Martin Bryan, The SGML Centre
28th September 2000
The following instructions describe how Microsoft's Internet Explorer 5.0 (IE5) can be used to capture core component definitions as XML files.
WARNING: This process will not work on Netscape Explorer or on older versions of Internet Explorer as it relies on Microsoft specific extensions to HTML.
For the discovery process only two types of core components are recognized
Simple core components are leaf nodes that contain data of a specific type or an entry from a formally described set of permitted codes
Complex core components contain two or more embedded components (which may themselves be simple or complex components.
The HTML forms used for discovery purposes (simple.htm and complex.htm) allow each of these data types to be recorded. Each form ends with buttons that allow the current contents to be submitted for storage, reset so that a new entry of the same type can be made or to request the other form.
The package has been designed to be run within a directory
called ebxml
within the My Documents
section of your C drive. If wish to use
another drive or root directory you should search each of the above files for
any occurrences of the string "C:/My Documents/ebxml/
" and replace
this with the appropriate identifier for the directory you wish to use.
Within the directory that is used to contain the forms you will
need to create two subdirectories prior to using the forms. These
subdirectories should be labelled complex
and simple
respectively.
(Directories with these names should be automatically created for you when you unzipped the source files,
if the settings of your file unzipper allow automatic creation of
subdirectories.)
Because the forms submit their contents to the local file store rather than to a remote directory you will need to ensure that IE5 has been set up to permit this. Enter the Tools Menu select the Internet Options entry and then select the Security tab. If your security level is High you will not be able to use these forms. If it is set to Medium you will be asked to confirm that each record may be written to disc. If it is Low you will be able to write the files without having to confirm each one, but must take care if using the Internet. (I find that the Medium level, which requires me to confirm before writing but still provides for a safe level of Internet access is an adequate compromise.)
The following figures show the fields used to define a new entry for use as a core component which has embedded elements. The status line at the foot of the form will change as you move from field to field to provide you with information about the type of data to be entered in each field.
The fields provided in the first part of the form are:
Date of Submission: enter an ISO 8601 conformant date using the format CCYY-MM-DD here
Submitting Organization: enter the name of the submitting organization here
Contact E-mail Address: enter e-mail address to which questions can be submitted
Component Name: Name to be used to identify the component.
Component Description: Enter description of role of component that allows it to be distinguished from other core components.
Definition File Name: Enter a unique identifier for the the file that will be used to store this definition. (May or may not be the same as the Component Name, depending on whether your file system has restrictions on the characters permitted in file names.)
Directory File Stored In: Should indicate the path required to reach the relevant directory. (When the default directory set up is being used this entry should not need to be updated from the pre-assigned values.)
The fields used to select the context in which the component is intended to be used are:
Industry Sector: Select entry from list if possible. If not select Other and enter the name of the missing industry sector in the Other Sector Name box.
Region: If the context is not Global select the relevant region from the list provided. If the component is only relevant for specific countries select the Cross Border option and then list the ISO 3166 2-Alpha codes for the countries concerned in the Country Codes box
Business Process: Select business process(es) to which pattern applies, or select Other if the one you require is not listed. (For data management reasons you cannot define your own process. If you need a new process contact your team leader and ask them to request a new value be added to the list. For the time being use the Other entry to indicate that the entry required has not yet been registered.)
Process Qualifier: For each process indicate whether you are defining a component used to Report/Publish the results of an action, Request/Instruct someone to undertake an action or Respond/Send to an previous Report or Request.
Official Requirements: If one or more regulatory bodies have issued instructions relating to the completion of this component enter the name of the regulatory body concerned here (optionally followed by a URL pointing to the relevant regulations where available electronically)
Each line in the section headed Embedded Components has the following fields:
Complex
if there are embedded
components or Simple
if this component is a root one designed to
transfer data between systems)The buttons at the foot of the Entity Definition form are:
Complex
in the
Type field requires completion of a separate ebXML Complex Core Component
Definition form.)Simple
in the Type field requires completion of an
ebXML Simple Core Component Definition form if the
identified format has not previously been defined.)The following figures show a typical completed ebXML Complex Core Component Definition
The following figures show the fields used to define a Simple Core Component. The status line at the foot of the form will change as you move from field to field to provide you with information about the type of data to be entered in each field.
The fields provided on this form are:
Date of Submission: enter an ISO 8601 conformant date using the format CCYY-MM-DD here
Submitting Organization: enter the name of the submitting organization here
Contact E-mail Address: enter e-mail address to which questions can be submitted
Component Name: Enter name to be used to identify the component.
Component Description: Enter description of role of data format/code set that allows it to be distinguished from other data formats.
Definition File Name: Enter a unique file name for the definition. (May or may not be the same as the Component Name, depending on whether your file system has restrictions on the characters permitted in file names.)
Directory File Stored In: Should indicate the path required to reach the required directory. (When the default directory set up is being used this entry should not need to be updated from the pre-assigned values.)
Controlling Agency: Name of body responsible for maintaining any code list defined as part of the data format, or for defining the format of the field
Agency Assigned Name: Name assigned to format by controlling agency.
The fields used to select the context in which the component is intended to be used are:
Industry Sector: Select entry from list if possible. If not select Other and enter the name of the missing industry sector in the Other Sector Name box.
Region: If the context is not Global select the relevant region from the list provided. If the component is only relevant for specific countries select the Cross Border option and then list the ISO 3166 2-Alpha codes for the countries concerned in the Country Codes box
Business Process: Select business process(es) to which pattern applies, or select Other if the one you require is not listed. (For data management reasons you cannot define your own process. If you need a new process contact your team leader and ask them to request a new value be added to the list. For the time being use the Other entry to indicate that the entry required has not yet been registered.)
Process Qualifier: For each process indicate whether you are defining a component used to Report/Publish the results of an action, Request/Instruct someone to undertake an action or Respond/Send to an previous Report or Request.
Official Requirements: If one or more regulatory bodies have issued instructions relating to the completion of this component enter the name of the regulatory body concerned here (optionally followed by a URL pointing to the relevant regulations where available electronically)
The Data Representation Type field can used to identify the basic type of data constraint required. (For more complex constraints the you will need to use the full set of Core Component forms.) The definitions of each of the permitted classes is given in the following table:
Representation Class | ebXML Definition |
---|---|
Uncontrolled Text String | A character string generally in the form of words. |
Code List (permitted entries listed below) | A character string that represents a member of a set of values defined in this form |
Code List (externally defined) | A character string that represents a member of a set of values as defined in an external reource (URL of resource to be placed in adjacent field) |
Code List (locally maintained) | A character string that represents a member of a set of values where the set of permitted values is application dependent |
Amount | A number of monetary units specified in a currrency where the unit of currency is explicit or it may be implied. |
Boolean | An enumerated list of two, and only two, values which indicates a condition such as on/off; true/false etc. |
Date | A day within a particular calendar year. Note: Reference ISO 8601. |
Time | The time within any day in public use locally, independent of a particular day. Reference ISO 8601:1988. " |
DateAndTime | A particular point in the progression of time. Note: This may incorporate dependent on the level of precision, the concept of date |
Measure | A numeric value that is always associated with a unit of measure. |
Quantity | A number of non-monetary units. It is normally associated with a unit of measure. |
Number | A numeric value which is often used to imply a sequence or a member of a series |
Rate | A ratio of two measures [not otherwise expressable as a measure] |
Identifier | A character string used to identify and distinguish uniquely, one instance of an object within an identification scheme" |
Name | A word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person, object, place, event, concept etc. |
If an external resource is being used to define a code list the URL of that resource, or of a document explaining that resource, should be entered into the adjacent URL of external code list field.
If the Simple Core Component is one that is only allowed to contain specified values (i.e. if the Code List entry has been selected in the Data Representation Type field) the List of Permitted Component Values table can be used to define a list of valid values. The following fields are provided in each row:
Permitted Value: Enter permitted code set values in the fields in this column.
Description of Meaning of Value: Enter description of how value is to be interpreted.
Language: If description in not in English, enter ISO 639 code for language used for description.
The following figures show a completed form for a test code set:
The form ends with the following buttons:
Submit This Simple Component: Creates XML record and displays the result in a separate window. (Note that the new window includes an XML Schema representation of the entered fields, as well as the entries as made in the original form, using the format shown in the Data Format definition example above.) Dismiss the window if the record is accurate.
Define Another Simple Component: Resets the form so that details of another simple core component can be defined.
Define A Complex Component: Calls up the form needed to record a complex core component.
The forms described in this document have not been exhaustively tested to date. If you encounter any problems using them please contact their author, Martin Bryan, via email at mtbryan@sgml.u-net.com.