In fact, this is not quite what Scriptorium does. Scriptorium was actually originally built as a relational database, using Access indeed, and I believe that this is still what it is, at base. The Scriptorium people were indeed heavily involved in the drafting of the XML manuscript descriptoin guidelines which first became the MASTER system, and now underlie the TEI guidelines. It was one of their aims to be able to export data from their database into Master/ TEI XML, and possibly to import from Master/TEI into the database, but I am not sure how far they got with this. In any case, one should distinguish their arrangement from that now used by quite a few database systems now available (mostly proprietary and very very expensive), which can read XML schemas, configure a database accordingly, and then automatically import data direct from the XML into the database. One such system, which seems very powerful, is free, and has been used with some success by some people at least, is eXist (http:// exist.sourceforge.net/): very powerful, very configurable. I don't know of an implementation of EXIST for Master/TEI encoded manuscript descriptions but this would surely be possible. One system which was built specifically for MASTER records was the PHELIX system, built at Oxford for the MASTER project. This had some very neat features indeed -- where is it now? And, of course, I have to mention the Anastasia implementations of XML-encoded manuscript descriptions. The original MASTER catalogue is not now functioning. But there is a quite wonderful early print book (not manuscript! -- but the encodings work just fine, it seems) database of books printed in or about Japan c.1550-1650 at http:// 133.12.23.145:8080/html/. This features, among many amazing things, some very clever cross-language searching -- choose 'place name' in the search menu and look for 'Kyoto' and it will find you Kyoto in Japanese! It also has many images, and lots of other fine things. If you are looking for an XML online catalogue of manuscripts: Wendy Scase's West Midland Manuscripts project is also coming your way, again, done with Anastasia. This is http://www.sd-editions.com/ AnaServer?MWM+0+start.anv. This website is currently being updated and should look much nicer in a few days. But what is here, gives some idea of what can be done
all the best Peter
***original message
Dear all,
Does anybody know about electronic manuscript projects which are using/have used relational databases following the TEI guidelines for 'Manuscript description'?
Scriptorium seems to have done it, any other similar project? If so, do you know of any related publication?
I'd be very grateful for any advice, pitfall etc.
Best wishes,
Orietta
Dr Orietta Da Rold Research Fellow English Department University of Leicester University Road LE1 7RH
Tel. +44 (0)116 252 2778 e-mail: odr1 at le.ac.uk
The Production and Use of English Manuscripts http://www.le.ac.uk/ee/em1060to1220/index.htm