Zefania XML

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zefania XML Bible Markup Language is an XML- based language for describing Bible texts . This enables applications that understand XML to read and process scriptures. Zefania XML is available under the GNU General Public License .

origin

The Theological Initiative Freiburg, headed by Wolfgang Schultz, has set itself the task of promoting the development of free Bible software so that the German-speaking area can also enjoy good and free Bible programs. There has been very good and free software for the English-speaking area for some time, but there was still a certain void in this area in the German sector.

A few years ago the Theological Initiative Freiburg still intended to establish its own Bible program, but then they decided to promote other programs and gave up their own Bible program . A first step in the group was to develop the Zefania XML Bible format, which would later become the basis for the functionality of MyBible . A start has also been made to search the Internet for freely available Bible texts and to convert them into Zefania format and to create the so-called Bible modules.

meaning

There are a variety of Zefania format Bible modules available today. The most popular application that Zefania XML uses is MyBible .

In contrast to other formats that were also developed for encoding Bible texts, Zefania XML has meanwhile contributed to playing an essential role in the digital dissemination of the Bible through its simplicity. More than 1 million Bible texts in this format were distributed within 18 months. The advantage of this format is also being recognized more and more in theological training and its use is recommended.

Illustration of the text structure of a Bible

The Zefania XML language uses the usual structures of the Bible with book, chapter and verse and has specific elements for them.

<XMLBIBLE> marks the Bible text as a whole. </XMLBIBLE>
<BIBLEBOOK> marks the boundaries of a Bible book. </BIBLEBOOK>
<CHAPTER> marks the chapter boundaries </CHAPTER>
<VERS> marks a Bible verse </VERS>

The structure of a Bible text can be described as a nesting of these elements. The entire Bible text contains the Bible books, these contain the Bible chapters, which in turn contain Bible verses: 

<XMLBIBLE>
  <BIBLEBOOK>
    <CHAPTER>
      <VERS>Im Anfang war das Wort,[..].</VERS>
      <VERS>Dasselbe war im Anfang bei Gott.</VERS>
    </CHAPTER>
  </BIBLEBOOK>
</XMLBIBLE>

XML attributes

Like all XML elements, Zefania elements can also have attributes in addition to their content, with which characteristic properties can be assigned to a Zefania Bible module. For example, the <XMLBIBLE> can attribute bible name with the value of Luther in 1984 have. Attributes can be required (mandatory) or optional (optional).

Important attributes are biblename (name of the Bible), bnumber (Bible book according to a numbered table of the Bible books) and cnumber (chapter number), and vnumber (verse number). With these attributes, the text above looks like this: 

<XMLBIBLE biblename="Luther 1984">
  <BIBLEBOOK bnumber="1">
    <CHAPTER cnumber="1">
      <VERS vnumber="1">Im Anfang war das Wort,[..].</VERS>
      <VERS vnumber="2">Dasselbe war im Anfang bei Gott.</VERS>
    </CHAPTER>
  </BIBLEBOOK>
</XMLBIBLE>

The attributes can e.g. B. also contain formatting, references to other biblical passages, translation or grammar tips.

XML declaration

In order for a Zefania XML module to be complete, like all XML documents it must be supplemented with the XML declaration and the reference to the namespace .

In addition, there is also a Zefania-specific INFORMATION element in which bibliographic data on the coded Bible text are listed according to the Dublin Core standard: 

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<XMLBIBLE biblename="Luther 1984">
  <INFORMATION>
    <format>Zefania XML Bible Markup Language</format>
    <date>2005-12-03</date>
    <creator>Jens Grabner</creator>
    <language>DE</language>
    <rights>This Text is in the Public Domain</rights>
  </INFORMATION>
  <BIBLEBOOK bnumber="1">
    <CHAPTER cnumber="1">
      <VERS vnumber="1">Im Anfang war das Wort,[..].</VERS>
      <VERS vnumber="2">Dasselbe war im Anfang bei Gott.</VERS>
    </CHAPTER>
  </BIBLEBOOK>
</XMLBIBLE>

Web links