-description = HTML describing Site, sub-Sites, or sub-Resources. Can use most HTML formatting and display, e.g., lists, bold face, ... The length should be <~~ 7 lines as displayed by the client. keyword = a word with no white space Legal keywords are TBD. Case insensitive value-string = word(s), white space is OK Some values might be case-sensitive, e.g., email address Putting the Complete Name first assumes that users are not as familiar with the Abbreviation/Acronym as they are with the Complete Name. All descriptive keyword,value pairs should be put immediately after the they refer to. A separate line for each pair would make the raw html somewhat more readable. E.g.,

Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The ADS is a distributed processing software which provides its users with access to over 190 astronomical catalogs and approximately 125,000 astronomical abstracts. It also provides direct access to the HEASARC Browse tool, NSSDC's Online Data and Information Service (NODIS), the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED), and access to SIMBAD (Set of Identifications, Measurements, and Bibliography for Astronomical Data). The user is able to access all of this information via a simple-to-use Graphical User Interface (GUI). Simply "point and click" to retrieve the information you need for proposals, research projects, or classroom assignments.

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