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FihoFi / ntm_common_xml

An XML- data model for Notices to Mariners
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text type for lat/lng minutes and seconds #4

Open brianaAtWork opened 5 years ago

brianaAtWork commented 5 years ago

Please PLEASE please....can we NOT make the minutes and seconds a STRING!???? That will imply format information because really, just like lat/lng degree it should be int.

As a programmer, I want to take those values and do direct calculations on them WITHOUT having to process them and convert them. The symbols should be put in after the fact with the generating scripts for portrayal (or transforms) to ensure system, language, and encoding compatibility.

FihoFi commented 5 years ago

The variables latitudeDecimal and longitudeDecimal (of type float) should be used for direct calculations of the positions. For this use you should not need the sexagesimal presentation variables degrees, minutes and seconds. The sexagsimal representation allows for displaying combinations like dd.mm dd mm ss, dd mm.mm, ddmm.mmm exactly similarly to the way encoded (and displayed on the chart to be corrected).

brianaAtWork commented 5 years ago

Thanks for the response... ...but with that logic degree should then be text...and with that logic get rid of three variables and merge them all together for a final formatted string....however, I think we should simplify the data structure and not allow the text version so everyone could format it on their own depending on their preference. Ideally, this file should separate data from presentation.

(sexagesimal? Freudian typo?)

FihoFi commented 5 years ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexagesimal

brianaAtWork commented 5 years ago

(sexagesimal? Freudian typo?) it was actually a joke ;-)

FihoFi commented 5 years ago

Agree, that degree could also be converted into a text- format. There is a specific need to preserve the original accuracy and format of the position. It was agreed (after lengthy discussions at the workshop) to separate the parts into separate variables.

brianaAtWork commented 5 years ago

There is a specific need to preserve the original accuracy and format of the position

understood.

It was agreed (after lengthy discussions at the workshop) to separate the parts into separate variables.

I didn't see anything in the workshop notes about this. Would you explain why? It seems that if "There is a specific need to preserve the original accuracy and format of the position" then it seems logical to keep it all together EXACTLY as it was received. (reducing structure from three to one variable)

FihoFi commented 5 years ago

I am not able to give you the exact reasons, but I know several options were discussed (including the option with one formatted string). This chosen option is probably the option that was deemed as the best fit considering the scope, current use and existing processes that will be used to send and receive the data.

brianaAtWork commented 5 years ago

It would be nice to have the reason documented as questions about them are raised....so those that didn't attend can understand the logic for the decisions made.