Re: [ebxml-cppa-comment] AW: Re: [ebxml-cppa-negot] Issues for Discussion: templates and dummy values

[Martin Sachs <msachs@cyclonecommerce.com>]

Default values are actual "usable" values of attributes and 
elements.  Default values are the values in a party's CPP. In the absence 
of need for negotiation, a CPA can be constructed using the two parties' 
CPPs and the resulting CPA is a usable CPA containing both parties' default 
values.

The NDD is supposed to indicate all elements and attributes that the party 
composing the NDD is prepared to negotiate. Dummy values are values 
provided in the CPA Template for elements and attributes that the party 
composing the CPA Template is prepared to negotiate with the other party 
but doesn't know suitable default values. Dummy values can be any values 
that enable the CPA Template to be validated against the CPPA schema.

As a result of the above, all elements and attributes in the CPA Template 
that contain default values are indicated in the NDD. Note that the NDD 
doesn't indicate the difference between a default value and a dummy value. 
However, since everything in the NDD has to be negotiated or at least 
accepted by the other party, it isn't clear that it matters whether a given 
value is a default value or a dummy value. It does seem that if the party 
composing the NDD expects that some elements and attributes in the CPA 
Template might be accepted as, that party ought put usable default values 
in the attributes and elements of the CPA Template that describe its own 
properties. The party composing the CPA Template should use dummy values 
only for elements and attributes that describe the other party, where the 
party composing the CPA Template does not know suitable default values. The 
other party can then modify those dummy values as part of the negotiation.

Regards,
Marty


At 03:45 PM 9/24/2004, Monica J. Martin wrote:
>Vetter, Michael wrote:
>
>>Hi Marty
>>I have some comments on your discussion about templates and dummy
>>values. I think that adding an optional attribute "dummy value" to all
>>relevant items in the CPPA spec could avoid confusion and ease the
>>management of CPA templates with several NDDs. When a template is
>>created the elements that need to be included in a corresponding NDD can
>>already be marked in the CPA template. After creation of the NDD the
>>tags can be used to check automatically whether something has been
>>forgotten. When someone looks at the template he does not have to check
>>the NDD to detect dummy values. A system would have to parse the CPA
>>template anyway to check whether it conforms to his party's CPP. It
>>would no longer be mandatory to have a NDD for a CPA template that just
>>needs some party information to be filled in. The presence of dummy
>>values could also be used to check whether a CPA is still in template or
>>already in (acceptable) draft status.
>>
>mm1: We discussed this issue in today's call. I have one question to the 
>CPPA team, would these dummy values be actual default values or anything 
>but empty (if required or optional and present)? We didn't discuss dummy 
>vs. default today (my line connection was very bad so I didn't speak up). 
>Thanks.
>

*************************************
Martin Sachs
standards architect
Cyclone Commerce
msachs@cyclonecommerce.com