Text: As in EAD3, <physDescStructured> features <quantity> and <unitType> as mandatory subelements. For reasons of consistency the mandatory <unitType> should be removed and expressed via a @unit attribute of <quantity> (as shown in the <dimensions> element). This way <quantity> and <dimensions> would have a more homogeneous composition. It is not clear why there should be two different solutions for basically the same problem: numbers + unit. Since EAD3 spread only very minimally, this change from EAD3 would presumably cause little to no problems. It should also be considered to make the @unit attribute for <quantity> not mandatory. At least in the German archival community number + unit are usually described as a single string. As much as a more structured description is desired, a not-mandatory @unit attribute (or a not-mandatory <unitType> element if you do not take up the suggestion above) will depict the archival practice more closely. Otherwise, institutions like the German Archives Portal or by proxy Archives Portal Europe for example will have to cope with tens of millions of empty <unitType> elements.
Suggested Solution
Text: Preferred: Remove the mandatory <unitType> element from <physDescStructured> and introduce a non-mandatory @unit attribute for <quantity>.
Non preferred solution: keep the <unitType> element but make it not mandatory.
Context
Text: For the German Digital library and German Archives Portal it is necessary to depict unstructured data delivered by currently 300 archives.
Creator of issue
Nils Meyer Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg nils.meyer@la-bw.de
The issue relates to
Reporting a bug
<physDescStructured>
features<quantity>
and<unitType>
as mandatory subelements. For reasons of consistency the mandatory<unitType>
should be removed and expressed via a @unit attribute of<quantity>
(as shown in the<dimensions>
element). This way<quantity>
and<dimensions>
would have a more homogeneous composition. It is not clear why there should be two different solutions for basically the same problem: numbers + unit. Since EAD3 spread only very minimally, this change from EAD3 would presumably cause little to no problems. It should also be considered to make the @unit attribute for<quantity>
not mandatory. At least in the German archival community number + unit are usually described as a single string. As much as a more structured description is desired, a not-mandatory @unit attribute (or a not-mandatory<unitType>
element if you do not take up the suggestion above) will depict the archival practice more closely. Otherwise, institutions like the German Archives Portal or by proxy Archives Portal Europe for example will have to cope with tens of millions of empty<unitType>
elements.Suggested Solution
<unitType>
element from<physDescStructured>
and introduce a non-mandatory @unit attribute for<quantity>.
Non preferred solution: keep the<unitType>
element but make it not mandatory.Context