6.3 General conformance rules

6.3.1 Schema validation

A RIN message is conformant with this standard only when it validates against the set of XML Schema files provided.

6.3.2 Allowed value sets

The allowed values that may be used when creating a RIN message are listed, defined and provided through the DDEX data dictionary in accordance with its latest version. The use of other allowed value sets or other allowed values in existing allowed value sets, is not permitted unless by taking the approach described in the next paragraph.

Some of the allowed value sets contain a provision for the use of allowed values other than those defined in the DDEX data dictionary. The sender of the RIN message can either:

  1. Use a user-defined value instead of a DDEX-defined value which is achieved by the sender selecting the value UserDefined from the relevant allowed value set and providing its own value in the XML attribute UserDefinedValue; or

  2. Augmenting a DDEX-defined value which is achieved by the sender providing additional information in the XML attribute UserDefinedValue that augments the meaning of the allowed value.

In either case the Namespace attribute shall be used to indicate the identity of the emtity that defines and maintains the UserDefinedValue, which will usually be the sender of the RIN message.

More information about allowed value sets is set out in Clause 6.5.

6.3.3 Allowed values for Namespace attribute

The Namespace attribute can be used to enable senders of a RIN message to use proprietary allowed values as described in Clause 6.3.2. The Namespace attribute it is recommended to be the DDEX party identifier of the party controlling the proprietary allowed value. The DDEX party identifier is defined in, and administered in accordance with the latest version of the DDEX Party ID standard.

6.3.4 Indicating unknown values

Where the RIN standard contains an element which is mandatory, so that the sender of a RIN message is required to provide a data element but there may be circumstances where the sender genuinely cannot provide a value, in which case, the following values shall be entered:

  • In fields of type xs:string: #unknown#;

  • In fields of type xs:date: 9999-01-01;

  • In fields of type xs:datetime: 9999-01-01T99:01:01; and

  • In fields of type xs:duration: PT9999H.

The circumstances under which such behaviour is permissible may be limited as determined by the bilateral agreement between a message sender and a message recipient.

6.3.5 Character coding

All messages shall be sent in UTF-8.

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