RE: Datatype section, or Binary Large OBjects in Business Documen ts

[David RR Webber <Gnosis_@compuserve.com>]

Message text written by "Hayes, Brian"
> 
An interesting question to ask would be:
  Is the document valid if an attached file (BLOB) is missing from the
message?
  Not that I would recommend it, but, if the BLOB is specified by the
schema
as being in the document (first suggestion in my technical tip on "How to
Support BLOB Objects in SOX Schemas":
http://www.xcbl.org/newsletter/apr2000.html#16), then schema based parsers
can validate the existance of the BLOB just like any other element.
However, if the document (presumably via an "Attachment" core component)
just references the attached file, additional validation is required beyond
what a typical schema based parser would provide.  For example, if we have
a
URI type that is used to reference a file (as in SOX), what piece of
software is responsible for making sure that the referenced file actually
exists?  If it doesn't exist, in what cases would the document not be
considered valid? Would the receiving trading partner prefer to accept the
document and then use some out-of-band way of getting the referenced file?
What happens in EDI environements today?

/Brian Hayes<

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Brian,

Interesting point - but should we really be specifying over what are
clearly
operational issues?!

I think a chunk of this is out of scope.  Shit happens, servers go down,
networks fail.  This is real life.

Sometimes the content will be vital - sometimes not.  Your DTD/Schema
should specify the level of fault tolerence inherent in your business
process.

What happens in EDI today?  Someone picks up the phone and calls
the support desk!!!

Cheers, DW.