Duplicate the latest versions of GBIF's XML schemas into a latest/current version

[CecSve]

This suggestion is based on feedback from a GBIF user on helpdesk who is building a template generator that considers CF-NetCDF and Darwin Core:

Let's say I want to harvest all the terms from here dynamically:
https://rs.gbif.org/core/dwc_event_2022-02-02.xml

When a new version is released, anything I build on top of this would be outdated, because the new version would be assigned a new URL.

For the CF standard names (used in NetCDF files) the terms are also available in a 'current' file, as well as a fixed URL for each individual version:
https://cfconventions.org/Data/cf-standard-names/current/src/cf-standard-name-table.xml

When a new version is released, I don't have to update my code.

Would it be possible to duplicate the latest versions of GBIF's XML schemas into a latest/current version?

[mdoering]

A simple symlink would do I suppose

[timrobertson100]

While we haven't used https://rs.gbif.org/core/dwc_event.xml we have already used https://rs.gbif.org/core/dwc_occurrence.xml and https://rs.gbif.org/core/dwc_taxon.xml which should remain immutable as things like IPTs will have keyed those files on the URL.

Suggest we do a https://rs.gbif.org/core/dwc_event-LATEST.xml or so which can always point to the latest version.

[lhmarsden]

Thanks for posting my suggestion, @CecSve

[lhmarsden]

@timrobertson100 there is a whole host of extensions here that this might be applicable for: https://rs.gbif.org/extensions.html

My understanding is that some are better maintained than others, but is there a reason a 'latest' version can't be created for all of these?

[MathewBiddle]

If you're interested in a CF standard name use case, here's a relevant comment cf-convention/discuss#195 (comment)

[MattBlissett]

https://rs.gbif.org/extensions.json already lists every extension and marks with isLatest if that extension is the latest of its type.

[lhmarsden]

https://rs.gbif.org/extensions.json already lists every extension and marks with isLatest if that extension is the latest of its type.

This is a good solution that I can work with for now. Thanks!

However, I still think it would be more user-friendly to have a 'latest/current' version. This would save people time having to read in the JSON file when they might not need to or even be aware of it.