Sieboldianus/lbsnstructure

A common language independent and cross-network social-media datascheme

LBSNSTRUCTURE

A common language independent and cross-network social-media datascheme.

Important: In order to encapsulate and share code across different package managers (pypi, composer), we make use of git submodules. To clone this super-repository, including all its example-folders, use:

git clone --recursive

On Github, the python compiled repository can be found here: https://github.com/Sieboldianus/lbsnstructure-python

Description

This is the first version of a common, standardized conceptual data model for analyzing, comparing and relating information of different location based social networks (LBSN). With the structure, we focus on three important directions that are of importance to the whole Priority Program:

• Adaption: Case Studies for application of this structure and exemplary visualizations

• Guides: Theoretic description and guidelines of concept and technical implementation

• Tools: Developing example base functions and algorithms for information retrieval and inter-linkage of data entities

We decided to describe our common lbsn structure with the platform and language independent Proto Buffers. These files can be used to compile and implement our proposed structure in any language such as Python, Java or C++.

Docs

The full documentation is available at lbsn.vgiscience.org/structure/protobuf/docs/.

Quick Start

apt install -y protobuf-compiler
protoc --version # Ensure compiler version is >= 3.19.0.

Optionally, install binary:

PB_REL="https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases"
curl -LO $PB_REL/download/v3.19.0/protoc-3.19.0-linux-x86_64.zip
unzip protoc-3.19.0-linux-x86_64.zip -d $HOME/.local
export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin"

To compile ProtoBuffers structure in your language, get the current release for your OS, clone this repository (or download Structure.proto).

Python example:

protoc --python_out=examples/python lbsnstructure/interlinkage.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ lbsnstructure/social.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ lbsnstructure/spatial.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ lbsnstructure/temporal.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ lbsnstructure/topical.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ google/protobuf/timestamp.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ google/protobuf/duration.proto

Replace --python with your language of choice, e.g. for php:

protoc --php_out=examples/php/ lbsnstructure/interlinkage.proto \
    && protoc --php_out=examples/php lbsnstructure/social.proto \
    && protoc --php_out=examples/php lbsnstructure/spatial.proto \
    && protoc --php_out=examples/php lbsnstructure/temporal.proto \
    && protoc --php_out=examples/php lbsnstructure/topical.proto \
    && protoc --php_out=examples/php/ google/protobuf/timestamp.proto \
    && protoc --php_out=examples/php/ google/protobuf/duration.proto

Optionally, install mypy-protobuf, to generate type stubs for proto files:

python3 -m venv mypy-proto_env
source ./mypy-proto_env/bin/activate
pip install mypy-protobuf
protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ lbsnstructure/interlinkage.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ --mypy_out=examples/python/src/ lbsnstructure/social.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ --mypy_out=examples/python/src/ lbsnstructure/spatial.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ --mypy_out=examples/python/src/ lbsnstructure/temporal.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ --mypy_out=examples/python/src/ lbsnstructure/topical.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ --mypy_out=examples/python/src/ google/protobuf/timestamp.proto \
    && protoc --python_out=examples/python/src/ --mypy_out=examples/python/src/ google/protobuf/duration.proto

If successful, you will see a file generated in output directory in your language, e.g. lbsnstructure/lbsnstructure_pb2.py (Note that currently both proto2 and proto3 append "_pb2.py" to generated filenames).

This file can be imported to your tool.

E.g. for python:

import lbsnstructure as lbsn

Have a look at the python compiled example repository and the Jupyter Notebook for a brief guide on using the structure in Python.

Semantic release

We make use of automatic versioning using semantic-release workflow. To auto-increase version based on commits, use:

semantic-release publish

Changelog

see CHANGELOG