Datatypes R2 Issue 104

Problem

Most generic interfaces for entering addresses aren't smart enough to make the distinctions we seem to be requiring.

For example, in Oracle's customer database we only store name, contact, 5 address lines, city, state or provence, country, postal code. In the existing AddressPartType Domain, the 5 address lines have to be part type NI

A consequence of this is that it's impossible to tell if two addresses are equal using the rules in the ADT?

The reason is that the 5 address lines could be either SAL, DAL, or ADL.

This pattern is a very common implementation - certainly not unique to Oracle.

Solution

Propose adding a new AddressPartType AL "Address Line", with definition "an address line that is part of the address and maybe either a street address line, a delivery address line, or an additional locator" and making SAL, DAL, and ADL child terms of AL

Open Issue

The open issue with this is whether this should subsume all the other types. The NHS treatment of address suggests that it should, but I don't think it should. The other things should be categorised. --GrahameGrieve 13:53, 31 May 2007 (CDT)

Why need a type for it at all then? You know that it is a line if it is a part with a delimiter behind it. I think I'm not following the discussion on the "equals". How would that change with the address line? Are we saying that ADXP without part type cannot be equal with anything even if the strings are equal? Ha! That is one of those equal issues with extensions: ADXP being an extension of ST. Now what? Gschadow 10:26, 8 June 2007 (CDT)

Yes that's the problem.