Strategies for Virtual Enterprises using XForms and the Semantic Web Albert Rainer, Jürgen Dorn & Peter Hrastnik

Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC32 Conferences as Virtual Enterprises

Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC33 Characteristics of Virtual Enterprises  complex services provided by different organizations  individualization of services  short-term cooperation  portal as single sign-on solution  electronic communication and cooperation  different channels (e.g. mobile communication)

Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC34 VE Portal as unifying access

Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC35 M OVE - Management and Optimization of Business Processes in Virtual Enterprises  framework for configuration –visual editor for processes and related objects –integration of reusable components (web services, processes, forms,...) –validation (deadlocks, interfaces,...) –translation into XPDL (language of WFMC)  framework for execution and supervision –execution of XPDL –integration of dynamic objects in process –transaction layer

Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC36 XForms  XForms is an XML application  next generation of forms for the Web  10/2003 W3C Recommendation XForms 1.0  requirements for XForms 1.1 published in 08/2004  client software integrated in web browser  server software  CHIBA open source solution –servlet in application server

Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC37 XForms Principles  model with an XML instance (empty template or prefilled structure)  user interface controls input, textarea, select,... (similiar to HTML)  bindings between controls and XML elements  XML elements are referenced by XPath expressions  model item properties –required –readonly –calculate –...

Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC38 Advantages  more user-friendly controls (e.g. immediate check whether input is valid)  it is XML and it can submit XML  device independence  complex structure of dependent forms can be expressed declaratively  accessible technologies  internationalized

Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC39 Problem in heterogeneous environments (e.g. virtual enterprises)  use of different naming (e.g. givenName - firstName, - mail)  use of different formats (e.g. representation of dates)  restricted access to forms 1. solution all partners must use the same conventions 2. solution translation into VE convention

Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC310 Our approach  each partner must supply information how to translate <rdf:RDF xmlns:ocg=" xmlns:owl =" xmlns:rdf =" xmlns:rdfs="

Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC311 Example: Registration for Conference

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Jürgen Dorn© 2004 by EC318 Conclusions  solution based on open source software  XForms + proposed strategies is one component to support our framework  server-based solution is preferred because we consider portal as unifying component  portal (the virtual enterprise) requires ontology