...

Deprecated Content

xml-lang

DO NOT USE THIS ATTRIBUTE. Its inclusion is an error that was persisted to retain backward compatibility. If this attribute has been used, transfer the content to xml:lang.

Link

This element permits encoders to provide links from any arbitrary element containing Link as a subelement to other elements in the codebook. The use of this element has been deprecated and the use of provided object references such as varRefs, sdatrefs, methrefs, and pubrefs is recommended. Internal references within texts in structured content can be done with xhml options.

ExtLink

This element permits encoders to provide links from any arbitrary element containing ExtLink as a subelement to electronic resources outside the codebook. The use of ths element has be deprecated and the use of various othrMat types is recommended. A parent element can frequently use sdatrefs, methrefs, or pubrefs to refer to the appropriate other material type with which can hold the title, description, and URI for the external source.

Indentification

DDI Codebook approaches identification in two ways; internal identification and unique identification. This reflects the historic usage of XML defined xs:ID in the original DTD form of the standard, and the later development of the DDI URN structure.

The following group of identification related attributes are available on most Codebook elements:

Internal identification for the purpose of referencing within the XML instance

The ID is defined as xs:ID (type xs:NCNAME) and must be unique with the instance. An ID cannot begin with a integer and cannot contain a colon {:}.
Standard XML validators will check that each xs:ID is unique and that each xs:IDREF or xs:IDREFS references an existing xs:ID within the instance.

The two attributes elementVersion and elementVersionDate allow you to provide a specific version number and/or version date. Note that only one version of an element should be included in the instance as an XML validation will not differentiate between multiple version numbers and will treat this as a non-unique xs:ID.

Unique identification to support external referencing

The attribute ddiCodebookUrn allows you to provide a DDI structured unique identifer for the Codebook element using the standard DDI URN structure (urn:ddi:[agency identifier]:[element identifier]:[version number]. This should be used if your intention is to provide access to the element from outside the instance.

The attribute ddiLifecycleUrn is provided for the purpose of translation between the two DDI products, Codebook and Lifecycle. Indicate the the DDI URN of the Lifecyle element that served as the basis for the Codebook element.

Support for Controlled Vocabularies

When initailly created, Codebook added a number of attributes to descriptive text fields that were intended to support future controlled vocabularies. It was thought at the time that controlled vocabularies would be listed internally as simple enumerations. As the technology changed and XML developed into the standardized us of schemas, the use of external controlled vocabularies became the dominant use. To support the use of external controlled vocabularies new structures were needed. The "concept" is the standardized means of providing the information needed to provide access to and validation of the use of external controlled vocabularies. Version 2.5 provided a means of noting the external vocabulary used at any point in the Codebook. Version 2.6 adds the ability to provide a direct link to the term within a controlled vocabuarly used at a specific point. The standard form for controlled vocabularies identified within Codebook are based on the "concept" element. This may be expressed by an element of type="conceptType" or through the use of a "conceptualTextType" which includes the option for using a "concept" in conjunction with descriptive text. This has resulted in a number of options for expressing the use of external controlled vocabularies.

Best Practices:
Exisiting documentation making use of various attributes intended to contain controlled vocabularies should be treated as terms with unspecified controlled vocabulary usage. If the controlled vocabulary is known, and the element supports the use of "concept", replicate the value in the attribute in "concept" and add the information identifying the controlled vocabulary used.

New documentation should use the "concept" option rather than the original attribute.

New documentation wishing to use controlled vocabularies where the "concept" option is not available should use the "controlledVocabulary" structure and associate it with the element or attribute containing the value of the controlled vocabulary.

Concepts extensions of simple string types and are repeatable. Multilanguage documents should enter a concept for each language as needed.

Example is for the controlled vocabulary term “SF: 311-312 draft horses” which is contained in the string portion of the element.

The string type named “conceptualTextType” is a mixed content type and may include a “concept” element within its text string. These are found in the following locations.

Common Structural Types

String Type

Simple String Type

Conceptual Text Type

Table and Text Type

Simple Text and Date Type

Integer Type

Material Reference Type

Geographic Information

Geographic Bounding Box

Geographic Unit

Geographic Coverage

Geographic Hierarchies

Geograhic Map

NCubes

Description

Dimension definitions

Location Map for defining location of cell contents in a data file