Quick start with the Alignment API in Java

This is the very basic for starting with the Alignment API and checking that everything should be fine. Another quick start guide exists for the Alignment server. We also have an on-line tutorial on using the Alignment API and more systematic documentation.

Fetching the Alignment API and starting

Requirements

For using you will need a Java runtime environment (tested in 1.6). All other necessary libraries are available in the archive (see the list of libraries).

Fetching the ZIP'ed version

The simplest way to use the Alignment API is to get the lastest release zipfile from the site http://gforge.inria.fr/frs/?group_id=117. It contains all the sources, compiled library, required libraries.

Running

Running the program is achieved through:

$ java -jar lib/procalign.jar Two URIs required usage: Procalign [options] URI1 URI2 options are: --impl=className -i classname Use the given alignment implementation. --renderer=className -r className Specifies the alignment renderer --output=filename -o filename Output the alignment in filename --params=filename -p filename Reads parameters from filename --alignment=filename -a filename Start from an XML alignment file --threshold=double -t double Filters the similarities under threshold --cutmethod=hard|perc|prop|best|span -T hard|perc|prop|best|span method for computing the threshold --debug[=n] -d [n] Report debug info at level n -Dparam=value Set parameter --help -h Print this message Alignment API implementation 3.2 ($Id$)

Congratulations, you are done. We invite you to learn more by using the tutorial and the documentation.

Details below are for developing with the Alignment API.

Package content

Whatever your mode of getting the Alignment API you will get an alignapi directory containing the following subdirectories:

README.TXT instructions for starting with the Alignment API
README.AServ instructions for setting up an Alignment Server
LICENSE.TXT the terms under which the software is licensed to you.
build.xml: ant file to compile and generate jar-files.
dtd: the align.dtd and align.owl alignment specification;
lib: contains align.jar, ontowrap.jar, procalign.jar, alignsvc.jar and other necessary jarfiles;
html: documentation
html/tutorial: a tutorial on using the API
distrib: contains a few files for building the distribution
classes: the compiled classes (in the zip file, the classes are included)
examples: some examples of use of the API and the Server.
javadoc: generated javadoc (in the zip file the doc are pregenerated);
test: unit tests for testng;
tools: some tools that may be used for engineering the API;
src: source classes:
- org.semanticweb.owl.align: the API
- fr.inrialpes.exmo.ontowrap: ontology API wrappers
- fr.inrialpes.exmo.align.impl: basic implementation
- fr.inrialpes.exmo.align.cli: command-line interface
- fr.inrialpes.exmo.align.util: utility wrapper functions
- fr.inrialpes.exmo.align.ling: WordNet-based implementation
- fr.inrialpes.exmo.align.parser: Alignment format parsers
- fr.inrialpes.exmo.align.service: Alignment Server
- fr.inrialpes.exmo.align.gen: test generators

Developing with the Alignement API

Requirements

For extending you will need a Java compiler (tested in Java standard edition 1.6). Other libraries are included. It is also very usefull to have Ant.

Compilation and use

Generating the jar-files corresponding to the Alignment API can be achieved by launching:

$ ant jar

This recompiles the necessary files.

Only compiling the necessary files is obtained by:

$ ant compile

Recompiling all files is achieved by:

$ ant compileall

Executing the tests:

$ ant test

Checking all java warnings and other static analysis tools:

$ ant lint

Clean up what has been generated:

$ ant clean

Other options may be obtained by ant usage or through inspecting the build.xml file.

Typical development with the API

We can distinguish four types of developments in the API:

Developing the API: modifying the code of the API for adding functions or fixing bugs;
Extending the API: creating new instances of the API interface (new alignment methods, new renderers, new server plug-ins, etc.);
Embedding the API: creating an application using the API which directly embedded the API libraries and invoke them;
Using the API as a server: creating an application using the API which communicates loosely with an instance of Alignment Server.

In theory, only the first aspect requires recompiling and modifying the Alignment API code. However, it may be useful for other aspects (for instance for debugging).

Documentation

Most documentation is available from here. An exception is the javadoc which is only available on your local machine. It can be recompiled by:

$ ant javadoc

http://alignapi.gforge.inria.fr/align.html

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