⚇ ddot.it – User Guide

Contents

Syntax Elements

NOTE: Spaces don’t matter. Any number of spaces (or NBSPs) before and after the double dot is allowed. There must be exactly two dots for typed links and exactly four dots for untyped links.

  • Syntax: aaa .. bbb .. ccc
  • Effect: “aaa” links to “ccc” with link type “bbb”

Typed Link with Meta Data:

  • Syntax: aaa .. bbb .. ccc ,, ddd
  • Effect: “aaa” links to “ccc” with link type “bbb” and the whole link has meta-data “ddd” attached.

Just leave out the type.

  • Syntax: aaa .... ccc
  • Effect: “aaa” links to “ccc” with default link type “links to”

Untyped Link with Meta Data

  • Syntax: aaa .... ccc ,, ddd
  • Effect: “aaa” links to “ccc” and the whole link has meta-data “ddd” attached.

Additional Properties

To state more properties on the same subject (aaa) add more lines leaving out the subject.

Syntax:

Dirk Hagemann .. works at .. SAP
.. knows .. Claudia Stern
.. is part of .. NEPOMUK
.. phone.. 123-456-789

Metadata

It is possible to use triple syntax in the metadata part. The triple is the subject of the following triples. To add a lot of metadata, just use ,, behind a triple or on a new line, followed by a newline, then as many meta lines as you need, terminated with a single ,, line.

The metadata itself can be

  • a single string (we need to check with Mr. Smith)
  • annotating the preceding triple (typed: ..since.. 2010; simple: .... Project Eagle)

Short Metadata:

Dirk Hagemann .. works at .. SAP ,, ..year..2010

Longer Metadata:

Dirk Hagemann .. works at .. SAP ,,
..year..2010
..fictive.. yes
..project.. NEPOMUK
,,

Commands

Commands allow fine-tuning ddot.it behavior.

  • ddot.it/ can be abbreviated with !! (double exclamation mark), but the longer form is self-documenting (URL explains more)

File Type Indicator

  • Syntax: ddot.it
  • Effect: Marks a document as double-dotted. Helps human readers and agents to find the documentation.

Include and Exclude

A ddot reader can process

  • All marked documents (all with ddot.it or ddot.it/on, but excluding ddot.it/off ) – This is the default
  • Only included documents (Only those with ddot.it/on)
  • All documents (Overriding document commands for include/exclude)

Include Command

  • Syntax: ddot.it/on
  • Effect: Include document in double-dot-processing.

Exclude Command

  • Syntax: ddot.it/off
  • Effect: Exclude this document from double-dot-processing

Include/Exclude Regions

A document may use multiple on (include) and off (exclude) commands, indicating regions for double dot processing. The command goes from start of document until the end of the doc or a counter-command.

This Command

  • Syntax: ddot.it/this
  • Effect: Use this command the the subject (first part of a triple) to annotate the current document.

Relation Types

For common relation names, see Common Relation Names.