Encoding of files conforming to the biolist template

General

The biolist template is used to create a list of people mentioned in the edition, providing essential information for each entry. It may contain persons cited in the original text, in annotations or anywhere else in the edition.

Biolist files start with a header:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?editem template="biolist"?>
<?xml-model href="https://xmlschema.huygens.knaw.nl/editem-biolist.rng" type="application/xml" schematypens="http://relaxng.org/ns/structure/1.0"?>
<?xml-model href="https://xmlschema.huygens.knaw.nl/editem-biolist.rng" type="application/xml" schematypens="http://purl.oclc.org/dsdl/schematron"?>

The first line is the so-called XML declaration, used in all editem XML files. The second line declares that the file conforms to the editem biolist template. The third and fourth line declare that the file should conform to the editem-biolist.rng schema, interpreted both as a RNG schema (third line) and as a Schematron schema (fourth line).

Structure

The text/body must consist of one listPerson, containing one or more person elements, which hold the essential biographical information about that person. Multiple listPersons are not currently allowed, however, if a project has this need, it can be discussed with the editem group for a potential implementation.

Individual biographical entry

The person elements carry two attributes:

a mandatory xml:id attribute that must be unique within the file. Projects are free to assign these attributes. A common convention is to use both the surname and first name, when known, separated by a hyphen or underscore: delaunay_robert or delaunay-robert.
an optional sex attribute. Permitted values are 1 (male), 2 (female), 9 (other or unknown).
an optional source attribute if editors wish to include a link to external resources (archives, databases, authority files, etc.). The value of the attribute must be the url of the corresponding entry in the external resource, e.g. source="https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/21631"

Each person contains the person's name and may contain the nationality, dates and places of birth and death, the period of activity (floruit) and a short and/or extended description. The only mandatory element is an entry of the name (persName).

Name

The persName element provides the person's name. Each person element may contain multiple persName elements, at least one with the full attribute set to value yes, providing a full name and possibly one or more with the full attribute set to value abb, holding an abbreviation of the name. Editors may encode only one or both forms. By default, only the abbreviated version is currently shown.

Each persName can forename, a surname, possibly a nameLink (to indicate a connecting phrase or link used within a name but not regarded as part of it, such as 'van der' or 'of') and possibly an addname. addnames are used for epithets or nicknames. Text nodes (plain text) are not allowed within the persName.

Example of a minimal person entry

<person xml:id="allebe_auguste" gender="tbd" corresp="https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/1197">
    <persName full="abb">
        <forename>August</forename>
        <surname>Allebé</surname>
    </persName>
</person>

Nationality

The Nationality of the person may be encoded using the nationality element. This is not a mandatory element.

Dates and places of birth and death

Dates and places of birth and death may be encoded with the birth and death element associated with the when attribute. The admitted value for the when attribute is a year, winch must consist of four digits. To indicate a date before Christ, place a minus sign before the year: birth when="-0020".

When the date is uncertain, editors may use the attributes notBefore and notAfter to describe the presumed time frame

When the date is unknown and the notBefore and notAfter attributes cannot be used, editors don't have to use the when attribute in the corresponding element.

The birth and death elements may contain a settlement, indicating the city of birth/death, and a country indicating the country.

birth and death are not mandatory elements.

Example

<birth when="1569">
    <placeName>
        <settlement>A city</settlement>
        <country>A country</country>
    </placeName>
</birth>
<death notBefore="1623" notAfter="1626">
    <placeName>
        <settlement>A city</settlement>
        <country>A city</country>
    </placeName>
</death>

Period of activity (floruit)

The floruit element may be used to indicate the person's period of activity in combination with from and to attributes to indicate the time frame. The permitted value for both of these attributes is a year, consisting of four digits, preceded by a minus sign in case of dating before Christ. This is not a mandatory element.

Biographical description

Biographical information may be provided using the note element, containing text nodes (plain text) or paragraphs (p elements). Editors may provide a short or longer description using the type attribute within the note and choosing the value shortdesc or longdesc respectively.

Editors may encode only one or both forms. By default, only the abbreviated version is currently shown.

Example of a complete biographical entry

<person xml:id="allebe_auguste" sex="M" corresp="https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/1197">
    <persName full="abb">
        <forename>August</forename>
        <surname>Allebé</surname>
    </persName>
    <persName full="yes">
        <forename>August</forename>
        <surname>Allebé</surname>
    </persName>
    <nationality>Dutch</nationality>
    <birth when="1838">
       <placeName>
            <settlement/>
            <country>Netherlands</country>
       </placeName>
     </birth>
     <death when="1927">
        <placeName>
             <settlement/>
             <country>Netherlands</country>
        </placeName>
     </death>     
<note type="shortdesc">Painter; director of the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten (1890-1906)</note>
<note type="longdesc">
<p/>
<p/>
</note>
</person>

Biography template