TMHarvest 0.1 Pre1

TMHarvest provides a tool which harvests topicmaps from structured datasources.
The TMHarvest library is based on TM4J and provides a convenient way to automatically generate topic maps from different data sources. A rules files with embedded templates (written in XML) defines from which data sources topic map constructs should be taken into account, as well how new or existent topics should be associated.
Main features:
- TMHarvest creates topic maps from existing data sources. Currently it supports the following source-types: SQL-Databases, CSV-Files, XPath-Queries. In addition it is possible to integrate custom model-providers, written in Java. See for details.
- The harvesting is driven by a model-file. The model may be processed as often as you like. Since the data sources are queried at processing time, it is possible to build topic paps periodically in order to reflect changing content.
- The model-file has a modular setup. The resulting topic map is populated step by step from distinct templateActions. The static parts of the topic map (the structural parts, for example the topics that define the ontology of the topic map) may be merged from static files and therefore seperated from the actual harvest.
Pros and Cons
The process which creates the topic map is serialized in the model-file. Once the process is defined, it runs as often as you like. This enables the creation of topic maps, that are refreshed periodically in an automated way.
Working with the templates leads to a certain interactive experience. Shaping the model, letting TMHarvest run, revisiting the results, reshape the model... let you converge the final form
The fact that the model-file must be written by hand, excludes many users, which lack the necessary technical affinity. The development of graphical interfaces or wizards would be really helpful.