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RDF/OWL Menu

The RDF/OWL menu contains commands that enable you to make settings for RDF/OWL document editing and checking and commands to carry out these checks.

RDF/OWL Level

Pops out a submenu from which you can select the RDF or ontology specification (RDF Schema, OWL Lite, OWL DL, or OWL Full) according to which the active document should be edited. The RDF/OWL Level can also be selected in the corresponding combo box in the View Options toolbar (screenshot below).

This step is important because it sets up the GUI for appropriate editing interaction. For example, when RDF is selected, the Main Window contains only a Resources Overview as opposed to the Overview of five categories when one of the ontology levels is selected. Further, the insertion of items appropriate for the selected RDF/OWL level depends on the selection you make.

When an existing document is opened, or when a new document is created, the OWL Full level is selected by default. After you change the level to the required level, this level is maintained as long as the document is open or till the level is changed. You can change levels as many times as you wish. The display of the document will change accordingly.

Note: When the OWL Lite or OWL DL level is selected, you can additionally run syntax and semantics checks on the document for that level (i.e. against the specification corresponding to the selected level).

Reload All Imports

Reloads all imported ontologies in the active document. This command is useful if you have modified an imported ontology after opening the active document.

Syntax Check

The Syntax Check command checks the syntax of the active document according to syntax rules specified in the corresponding specification. The result of the check (positive = well-formed) is displayed in the Errors Window pane. Additionally, if errors are detected, these are listed in the Errors Window pane and include links to the Detail View of the offending items.

Semantics Check

The Semantics Check command is enabled when the active document has an RDF/OWL level that is OWL Lite or OWL DL. It checks the semantics of the active document according to semantics rules specified in the corresponding specification. The result of the check (positive = at least partially consistent) is displayed in the Errors Window pane.  Additionally, if errors are detected, these are listed in the Errors Window pane and include links to the Detail View of the items that lead to the inconsistencies.

Note that the semantics check is a partial semantics check, which means that only knowledge stated explicitly in the ontology is evaluated, while knowledge implicit in certain ways (such as from entailment) is not evaluated. Inconsistencies arising from the non-consideration of possibly existent implicit information are displayed when the Show Possible Inconsistencies toggle command is switched on. If an inconsistency possibly exists and if the Show Possible Inconsistencies toggle is switched off, then the semantics check returns a result indicating the existence of apparent inconsistency. The possible inconsistencies can be viewed by switching on the Show Possible Inconsistencies toggle. Only if no possible inconsistency is detected does the semantics check return a positive result.

Also see Errors Window.