News

Developers Access Semantic Web with New Altova Tool

• By Kathleen Ohlson
• October 4, 2005

Altova this week introduced a Semantic Web development tool that enables developers to graphically create and edit in Resource Description Framework and Web Ontology Language.

The Semantic Web is a common framework that allows data to be shared and reused across application, enterprise and community boundaries, according to the World Wide Web Consortium. The framework acts like a giant database, with data on Web pages, databases and other information management systems that machines search, process and engage with. RDF, OWL and XML provide descriptions that supplement or replace content in Web documents. These descriptions allow content managers to add meanings to the content, enabling computers to automatically gather and research information.

Using Altova’s SemanticWorks 2006, developers graphically create and edit RDF instance documents, RDF Schema vocabularies and OWL ontologies with full syntax checking. Developers can switch from the graphical RDF/OWL view to the text view to evaluate how their documents are being built in RDF/XML or N-triples format. The text view includes syntax coloring, source folding, and line numbers for easy file navigation.

Any conflicts are listed in the errors window with links so developers can find and repair them faster.

Developers can learn and experiment with Semantic Web concepts without writing complicated code because RDF/XML and N-triples is automatically generated. They can export files from RDF/XML to N-triples or vice versa at any time.

Context-sensitive entry helpers present developers with a list of permitted choices based on the RDF or OWL dialect they’re using. Printing graphical RDF and OWL representations create documentation for ontologies.

Altova SemanticWorks 2006 is now available for download, and pricing starts at $249 for a single-user license. The tool supports Microsoft Windows XP, 2000, Server 2003 and NT 4.0.