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XML Conformance

G. Ken Holman (Crane Softwrights)

Accomplishments/Deliverables

Possible offerings which OASIS could make to the community:

• An instance validation service
• Processor performance measurements
• Annotation of the spec regarding areas of possible ambiguous interpretation

Only the second and third were deemed worth pursuit at this time.

We recognize three levels of conformance for which a processor’s performance could be measured.  In increasing order of conformance rigor, these are:

• A simple binary test, whereby a processor is deemed either to conform or not.
• A test of output, whereby the processor is determined to pass, or not, the appropriate information to the application.
• A test of resulting properties, whereby the processor is found to produce, or not, a predictable value for the properties.

OASIS will pursue the first of these, and consider taking the others up later. 

The Binary Test determines that a processor always delivers, or not, the correct response prescribed in the specification.  The correct response is either:

• Acceptance, when a file is correct, and
• Rejection, when a file is incorrect.

The Output Tests demonstrate that a processor passes information to the application as prescribed in the specification.

The Property Test examines a processor’s output and determines whether or not the value for all properties is that which would have been expected based on the standard and the defined property set.

• This conformance test presumes a standard property set (object model), which does not presently exist.  A separate initiative to develop an OASIS Property Set may be considered in future.

The Binary Test will consist of

• a suite of test files, and
• a rigourous methodology for their application.

The test files will be built using James Clark’s suite of test files as a starting point.

Member Benefit

There are no similar initiatives in progress within any OASIS member organization; OASIS believes that there are no similar initiatives under way anywhere.

Action Items

Ken Holman will deliver this test suite and a document describing the methodology at the XML conference in Chicago, in November `98.

Unresolved Issues