The generation of Natural DDMs from Tamino is based on the Tamino XML schema language. The basic concepts of the Tamino XML schema language and how it interacts with Natural for Tamino is described in Accessing Data in a Tamino Database in the Programming Guide.
This section describes the mapping of Tamino data types to Natural data formats.
The Tamino XML schema language provides a large number of built-in data types that are
mapped to the corresponding Natural data format, if possible. In some cases no adequate
Natural data format is available. Then these Tamino data types are mapped to the most
general Natural data format: U (DYNAMIC). The data format U
(DYNAMIC) can hold any Tamino XML schema built-in data type as the schema
language is based on strings of unlimited length.
The following tables show the built-in Tamino primitive and derived data types supported by Natural for Tamino and the corresponding Natural data formats to which they are mapped.
| Tamino Primitive Data Type | Natural Data Format/Length |
|---|---|
| xs:string | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:boolean | L |
| xs:decimal | P22.7 |
| xs:float | F4 |
| xs:double | F8 |
| xs:duration | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:dateTime | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:time | T |
| xs:date | D |
| xs:gYearMonth | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:gYear | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:gMonthDay | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:gDay | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:gMonth | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:hexBinary | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:base64Binary | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:anyURI | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:QName | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:NOTATION | U (DYNAMIC) |
| Tamino Derived Data Type | Natural Data Format/Length |
|---|---|
| xs:normalizedString | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:token | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:language | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:NMTOKEN | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:NMTOKENS | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:Name | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:NCName | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:ID | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:IDREF | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:IDREFS | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:ENTITY | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:ENTITIES | U (DYNAMIC) |
| xs:Integer | P29 |
| xs:nonPositiveInteger | P29 |
| xs:negativeInteger | P29 |
| xs:long | P19 |
| xs:int | I4 |
| xs:short | I2 |
| xs:byte | I2 |
| xs:nonNegativeInteger | P29 |
| xs:unsignedLong | P19 |
| xs:unsignedShort | I2 |
| xs:unsignedByte | I2 |
| xs:unsignedInt | I4 |
| xs:positiveInteger | P29 |
Tamino XML Schema constructors are used to define the structure of a document. Constructors can also be used to derive new data types from existing ones and to describe the nested structure of a document.
New Tamino XML Schema data types can be created by using a set of derivation methods from
existing data types. If the derivation cannot be mapped to a Natural data format, Natural
uses the most general data format U (DYNAMIC) instead.
The following table shows the Tamino XML schema constructors Natural supports and the attributes for each constructor. The Comment column describes the mapping, which is performed when a DDM is generated.
For restrictions concerning the use of XML schema constructors refer to the section Accessing Data in a Tamino Database in the Programming Guide.
| Constructor | Attribute | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| xs:all |
minOccurs |
Is mapped to a Natural group structure. |
| xs:attribute |
name |
Is mapped to a Natural group structure. |
| xs:choice |
minOccurs |
Is mapped to a Natural group structure. |
| xs:complexType |
name (only mixed=false supported) |
Is a meta constructor and therefore does not result in a Natural data type immediately. |
| xs:element |
name |
Mapped to a Natural data type or to a Natural group, depending on the
xs:element sub-structures (simple or complex type
definition).
|
| xs:enumeration | Is mapped to type U (DYNAMIC).
|
|
| xs:extension | base | Is a meta constructor and therefore does not result in a Natural data type immediately. |
| xs:fractionDigits | value | Influences the precision of the Natural data type. |
| xs:length | value | Influences the length of a Natural data type; a length of
unbounded is mapped to type U (DYNAMIC).
|
|
xs:maxInclusive |
value | Does not influence the mapping (that is, the base type will not be restricted in any way). |
| xs:maxLength | value | Influences the length of a Natural data type; a length of
unbounded is mapped to type U (DYNAMIC).
|
| xs:restriction | base | Is a meta constructor and therefore does not result in a Natural data type immediately. |
| xs:schema |
attributeFormDefault |
Is a meta constructor and therefore does not result in a Natural data type immediately. |
| xs:sequence |
minOccurs |
Is mapped to a Natural group structure. |
| xs:simpleContent | Is a meta constructor and therefore does not result in a Natural data type immediately. | |
| xs:simpleType | name | Is a meta constructor and therefore does not result in a Natural data type immediately. |
| xs:totalDigits | value | Influences the length of a numeric Natural data type. |
The multiplicity feature in the Tamino XML schema language is expressed by the attribute
maxOccurs of the appropriate constructor. A
maxOccurs value greater than 1 will result
in an array definition in the Natural DDM from Tamino. Depending on the value of
maxOccurs, a static array (if
maxOccurs is set to a number) or an X-Array (if
maxOccurs is set to unbounded) will be
generated in the DDM. As usual, the array definition can be overwritten when defining a
view from a DDM.