6.3 General Conformance Rules

6.3.1 Schema Validation

A message is conformant to this specification only when it validates against the set of XML Schema files provided.

6.3.2 Namespace

The full namespace for the XML Schema document for this Standard is:

All messages developed within DDEX are based upon a common set of elements and their definitions. These are contained in the DDEX Data Dictionary available here.

 6.3.3 Allowed Value Lists

All messages defined in this standard make intensive use of allowed-value sets. These allowed value sets are shared between all DDEX standards and DDEX provides an XML Schema Definition file for all of these allowed values. These values are also contained in the DDEX Data Dictionary available here.

The full namespace for the XML Schema document for the allowed-value sets is:

DDEX may regularly extend this list of allowed-value sets. Any such extensions to this list issued on a date later than the date on which this standard is issued form part of this standard. This clause contains the list of allowed-value sets valid on the date of issuance of this standard.

6.3.4 Contractually Mandatory

The messages defined in this standard contain fields with cardinality “0-1” or “0-n”. Therefore these fields are, from the standard’s point of view, optional. Such fields may, however, be mandatory when a DDEX message is sent in a specific commercial context as agreed between two business partners.

In such circumstances, a message is deemed conformant only if and when it contains all the “contractually mandatory” fields as agreed by MessageSender and MessageRecipient.

6.3.5 Character Coding  

All messages shall be sent in UTF-8.