Tool for editing/specifying IC cards
Perry and I will develop a tool that will allow users to enter IC card information. This information will be stored as an XML database. This database will simply list all of the IC cards entered by the users. By structuring this data in XML, our intent is that the MKEE software will be able to parse this file and display it in the visual editor. After all the IC card information has been entered, our tool will examine each IC card. From each card's data, our tool will be able to determine how the IC cards interact with one another. These interactions are necessary for determining the IC structure. Each identified interaction will be stored in a separate XML database (and possibly linked to scenario's choreography). After compiling all interactions between IC cards, we will have a cohesive representation of the IC structure. The XML database containing the IC structure will also be able to be parsed by the MKEE software and displayed in the visual editor.
To generate the XML containing the IC structure, we will develop a PHP script to scan the XML database of raw IC card information. By using PHP, there is potential to integrate this with our web application to input the IC cards. The script will rely on the IC card XML database, and its data will not be editable directly. Each time the IC card XML database is modified, this script will be run to pick up those modifications. This will simplify the process of editing IC cards for our tool. The XML representation of the IC structure will depend only on the XML representation of the IC cards.
I will define the XML schema, and implement the XML database and provide SQL scripts to others. The defined document must be compatible with others. The compatibility ensures traceability. The easiest way to provide traceability is to provide links or URL between the documents.