Understanding the format overlay
With the introduction of using OCA schemas for data verification let’s dig a bit more into the format overlay which is an important piece for data verification.
When you are writing a data schema using the Semantic Engine you can build up your schema documentation by adding features. One of the features that you can add is called format.
In an OCA (Overlays Capture Architeccture) schema, you can specify the format for different types of data. This format dictates the structure and type of data expected for each field, ensuring that the data conforms to certain predefined rules. For example, for a numeric data type, you can define the format to expect only integers or decimal numbers, which ensures that the data is valid for calculations or further processing. Similarly, for a text data type, you can set a format that restricts the input to a specific number of characters, such as a string up to 50 characters in length, or constrain it to only allow alphanumeric characters. By defining these formats, the OCA schema provides a mechanism for validating the data, ensuring it meets the expected requirements.
Specifying the format for data in an OCA schema is valuable because it guarantees consistency and accuracy in data entry and validation. By imposing these rules, you can prevent errors such as inputting the wrong type of data (e.g., letters instead of numbers) or exceeding field limits. This level of control reduces data corruption, minimizes the risk of system errors, and improves the quality of the information being collected or shared. When systems across different platforms adhere to these defined formats, it enables seamless data exchange and interoperability improving data FAIRness.
The rules for defining data formats in an OCA schema are typically written using Regular Expressions (RegEx). RegEx is a sequence of characters that forms a search pattern, used for matching strings against specific patterns. It allows for very precise and flexible definitions of what is considered valid data. For example, RegEx can specify that a field should contain only digits, letters, or specific formats like dates (YYYY-MM-DD) or email addresses. RegEx is widely used for input validation because of its ability to handle complex patterns and enforce strict rules on data format, making it ideal for ensuring data consistency in systems like OCA.
To help our users be consistent, the Semantic Engine limits users to a set of format rules, which is documented in the format rule GitHub repository. If the rule you want isn’t listed here it can be added by reaching out to us at ADC or raising a GitHub issue in the repository.
After you have added format rules to your data schema you can use the data verification tool to check your data against your new schema rules.
Written by Carly Huitema
