[Date Prev] | [Thread Prev] | [Thread Next] | [Date Next] -- [Date Index] | [Thread Index] | [List Home]
Subject: Re: [ubl-dev] Re: [TC Admin] MIME type for UBL documents
You are right that the Columbia model can not be used with my application, as UBL Extensions are not supported - I can not handle anything that is not in the UBL specification and while the extension mechanism is specified, its content is not. As I understand it the Columbia model requires UBL extensions. To my mind the UBL extension mechanism is a mistake precisely because of the interoperability problems with generic code that is introduces. There are other ways to solve what I understand the Columbian requirement to be (I don't read Spanish, so I do not fully understand the background to the mechanism chosen) which I think would have preserved the basic consistency of UBL.
The application can only be used to communicate with others using the application, or something compatible with it. Being free and open source it should be a low entry hurdle,
I do not understand how using a file extension solves the DIAN problem. They would have as much "right" to use the extension as anyone else, and so a file names as *.ubl might still not be readable by a generic application.
The problem with using an extension is that it is not registered. In fact there are already *.ubl files, they are used by Texas Instruments DM35x User Boot Loader files (found by Google search of "file extension ubl").
Having a registered mechanism means that the consequences of marking the file as being a UBL file has implications - yes someone can ignore them but at least they are out there and public. It would in this case mean that the file conforms to the published UBL standard.
Yes the file still needs to be validated as being from someone you expect (an existing partner with whom you have exchanged DigitalCapability/DigitalAgreement documents, or having been downloaded from a Website you trust), and that it is valid XML, have a valid signature signed by the sender (for email) and that it conforms to the UBL schema, but the intent is that a proper file should be handled by default in the right way (i.e. picked up by the correct application) so that a non-technical user does not have to do something special - most SMEs are not technical users they just want their accounting and other document handling jobs made as simple and hassle free as possible.
On Thursday, 15 December 2022 10:45:10 GMT Kenneth Bengtsson wrote:
> Hi David
>
> Interesting use case! We had your question on the agenda for this weekâs TC
> meeting and we are all very impressed and excited that you are able to use
> UBL in this manner!
>
> We understand that you want a desktop operating system to recognize that a
> given file (such as from a website or an email) is in UBL format so that it
> will be opened with your application. To do that you need to 1) make sure
> the receiver have your application installed, and 2) have the originator
> (website or email sender) âmarkâ it as UBL (using a specific media type or
> filename extension). In other words, there needs to be an already
> established convention between the originator and the receiver that the UBL
> file is intended to be opened with your application. There furthermore
> needs to be a convention as to localization of data model, etc. for this to
> work. For example, a UBL document conforming to the
> localization/specifications of the DIAN in Colombia would probably not open
> well in your application. We therefore recommend an application specific
> approach, such as the registration of a proprietary filename extension
> (*.ubl?) or similar to associate these files with your application. We are
> concerned about the broader implications of the registration of a âgenericâ
> IANA media type.
>
> See also: https://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/ubl/202212/msg00011.html
>
> Good luck, and please keep us updated on your progress with the project!!
>
> Best regards,
>
> Kenneth
>
>
> From: Chet Ensign <chet.ensign@oasis-open.org>
> Date: Monday, December 12, 2022 at 3:53 PM
> To: david.goodenough@broadwellmanor.co.uk
> <david.goodenough@broadwellmanor.co.uk> Cc: ubl-dev@lists.oasis-open.org
> <ubl-dev@lists.oasis-open.org>, tc-admin@oasis-open.org
> <tc-admin@oasis-open.org> Subject: [ubl-dev] Re: [TC Admin] MIME type for
> UBL documents
> I will look into the mechanics of addressing this with IANA. I will need the
> UBL TC to confirm that they want to do this.
>
> /chet
>
> On Mon, Dec 12, 2022 at 7:59 AM David Goodenough
> <david.goodenough@broadwellmanor.co.uk<mailto:david.goodenough@broadwellman
> or.co.uk>> wrote:
>
> As you might recall I have written (and am close to releasing) an email
> based UBL document management application.
>
>
> I need to be able to mark the attached document so that if you choose to
> Open it from your mail client (or browser) my application gets started.
> When the volume of documents is high, I would suggest the use of a
> dedicated email address for such documents, and my application would
> receive all the mail to that address and process it as UBL, but for small
> users who only get a few documents per day that might be difficult to set
> up and the extra work of Opening the attached document (or dragging and
> dropping or cutting and pasting it to an open copy of my application) might
> be simpler.
>
>
> The rules for MIME types give me only option, application/xml (or text/xml
> they are apparently regarded as the same these days), but this is used for
> all manner of document and I only want UBL documents sent to my
> application.
>
>
> There would be the option of using application/ubl+xml, but that requires
> IANA registration which I would guess is a long process.
>
>
> There is however another possible place in the MIME definitiins that I could
> use, application/vnd.oasis.??? which currently has subtypes of
> vnd.oasis.opendocument.??? , but nothing for UBL.
>
>
> Would it be possible for the UBL committee to ask the Oasis TC
> (tc-admin@oasis-open.org<mailto:tc-admin@oasis-open.org> who IANA say is
> responsible for vnd.oasis) to add a UBL equivalent of opendocument? I
> think that this only requires allocation by Oasis, but the TC would
> probably know the process they went through with OpenDocument and thus what
> would be required for UBL. I have copied tc-admin on this email for their
> comment as well.
>
>
> I see no point in marking each UBL document type individually (i.e.
> application/vnd.oasis.ubl.invoice separate from
> application.oasis.ubl.order), so we only need one entry,
> application/vnd.oasis.ubl and the receiver can then use the XML document to
> route appropriately.
>
>
> Personally I also consider that using the full
> application/vnd.oasis.universalbusinesslanguage is too verbose, and .ubl
> will suffice, but I don't think there is a limit on the length of a MIME
> type, and it would always be machine generated so there is no real scope
> for it being miss-spelt.
>
>
> --
> [Image removed by sender.]
> Chet Ensign
>
> Chief Technical Community Steward
>
> OASIS Open
>
>
>
> [Image removed by sender.]
> +1 201-341-1393<tel:+1+201-341-1393>
> [Image removed by sender.]
> chet.ensign@oasis-open.org<mailto:chet.ensign@oasis-open.org>
> [Image removed by sender.]
> www.oasis-open.org<https://www.oasis-open.org>
[Date Prev] | [Thread Prev] | [Thread Next] | [Date Next] -- [Date Index] | [Thread Index] | [List Home]