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Table Access Protocol
Version 1.0

IVOA Proposed Recommendation 25 December 2009

Interest/Working Group:
http://www.ivoa.net/twiki/bin/view/IVOA/IvoaDAL
Author(s):
Patrick Dowler, Guy Rixon, Doug Tody
Editor(s):
Patrick Dowler

Abstract

The table access protocol (TAP) defines a service protocol for accessing general table data, including astronomical catalogs as well as general database tables. Access is provided for both database and table metadata as well as for actual table data. This version of the protocol includes support for multiple query languages, including queries specified using the Astronomical Data Query Language (ADQL) and the Parameterised Query Language (PQL) within an integrated interface. It also includes support for both synchronous and asynchronous queries. Special support is provided for spatially indexed queries using the spatial extensions in ADQL. A multi-position query capability permits queries against an arbitrarily large list of astronomical targets, providing a simple spatial cross-matching capability. More sophisticated distributed cross-matching capabilities are possible by orchestrating a distributed query across multiple TAP services.

Status of this document

This is an IVOA Proposed Recommendation made available for public review.
It is appropriate to reference this document only as a recommended standard that is under review and which may be changed before it is accepted as a full recommendation.



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