scope:

The primary purpose of ISO/IEC 11179-3 is to specify the structure of a Mefadafa Registry (see 1.1). ISO/IEC 11179-3 also specifies basic attributes which are required to describe metadata items, and which may be used in situations where a complete metadata registry is not appropriate (e.g. in the specification of other International Standards) (see 1.2).

identifies aspects not currently addressed.

provides examples of activities where ISO/IEC 11179-3 may be applied.

Scope - Structure of a Metadata Registry

A comprehensive Metadata Registry management function requires a set of rules and procedures. These rules and procedures are set out in the following Clauses and Annexes and are complemented elsewhere in this document as follows:

a) the definitions of metadata objects are in Clause 3.3 of this part of ISO/IEC 11179;

b) the structure of the registry in the form of a conceptual data model is in Clause 4 of this part of ISO/IEC 11179;

Aspects of the registry are expanded on in other parts of ISO/IEC 11179, as follows:

a) the overall framework for this family of International Standards is specified in ISO/IEC 11179-1 ;

b) rules and guidelines for classifying metadata are in ISO/IEC 11179-2;

c) rules and guidelines for the formulation of definitions are in ISO/IEC 11179-4;

d) naming and identifying principles for metadata are in ISO/IEC 11179-5;

e) rules and guidelines for registering metadata are in ISO/IEC 11 179-6.

While the model diagrams are presented in UML notation, this part of ISO/IEC 11179 does not assume nor endorse any specific system environment, database management system, database design paradigm, system development methodology, data definition language, command language, system interface, user interface, computing platform, or any technology required for implementation. This part of ISO/IEC 11 179 does not directly apply to the actual use of data in communications and information processing systems.

Scope - Basic attributes of metadata items

This part of ISO/IEC 11 179 also specifies basic attributes which are required to describe metadata items, and which may be used in situations where a complete Metadata Registry is not appropriate (e.g. in the specification of other International Standards). These basic attributes are described in Clause 5.

Scope - Aspects not currently addressed

This part of ISO/IEC 11179 does not currently support the following requirements;

a) Complex data structures, encapsulation, stereotyping and inheritance;

b) Ability to enforce uniqueness of names within a Context;

c) Specification of Naming Conventions for a Context;

d) Designations other than names (e.g. icons);

e) Specification of Time in addition to Date;

f) Prescribed conceptual domains and value domains for the attributes in the metamodel;

g) Registration of XML documents or XML Schemas;

h) Application Programming Interfaces (APIS) and associated bindings to access a registry;

i) Multilingual support, except for names and definitions;

j) Cultural adaptability.

It is anticipated that some or all of these requirements will be addressed in future editions of this part of ISO/IEC 11179, or in companion standards or technical reports.

Areas of Applicability

This part of ISO/IEC 11179 applies to activities including:

a) the definition, specification and contents of metadata registries, including interchanging or referencing among various collections of data elements;

b) the design and specification of application-oriented data models, databases and message types for data interchange;

c) the actual use of data in communications and information processing systems;

d) interchange or reference among various collections of metadata.