Environmental Data Coding Specification

10 Conformance

10.1 Introduction 

10.1.1 Table of contents 

See Table 10.1 for the table of contents for this clause. 

Table 10.1 -- Table of contents

10.1.2 Overview

This clause addresses conformance of:

1. exchange formats that use EDCS labels or codes,
2. applications that generate and/or read these exchange formats, and
3. language bindings that implement the EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface.

The primary objectives of this clause are:

4. to promote interoperability by eliminating arbitrary subsets of this International Standard,
5. to promote uniformity in the development of conformance tests,
6. to promote consistent results among applications that use this International Standard, and
7. to facilitate automated test generation.

Conformance is defined both for exchange formats that incorporate EDCS labels or codes and for language bindings that implement the EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface. For applications that generate or read exchange formats that incorporate EDCS labels or codes, conformance guidelines are presented for enhancing the likelihood of successful interoperability.

The concept of base profile conformance is defined to ensure interoperability of applications that generate or interpret exchange formats that incorporate EDCS labels or codes. Base profile conformance is based on a set of limits and minimal requirements. Base profile conformance is intended to provide a functional level of reasonable utility for modeling and simulation applications while limiting the required complexity and resources of an implementation. Base profile conformance may not be adequate for all uses of EDCS labels or codes.

This clause addresses exchange formats that incorporate EDCS labels or codes and implementation requirements for generators and readers of these exchange formats. Implementation requirements include the degree of flexibility allowed for generators and readers of such formats. This clause does not directly address the hardware, software or performance requirements of the generator or reader. This clause does not define the application requirements or dictate application functional content that may incorporate EDCS labels or codes.

This clause also addresses language bindings that realize the EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface. Implementation requirements include the degree of flexibility allowed when performing conversions. This clause does not directly address the hardware, software or performance requirements of implementations of the EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface. This clause does not define the application requirements or dictate application functional content that may use the EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface.

10.2 Conformance

10.2.1 Conformance to EDCS labels

Let L be a label defined in this International Standard or by registration.  An EDCS label L conforming information coding specification, application, or exchange format shall:

1. Use label L defined in this International Standard to convey the concept which is denoted by label L in this International Standard.
2. Use label L defined in this International Standard without modification.
3. Meet the minimum requirements defined in 10.3.1 Minimum requirements for EDCS label and code conformance.

Editors' note: The idea of what parts of an EDCS Dictionary Entry need to be conformed to in order to convey to a "concept" needs refinement.  For example, a Symbol or Related concepts need not be conveyed.

10.2.2 Conformance to EDCS codes

Let C be a code defined in this International Standard or by registration.  An EDCS code C conforming  information coding specification, application, or exchange format shall:

1. Use code C defined in this International Standard to convey the concept which is denoted by code C in this International Standard.
2. Use code C defined in this International Standard without modification.
3. Meet the minimum requirements defined in 10.3.1 Minimum requirements for EDCS label and code conformance.

10.2.3 Conformance of language bindings to the EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface

A language binding conforming to the EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface as defined in 9. EDCS Unit Conversion shall:

1. Bind all of the functions defined in 9. EDCS Unit Conversion including return values and error conditions.
2. Provide a mapping of each constant used in 9. EDCS Unit Conversion to a constant within the language in such a manner as to maintain the value defined in this International Standard.
3. Provide a mapping of each label used in 9. EDCS Unit Conversion to an identifier or constant within the language in such a manner as to maintain the labels defined in this International Standard as closely as possible within the strictures of the programming language.
4. Provide a mapping of each code used in 9. EDCS Unit Conversion to an realization of INTEGER within the language in such a manner as to maintain the codes defined in this International Standard exactly.
5. Provide clauses outlining conformance and minimum requirements of implementations of that binding.
6. Meet the minimum requirements defined in 10.3.3 Minimum requirements for language bindings conforming to the EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface.

Language bindings are allowed to pre-pend or post-pend additional identification to labels as necessary to make the symbolic names corresponding to labels unique and identifiable as part of the language binding.

If a language binding standard exists for the programming language in question, the provisions of that standard shall be followed. 

When binding to a programming language for which no standard language binding exists, the following provisions apply:

1. Each of the symbolic names in this International Standard that represent labels shall correspond to a data type in the programming language which exactly represents the corresponding code value.
2. The bound names shall follow the culture of the programming language while maintaining the abstract symbolic names as closely as possible.

Editors' note: We need to add a binding of labels and codes, perhaps on a per dictionary or reasonable collection of dictionaries, basis.

10.2.4 Conformance to EDCS profiles

10.2.4.1 Introduction

An EDCS Profile is defined in 4.13.10 Guidelines for registration of EDCS Profiles. One EDCS Profile is defined in 10.3.2 The EDCS Default Profile. Other profiles may be developed and registered as Internationally Registered EDCS Profiles. Subsequent subclauses define conformance in the context of an EDCS Profile for:

4. applications that generate exchange formats;
5. exchange formats themselves; and
6. applications that read exchange formats.

10.2.4.2 Conformance of exchange formats

When P is either the EDCS Default Profile or an Internationally Registered EDCS Profile, an EDCS exchange format conforming to Profile P shall:

1. Include only the EDCS Dictionary Entries in profile P.
2. Use each Dictionary Entry used in the exchange format to convey the concept as defined in this International Standard.
3. Denote the concept for each Dictionary Entry used in the exchange format using at least one of the corresponding labels or codes defined in this International Standard.
4. Satisfy the Dictionary Entry Association Rules defined in profile P.
5. Meet the minimum requirements defined in 10.3.2 The Default EDCS Profile.

10.2.4.3 Conformance of applications that generate exchange formats

When P is either the EDCS Default Profile or an Internationally Registered EDCS Profile, an EDCS generator conforming to profile P shall:.

1. Generate only EDCS labels or codes in profile P.
2. Convey the concept of each Dictionary Entry in profile P used in the exchange format using at least one of the corresponding labels or codes defined in this International Standard.
3. Satisfy the Dictionary Entry Association Rules defined in profile P.
4. Meet the minimum requirements defined in 10.3.2 The Default EDCS Profile

10.2.4.4 Conformance of applications that read exchange formats

When P is either the EDCS Default Profile or an Internationally Registered EDCS Profile, an EDCS reader conforming to Profile P shall:

1. Correctly interpret the concept for each Dictionary Entry in profile P, given at least one of the corresponding labels or codes defined in this International Standard.
2. Correctly interpret the concepts specified in the Dictionary Entry Association Rules defined in profile P.
3.  Meet the minimum requirements defined in 10.3.2 The Default EDCS Profile

10.3 Minimum requirements

10.3.1 Minimum requirements for EDCS label and code conformance

There are no minimum support requirements for conformance to individual EDCS labels or codes. Any  label or collection of labels or code or collection of codes may be used to meet application requirements.

10.3.2 The EDCS Default Profile

The EDCS Default Profile shall include:

1. all EUs defined in this International Standard; 
2. all ESs defined in this International Standard; 
3. all EQs defined in this International Standard; 
4. the Dictionary Entry Association Rules defined in this International Standard that interrelate the EU, ES and EQ Dictionaries.

10.3.3 Minimum requirements for language bindings conforming to the EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface

All implementations of language bindings to the EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface are required to support the minimum level of functionality defined in Table 10.2.

Table 10.2 -- Specifications for EDCS Unit Conversion Application Program Interface conformance

http://www.sedris.org/Specifications/EDCS/index.html