SDC4 Data Types Reference

Overview

SDCStudio supports the full range of SDC4 data types, providing a comprehensive foundation for data modeling. This reference guide covers all supported data types, their characteristics, validation options, and usage examples.

Core Data Types

Primitive Types

XdString

• Purpose: Text data with validation rules
• Base Type: sdc4:XdStringType
• Validation Options:
• Pattern matching (regex)
• Length constraints (min/max)
• Enumeration values
• Required/optional flags

<xsd:element name="state" type="mc-state-type">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>US State name</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

XdCount

• Purpose: Integer values with constraints
• Base Type: sdc4:XdCountType
• Validation Options:
• Range constraints (min/max)
• Precision requirements
• Units specification
• Reference ranges

<xsd:element name="population" type="mc-population-type">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Total population count</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

XdQuantity

• Purpose: Numeric values with units
• Base Type: sdc4:XdQuantityType
• Validation Options:
• Range constraints
• Unit validation
• Precision requirements
• Reference ranges

<xsd:element name="percentage" type="mc-percentage-type">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Percentage value with units</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

XdBoolean

• Purpose: True/false values
• Base Type: sdc4:XdBooleanType
• Validation Options:
• Default values
• Required/optional flags

<xsd:element name="active" type="mc-active-type">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Active status flag</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

XdDateTime

• Purpose: Date and time values
• Base Type: sdc4:XdDateTimeType
• Validation Options:
• Format validation
• Range constraints
• Timezone handling

<xsd:element name="created_date" type="mc-created-date-type">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Creation timestamp</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

XdFloat/XdDouble

• Purpose: Floating-point numbers
• Base Type: sdc4:XdFloatType / sdc4:XdDoubleType
• Validation Options:
• Range constraints
• Precision requirements
• Units specification

<xsd:element name="latitude" type="mc-latitude-type">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Geographic latitude</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

Complex Types

Clusters

• Purpose: Grouped related components
• Structure: Container for multiple components
• Usage: Logical grouping of clinical/domain data elements

Important: Clusters in the data section should contain clinical/domain data only, NOT identity information. Use Party components in the DM's subject field for identity.

<xsd:element name="vital_signs" type="mc-vital-signs-cluster">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Vital signs measurements cluster</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

Lists

• Purpose: Ordered collections of components
• Structure: Sequence of similar elements
• Usage: Repeated data patterns

<xsd:element name="cities" type="mc-cities-list">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>List of cities in state</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

References

• Purpose: Links to other components
• Structure: Pointer to existing component
• Usage: Component reuse and relationships

<xsd:element name="state_ref" type="mc-state-reference">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Reference to state component</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

Adapters

• Purpose: Wrapper components for special handling
• Structure: Container with specific behavior
• Usage: Custom processing and validation

<xsd:element name="state_adapter" type="mc-state-adapter">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>State component adapter</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

Validation Rules

Pattern Validation

Regex Patterns

• String Validation: Regular expression patterns
• Format Enforcement: Consistent data formats
• Custom Rules: Domain-specific validation

<xsd:restriction base="sdc4:XdStringType">
  <xsd:pattern value="[A-Z]{2}"/>
  <xsd:minLength value="2"/>
  <xsd:maxLength value="2"/>
</xsd:restriction>

Range Validation

• Numeric Constraints: Min/max value limits
• Date Ranges: Temporal constraints
• Custom Ranges: Business rule enforcement

<xsd:restriction base="sdc4:XdCountType">
  <xsd:minInclusive value="0"/>
  <xsd:maxInclusive value="999999999"/>
</xsd:restriction>

Enumeration Validation

Value Lists

• Predefined Values: Allowed value sets
• Domain Constraints: Business rule enforcement
• Validation: Automatic value checking

<xsd:restriction base="sdc4:XdStringType">
  <xsd:enumeration value="Active"/>
  <xsd:enumeration value="Inactive"/>
  <xsd:enumeration value="Pending"/>
</xsd:restriction>

Required/Optional Flags

Element Requirements

• Required Elements: Must be present
• Optional Elements: May be omitted
• Default Values: Fallback values

<xsd:element name="required_field" type="mc-required-type" minOccurs="1"/>
<xsd:element name="optional_field" type="mc-optional-type" minOccurs="0"/>

Component Metadata

Documentation Elements

Labels

• Human Readable: User-friendly names
• Localization: Multi-language support
• Consistency: Standardized naming

<xsd:element name="label" type="sdc4:XdStringType">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Human-readable label</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

Descriptions

• Detailed Information: Comprehensive descriptions
• Usage Guidelines: Implementation guidance
• Business Context: Domain understanding

<xsd:element name="description" type="sdc4:XdStringType">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Detailed component description</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

Processing Elements

Validation Rules

• Business Logic: Domain-specific validation
• Data Quality: Integrity enforcement
• Error Handling: Validation failure responses

Transformation Rules

• Data Conversion: Format transformations
• Unit Conversion: Measurement conversions
• Normalization: Data standardization

Advanced Features

Reference Ranges

Validation Ranges

• Normal Values: Expected value ranges
• Warning Levels: Caution thresholds
• Critical Levels: Error thresholds

<xsd:element name="ReferenceRange" type="mc-reference-range-type">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Reference range for validation</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

Exceptional Values

Special Values

• Null Values: Missing data representation
• Error Values: Data error indicators
• Unknown Values: Unavailable data

<xsd:element name="ExceptionalValue" type="mc-exceptional-value-type">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Exceptional value handling</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

Units and Measurements

Unit Specification

• Standard Units: SI unit system
• Custom Units: Domain-specific units
• Unit Conversion: Automatic conversions

<xsd:element name="units" type="mc-units-type">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>Measurement units</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
</xsd:element>

Best Practices

Type Selection

Choose Appropriate Types

• Data Nature: Match type to data characteristics
• Validation Needs: Select types with required validation
• Performance: Consider processing efficiency
• Standards: Follow SDC4 best practices

Validation Strategy

• Business Rules: Enforce domain constraints
• Data Quality: Ensure data integrity
• User Experience: Provide clear error messages
• Performance: Balance validation with speed

Component Design

Logical Organization

• Group Related Elements: Use clusters for logical grouping
• Consistent Naming: Follow naming conventions
• Clear Documentation: Provide comprehensive descriptions
• Reusability: Design for component reuse

Relationship Management

• Clear Dependencies: Define component relationships
• Reference Usage: Use references for component reuse
• Validation: Ensure relationship integrity
• Documentation: Document relationship purposes

Implementation Examples

Complete Component Example

<xsd:complexType name="mc-state-type">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>US State component with validation</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
  <xsd:sequence>
    <xsd:element name="label" type="sdc4:XdStringType">
      <xsd:annotation>
        <xsd:documentation>State name label</xsd:documentation>
      </xsd:annotation>
    </xsd:element>
    <xsd:element name="xdstring-value" type="sdc4:XdStringType">
      <xsd:annotation>
        <xsd:documentation>State name value</xsd:documentation>
      </xsd:annotation>
    </xsd:element>
    <xsd:element name="validation" type="mc-state-validation">
      <xsd:annotation>
        <xsd:documentation>State validation rules</xsd:documentation>
      </xsd:annotation>
    </xsd:element>
  </xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>

Validation Rules Example

<xsd:complexType name="mc-state-validation">
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:documentation>State validation rules</xsd:documentation>
  </xsd:annotation>
  <xsd:sequence>
    <xsd:element name="pattern" type="sdc4:XdStringType">
      <xsd:annotation>
        <xsd:documentation>State name pattern</xsd:documentation>
      </xsd:annotation>
    </xsd:element>
    <xsd:element name="enumeration" type="mc-state-enumeration">
      <xsd:annotation>
        <xsd:documentation>Valid state values</xsd:documentation>
      </xsd:annotation>
    </xsd:element>
  </xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>

Need More Information? Check the Data Modeling Guide for detailed usage examples, or explore the Best Practices Guide for implementation recommendations.