Information Model for Format Implementers
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SDMX STANDARDS: SECTION 6 SDMX TECHNICAL NOTES VERSION 2.1 April 2011 © SDMX 2011 http://www.sdmx.org/ Contents 1 Purpose and Structure.....................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose..............................................................................................................1 1.2 Structure.............................................................................................................1 2 General Notes on This Document...................................................................1 3 Guide for SDMX Format Standards ................................................................2 3.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................2 3.2 SDMX Information Model for Format Implementers...........................................2 3.2.1 Introduction....................................................................................................2 3.3 SDMX-ML and SDMX-EDI: Comparison of Expressive Capabilities and Function .......................................................................................................................3 3.3.1 Format Optimizations and Differences ..........................................................3 3.3.2 Data Types ....................................................................................................4 3.4 SDMX-ML and SDMX-EDI Best Practices .........................................................6 3.4.1 Reporting and Dissemination Guidelines.......................................................6 3.4.2 Best Practices for Batch Data Exchange.....................................................10 4 General Notes for Implementers...................................................................12 4.1 Representations ...............................................................................................12 4.2 Time and Time Format .....................................................................................14 4.2.1 Introduction..................................................................................................14 4.2.2 Observational Time Period ..........................................................................14 4.2.3 Standard Time Period..................................................................................15 4.2.4 Gregorian Time Period ................................................................................15 4.2.5 Date Time ....................................................................................................15 4.2.6 Standard Reporting Period ..........................................................................15 4.2.7 Distinct Range .............................................................................................19 4.2.8 Time Format ................................................................................................19 4.2.9 Transformation between SDMX-ML and SDMX-EDI...................................20 4.2.10 Time Zones..................................................................................................20 4.2.11 Representing Time Spans Elsewhere .........................................................21 4.2.12 Notes on Formats ........................................................................................21 4.2.13 Effect on Time Ranges ................................................................................21 4.2.14 Time in Query Messages.............................................................................21 4.3 Structural Metadata Querying Best Practices ..................................................24 4.4 Versioning and External Referencing...............................................................24 5 Metadata Structure Definition (MSD)............................................................25 5.1 Scope ...............................................................................................................25 5.2 Identification of the Object Type to which the Metadata is to be Attached.......25 5.3 Report Structure...............................................................................................27 5.4 Metadata Set....................................................................................................28 6 Maintenance Agencies...................................................................................29 7 Concept Roles ................................................................................................31 7.1 Overview ..........................................................................................................31 7.2 Information Model.............................................................................................31 7.3 Technical Mechanism.......................................................................................32 7.4 SDMX-ML Examples in a DSD.........................................................................33 7.5 SDMX Cross Domain Concept Scheme...........................................................34 8 Constraints .....................................................................................................34 8.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................34 8.2 Types of Constraint ..........................................................................................34 8.3 Rules for a Content Constraint .........................................................................35 8.3.1 Scope of a Content Constraint.....................................................................35 8.3.2 Multiple Content Constraints........................................................................36 8.3.3 Inheritance of a Content Constraint .............................................................37 8.3.4 Constraints Examples..................................................................................38 9 Annex I: How to eliminate extra element in the .NET SDMX Web Service44 9.1 Problem statement ...........................................................................................44 9.2 Solution ............................................................................................................45 9.3 Applying the solution ........................................................................................48 1 1 Purpose and Structure 2 1.1 Purpose 3 The intention of this document is to document certain aspects of SDMX that are 4 important to understand and will aid implementation decisions. The explanations here 5 supplement the information documented in the SDMX XML schema and the 6 Information Model. 7 1.2 Structure 8 This document is organized into the following major parts: 9 10 A guide to the SDMX Information Model relating to Data Structure Definitions and 11 Data Sets, statement of differences in functionality supported by the different formats 12 and syntaxes for Data Structure Definitions and Data Sets, and best practices for use 13 of SDMX formats, including the representation for time period 14 A guide to the SDMX Information Model relating to Metadata Structure Definitions, 15 and Metadata Sets 16 Other structural artefacts of interest: agencies, concept role. constraint, partial code 17 list 18 2 General Notes on This Document 19 At this version of the standards, the term “Key family” is replaced by Data Structure 20 Definition (also known and referred to as DSD) both in the XML schemas and the 21 Information Model. The term “Key family” is not familiar to many people and its name 22 was taken from the model of SDMX-EDI (previously known as GESMES/TS). The 23 more familiar name “Data Structure Definition” which was used in many documents is 24 now also the technical artefact in the SDMX-ML and Information Model technical 25 specifications. The term “Key family” is still used in the SDMX-EDI specification. 26 27 There has been much work within the SDMX community on the creation of user 28 guides, tutorials, and other aides to implementation and understanding of the 29 standard. This document is not intended to duplicate the function of these 30 documents, but instead represents a short set of technical notes not generally 31 covered elsewhere. 32 33 1 34 3 Guide for SDMX Format Standards 35 3.1 Introduction 36 This guide exists to provide information to implementers of the SDMX format 37 standards – SDMX-ML and SDMX-EDI – that are concerned with data, i.e. Data 38 Structure Definitions and Data Sets. This section is intended to provide information 39 which will help users of SDMX understand and implement the standards. It is not 40 normative, and it does not provide any rules for the use of the standards, such as 41 those found in SDMX-ML: Schema and Documentation and SDMX-EDI: Syntax and 42 Documentation. 43 44 3.2 SDMX Information Model for Format Implementers 45 3.2.1 Introduction 46 The purpose of this sub-section is to provide an introduction to the SDMX-IM relating 47 to Data Structure Definitions and Data Sets for those whose primary interest is in the 48 use of the XML or EDI formats. For those wishing to have a deeper understanding of 49 the Information Model, the full SDMX-IM document, and other sections in this guide 50 provide a more in-depth view, along with UML diagrams and supporting explanation. 51 For those who are unfamiliar with DSDs, an appendix to the SDMX-IM provides a 52 tutorial which may serve as a useful introduction. 53 54 The SDMX-IM