This is a good question (and one that should be treated in the spec...).
This architecture doesn't prevent any hierarchical structuring of
codes that the agency might desire to reflect in the actual code data.
For example, this could be done with subelements in the inner code
element (done as a complex rather than a simple code content type), or
with punctuation as delimiters (done with pattern-matching on the simple
code content type, so that, say, hyphens are enforced as the separators).
However, my understanding is that often code lists have elaborate
classification hierarchies above the level of the actual code, *which
you can access by reference to the code* and which need not be baked
into the code string that appears in a message. For example, if 024581
(or 02-45-81 or <sub>02</sub><sub>45</sub><sub>81</sub> or whatever)
means "canned food, baked beans, non-fat", the code as a whole can be
treated as essentially opaque as far as the schema is concerned, while
still having a sophisticated hierarchy as a code list ontology/taxonomy.
So in practice, an agency, in addition to preparing a reuse-ready code
list module that could be pulled into vocabularies such as UBL, might
very well have one or more data-dictionary representations of the code
list that supply all of the definitions, parental relationships, etc.
Of course, there are various XML and non-XML formats already used for
formally defining code lists in this way. The UBL recommendations don't
try to address this use case at all, but rather try to ensure the actual
usage of codes in an instance. As an example, I believe the UNECE code
list schemas are never intended to have instances, so there are some
reuse criteria that they don't satisfy.
Does this satisfy your concern? If not, do you have suggestions on how
the spec should change?
Thanks,
Eve
Philip Goatly wrote:
> Sorry UB/SPSC should read UN/SPSC
>
> Cheers, Phil
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Philip Goatly
> Sent: 27 August 2002 09:13
> To: ''; ;
>
> Subject: RE: [ubl-comment] Code list rules document
>
>
> Folks,
>
> Have I missed something? What about hierarchical code lists e.g UN/LOCODES 2 level Country-Location and
> UN/SPSC codes which involves 4 levels.
>
> If I have n't missed something - I am very disappointed that the consideration of code lists should
> have been conducted at such a naive level.
>
> Cheers, Phil
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eve Maler - Sun Microsystems [mailto:]
> Sent: 25 August 2002 22:13
> To: ;
> Subject: [ubl-comment] Code list rules document
>
>
> I have managed to finish a real draft of the code list rules document.
> This document extracts and expands on the code list rules that were in
> the most recent public snapshot of the NDR document (draft 12). While
> there are a few outstanding issues, I think it's largely usable in its
> current state. I hope you all will give this a careful review, try it
> out, and send your comments in.
>
> In my current technical circumstances I'm unable to attach files to
> email messages -- perhaps a blessing! I have FTP'd the relevant files
> to both the NDR archive and the "current" directory (Mavis, could you
> please update the NDR portal?):
>
> http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/ubl/ndrsc/archive/wd-ublndrsc-codelist-01.doc
> http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/ubl/ndrsc/archive/wd-ublndrsc-codelist-01.pdf
> http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/ubl/ndrsc/archive/CodeListModuleTemplate.xsd
>
> Thanks,
>
> Eve
--
Eve Maler +1 781 442 3190
Sun Microsystems cell +1 781 883 5917
XML Web Services / Industry Initiatives eve.maler @ sun.com
