Comparing Groundspeak namespaces

[following5]

Groundspeak 1.0 vs. 1.0.1

There is just one change from Groundspeak GPX extension 1.0 to 1.0.1. Version 1.0.1 adds the new inc attribute to the attribute element:

      <xs:element name="attribute" msdata:Prefix="groundspeak" nillable="true" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
        <xs:complexType>
          <xs:simpleContent msdata:ColumnName="attribute_Text" msdata:Ordinal="1">
            <xs:extension base="xs:string">
              <xs:attribute name="id" form="unqualified" type="xs:string" />
              <xs:attribute name="inc" form="unqualified" type="xs:byte" />
            </xs:extension>
          </xs:simpleContent>
        </xs:complexType>
      </xs:element>

inc is used as boolean (0 or 1). This effectively changes the attributes from boolean to tri-state:

• attribute not present
• attribut with inc="0" (negative attribute, e.g. "not at night")
• attribute with inc="1" (positive attribute, e.g. "only at night")

Geocaching.com allows users to export Topografix 1.0 + Groundspeak 1.0, but none of the Opencaching sites do, and the users don't complain.

Sure. They simply assume inc="1" if it's missing.

If only new elements were added, why didn't Groundspeak simply add them as optional elements to the existing XML namespace?

I guess because (a) they didn't know better and (b) no GPX-reading application evaluates the XSDs. Developers just download sample GPX files, analyze them and parse them accordingly. I have parsed several XML file types in my applications, but I never cared about schema definitions.

Groundspeak 1.0.1 vs. 1.1

There are lots of changes from Groundspeak GPX extension 1.0.1 to 1.1:

• A GUID attribute is added to the elements that represent caches, logs, users and travelbugs.
• The date subelements lastUpdated and exported are added to the cache element.
• Changed types of lots of elements from "string" to either "long", "decimal", "double" or "date".
• Introduced a new enumeration type "logType" for the type log elements (instead of type "string").
• Bugfix: changed "maxOccurs" of the attributes, logs and travelbugs elements from "unbounded" to 1.

[wrygiel]

Thanks. I'll try to describe these changes in the article.

If only new elements were added, why didn't Groundspeak simply add them as optional elements to the existing XML namespace?

I guess because (a) they didn't know better and (b) no GPX-reading application evaluates the XSDs. Developers just download sample GPX files, analyze them and parse them accordingly. I have parsed several XML file types in my applications, but I never cared about schema definitions.

Moved this to a separate thread.