Software Tools for XML to OWL Translation

This paper describes a set of closely related C++ software tools for manipulating XML (eXtensible Markup Language) schemas and XML instance files and translating them into OWL (Web Ontology Language) class files and OWL instance files. They include: (1) an XML schema parser, (2) an XML instance file parser generator, (3) the instance file parsers generated by the XML instance file parser generator, (4) an XML schema to OWL class generator, (5) a domain instance XML to OWL translator generator, and (6) the domain in­ stance XML to OWL translators generated by the domain instance XML to OWL translator generator. These tools have been applied to information models for kitting environments and kitting plans. The main focus is on the last three tools, which differ significantly from existing resources. The paper also discusses differences between OWL and XML schema that make translation difficult, and how the tools overcome the difficulties. The tools were built at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in support of the Agility Performance of Robotic Systems.