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Subject: RE: [ubl-lcsc] Actual version of the common core component paper


Title: Message
Hello Tim,
 
I putted my answers into both mails.
 
Kind regards,
 
Gunther
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Tim McGrath [mailto:tmcgrath@portcomm.com.au]
Sent: Mittwoch, 25. Juni 2003 11:31
To: Stuhec, Gunther
Cc: ubl-lcsc@lists.oasis-open.org; 'ubl-ndrsc@lists.oasis-open.org'
Subject: Re: [ubl-lcsc] Actual version of the common core component paper

In reformulating my comments about this paper, i realise that my original concerns were not addressed.  Most of these still apply.

What makes this discussion confusing for me is that the document is in a 'raw' state of editing.  I am slowing unravelling what it means but the structure, narrative (or lack of), redundant headings and ambiguous examples don't help.  I hope someone is planning to do some serious editing of this paper to fix the inconsistencies. 
 
[GS: I'm still looking for someone who helps me to do this serious editing. If you have some time, it would be very glad if you can help me. That would be an advantage, because you found the inconsistencies and you need some more helpful information. Please start with me to do this work.] 

I still cannot see why Representation Term and Data Type are not synonyms.
[GS: If you look into the CCTS than you'll see that all Representation Terms will be based on Data Types. That means, you have to define a Data Type  whereby the secondary representation term will be the qualifier of this data type, for example "Date_ Date Time. Type". If you  defining a BCC or BBIE  with a representation term, like Date, this must be based on the Data. Type "Date_ Date Time. Type" but you put into the dictionary entry name the qualifier as a representation term only, like "Order. Creation. Date".]
 
Why do we need both of these.  For example, if we allow 2 different refinements of the secondary representation term, 'Day' where one is "monday" and the other is "28" (day of month) then we reduce interoperability and don't gain anything.   
[GS: Why do we reduce the interoperability. For example, if you would like that your charlady have to do the regular cleaning-out every Wednesday and if you would like to pay her the money on every 28th day of the month, how you would like to express this information by using the current CCTs?]
 
 These are two different semantic things and should be two separate secondary representation terms.  In the paper the authors themselves confuse the two (4.1.2 and 4.1.5 are different definitions - i suspect there is a gDay mixed up in there and trying to get out).   
[GS: the definition should be clear definition of the secondary representation term itself and the chapter "Details and Value Ranges" defines the clear semantical and technical representation of each component (content component and supplementary components. It based on the CCTS specification. Sometimes it could be same information as in "Definition". If you look in the CCTS in more detail you'll see that the CCTS using sometimes the similar definition for the CCT and the Content Component.]
 
 So if one representation (either primary or secondary) is one data type - why have two separate objects for these things, when they will always be the same? 
[GS: The problem is the technical definition and the specific characteristics. For example "Day" has another structure as well as another characteristics as "Date Time", therefore it is necessary to define two different types.]

To summarise my problems with applying this paper to the 0.80 models, I attach a copy of the CCTS diagram that describes Core Components and Data Types.  I use this to orientate myself around the concepts described in the paper.  

Using the meta-model from the attached diagram, I think I am correct is assuming  that this paper...  
a. describes the current CCTS Core Component type objects and proposes two new ones (Rate and URI) 
[GS: That is right, you have to define a new CCT if you need a type with different supplementy components as the existing ones.]
 
b. describes the current data types of CCTS Secondary Representation terms objects and proposes several new ones (Day, Duration, Factor,Float,Int,Month, MonthDay, Number, PosInt,Year, YearMonth) 
[GS: That is right, all representation terms be based on one data type. If we're using this proposal or this schema structure, than we well 
 
 c. proposes 'common' aggregate core components (Period and Recurrence) 
[GS: That is right. I defined some very basic aggregate core components, we can add some more] 

My further questions are then:

With (a.) what is the rationale for these new CC types?   For example, i was not aware that the Library Content has not identified a need for URI.  Surely our proposals should be based on implementation experience?   
[GS: For example "Person. EMail Address. Text", it should better, if we're using for the expression of the e-Mail address itself the URI-conventions. But you can not express this conventions in detail by one of the existing CCTs. Therefore I defined a new one called "URI. Type". You can use this one for "EMail Address", than the BCC will be "Person. EMail Address. URI" and you can express the address itself in the conventions of SMTP, X.400 etc. without any problems.]
 
 With respect to "Rate", the CCTS explicitly says to use "Numeric" for rates where the units are not included or are the same (i think this means things like rate of exchange, where the units are described outside the component itself as part of an aggregate) and "Quantity" for rates with counted co-efficients (e.g. km per hour).  Therefore, Rate is either a secondary representation term for Numeric or Quantity.   
[GS: Rate can be used for the ratio of quantities or measurements. I guess it is more elegant to doing this with one CCT which have at least two supplementary components, the unit itself and the base unit. Because if you would like to express this by using the current CCTs, you have to do the following one:
Quantity. Rate. Details
    Rate. Quantity [with the supplementary component "Unit. Code"]
    Rate. Base Unit. Code
 
You see, for this expression is no representation term "Rate" necessary. I guess this is a very elementary information and it makes sense to express this information by a new CCT like "Rate. Type". If you would like to express the exchange rate of currencies for example, you need a bunch of information like first amount with specific currency and second amount with specific currency and additionally the date of the exchange rate. I guess, it is the best if we're expressing that information by using a specific ACC. For this is a secondary representation term named "Rate" not necessary, too.]
      
 
 If we don't accept that Rate is a secondary representation term then why don't we have Percent (or other secondary rep. terms) as new CC types as well?  Whilst we are talking of Percent - why is it used in 3.8.4 to decribe 'ValueType'? 
[GS: "Percent can be one value without any additional (supplementary) information, like "unitCode". Therefore "Percent" can be a secondary representation term, which will be based on "Numeric. Type. I have to describe "Value. Type", I will do that soon.] 

There is a similar issue with (b).  It appears some of these have originated from outside our Library - they look like DBMS or programming data types to me.  From our models I would have expected things like,  Description and Note (as secondary to Text),  Size (secondary to Quantity or Measure), Weight and Volume (secondary to Measure).  However, we tend to use these terms as Property Terms - so there isn't a major requirement to have them as secondary Rep. Terms anyway.  
[GS: I have no problem, if we're agreeing that this proposed secondary representation terms will be used as property terms. But important is, that we have to define specific data types for the information, because all specific information will be based on specific characteristics (built-in datatypes). Addtionally, we have to define very clearly when a specific information would become a secondary representation term or a property term. Normally the terms "Day", "Year", "Month", "Duration" etc. will be unique information and will be based on "Date Time. Type" only. For the definition of BCC/BBIE it makes more sense, to have this terms as secondary representation terms, because than you can define the dictionary entry names more effectively, like the weekly: "Magazine. Delivery. Day"] which will be based exactly on the structure of the day in a week.You can not define a secondary representation term for "Size" or "Description". becuase you can use this information with more than one CCT like "Size. Quantity" or "Size. Measure" or "Description. Quantity" or "Description. Text". It gives always different semantic meanings.]

With (c) the question is why do we want these separated from other Core Components/BIEs in the Library.  Surely, what makes a thing 'common' is how many times it is re-used not whether we call it common.  For example, what about "Temperature" - it is re-used five times (like Period) in our library.   Doesn't creating  a new class of 'common core components' just create a maintenance problem with determine what is in it and what is not?  [[NB By the way, when you describe "Recurrence", i think you mean "Frequency" - the rate of occurrence (or reccurrence).  ]] 
 
[GS: There was an issue in NDRSC to define the most frequent possibilities for expressing date and time information. I resolved this issue together with Mike Adcock. We created the specific Date. Types for the possibilities for expressing the points of date and time. Furthermore, we have seen that we have to express the period and the recurrence in a common way. Because many people doing that in many different ways. We defined two ACCs for it, it called "Period. Details" and "Recurrence. Details". If you like, I can send you the working papers and the results of our discussion. Because I didn't found to place this two ACCs in our NDR-spec, I putted this results into this Common Core Components paper.]

Tim McGrath wrote:
Gunther, etc al..

Firstly, congratulations on having a position paper that needs a lever-arch file to hold it.  you have raised the bar for us all :-)

However, I need some help with interpreting this document.  I am trying to apply it to the 0p80 draft spreadsheets and have encountered some difficulty understanding what you mean by it all.  

1. Am i correct in assuming that section 1 is clarification of the existing Core Component Types from the CCTS? 
[GS: That is right]
 
2. Am i correct in assuming that section 2, Proposed Core Component Types, are not to be used in 0p80 (as per NDR decision), but may be used for demonstration and feedback into CCTS? 
[GS: Taht is right] 

However, the biggest issue I have is trying to understand the relationship between all these terms.  I am afraid unless this paper presents its application to the UBL library is a more consistent and coherent way, I dont see how we can use it.

To give some examples...

a. In your examples using the UBL spreadsheet model you do not have a column in the for "Core Component Type" instead you use the term "Data Type".  The CCTS says,
"A Data Type must be based on one of the Core Component Types, but may include restrictions of the set of values of that Core Component Type's Content Component and/or Supplementary Component(s)."  so these are not the same thing.   
[GS: Garret Minakawa divided the schemas into two parts: CoreComponentType.xsd and DataType.xsd. All data types based on one specific core component type but it have some restrictions. You can express this restrcitions in XML schema by using other built-in data types, by using addtional facets or by the restriction of attributes itself.]

It seems to me that the example in 1.3.9 that has,
Qualifier of Data Type = "Currency"
Data Type = "Code. Type"
UBL Definition = "identifies the currency using a code. ISO 4217-3 is recommended"

 - could be said to have a Core Component Type of "Code.  Type" and a Data Type of "ISO4217-3. Code.  Type" or maybe "Currency. Code.  Type". 
[GS: The data type is "Currency_ Code. Type". But in the CCTS is not very clear how you can use the qualifier of the data type in the BCC/BBIE. On the one hand side, we can use this qualifier as a property and on the other hand side we can use the qualifier as a secondary representation term. The CCTS needs more wording about it. I made a comment for it.]

How do we make the leap from Data Type to Core Component Type?   
 
[GS: Normally if you have a reusable basic type which will be in a restricted form of a CCT, than you have to define a new Data Type for it.] 

b. Some of the Schema examples seem to have more information (meta-data) than the spreadsheet examples. For example, 3.1.7 (Example of secondary representaiton terms) the term "Date" has Data type of  "Date Time.  Type" in the spreadsheet and this magically appears as "DateType" in the Schema.  Are you assuming that the XSD complexTypes are taken from the Representation term?  either way this is really confusing, as i would expect the DateType in the schema to reference the primary DateTimeType.
 
[GS: We have to fix this problems]
 
I am prepared to accept that this paper makes sense to someone, but to apply it i need a simple chart that shows the meta-data needed in the UBL models and what permissable values they can have.  Can anyone help me out with this? 
 
[GS: Yes.]

PS why does 1.3.4 have yet another interpretation of Code/Identifier when we have already a position paper on this? 
 
[GS: I guess this was the nearly same interpretation from Mike Adcock. Or I'm wrong. Could you send me the exact interpretation.]

Stuhec, Gunther wrote:

Hello all,

I uploaded the actual version of the common core component paper on our UBL webside. You'll find the paper here: http://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/ubl/ubl-ndrsc/download.php/2316/draft-stuhec-ccc-11.doc

Dear LCSC-colleagues could you review this paper and could you use the common core components for the reusable types, please. If you'll find any mistakes or if you have some further comments, send it to me please.

It is possible to hand in the recommended CCTs RateType and URLType as well as the enhancements of IdentifierType and CodeType to the CC Working Group as a part of the implementation verification process?

Kind regards,

        Gunther


-- 
regards
tim mcgrath
phone: +618 93352228  
postal: po box 1289   fremantle    western australia 6160
  


-- 
regards
tim mcgrath
phone: +618 93352228  
postal: po box 1289   fremantle    western australia 6160



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