Using Mapping Services › Overview

Overview

Mapping Services uses the ISO standard Abstract Syntax Notation One, or ASN.1, as the map definition language. The added sophistication that ASN.1 brings to the definition phase leads to greatly improved application use of Mapped Data Objects (MDOs).

By understanding ASN.1 and how Mapping Services implements its concepts, significant advantages in NCL processing of complex data structures can be realized. Using ASN.1 in defining maps, all MDO components have a data type. Only data that is of the correct type for the component can be assigned into a component. An attempt to place an invalid value into an MDO component fails with a type check return code.

Two types of data are available:

• Simple—for simple data types, the assigned data must be of the correct format for the component type. Otherwise, type check results.
• Constructed—for constructed data types, entire construction must be valid according to the logical type (described by the ASN.1 type definition) and the physical type (described by any Mapping Services implementation-specific definitions). Otherwise, type check or data check results.