5. SDMX: General input requirements
Raynald Palmieri
Eurostat
Unit B5: “Central data and metadata services”
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SDMX Basics course, 1-2 March 2017
Eurostat
Note
• The scope of this presentation is to give general
information on SDMX.
• It lists the main questions received during the
implementation of SDMX exchanges between
NSIs and Eurostat.
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Eurostat
Questions (1):
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How to start sending data in SDMX format?
Where to find SDMX objects?
Format versus version?
Use of SDMX 2.0 or 2.1?
Version of the Converter to be used?
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Eurostat
Questions (2):
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CSV header versus SDMX header?
Use of constraints?
Use of the Converter or the SDMX-RI?
What to do if my question is not in the list?
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Eurostat
How to start sending data in SDMX
format?
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Eurostat
How to start sending data in SDMX
format?
• When a request comes from Eurostat, the
Production Unit sends the guidelines describing
the data exchange. All information needed to
create data in SDMX format should be included in
this document.
• Use the appropriate SDMX tools according to the
data system in the NSI and taking into account
the complexity of the domain
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Where to find SDMX objects?
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Where to find SDMX objects?
• The information concerning the name, the
version and the location of SDMX objects to be
used for the data exchange should be included in
the guidelines sent by the Production Unit in
Eurostat
• Usually, these SDMX objects can be downloaded
from a SDMX registry.
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Format versus version?
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Format versus version?
• Use "Format" for SDMX 2.0 or 2.1
• Ex: download a DSD in SDMX format 2.0
• Use "Version" for SDMX object numbers
• Ex: DSD named STSALL version 2.1
• It is possible to download the DSD STSALL
version 2.1 in format SDMX 2.0
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Use of SDMX 2.0 or 2.1?
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Eurostat
Use of SDMX 2.0 or 2.1?
• The use of the format SDMX 2.0 or 2.1 for SDMX
objects should be transparent
• Concerning the format used to send data, this
information has to be included in the guidelines
sent by the Production Unit in Eurostat; the main
format used in reception in Eurostat is SDMX 2.0
COMPACT
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Version of the Converter to be used?
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Version of the Converter to be used?
• The latest version of the tools can be downloaded
from the SDMX Infospace Website
• No need to upgrade an existing version of the
tool when a new one is delivered (except if a
problem is detected)
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CSV header versus XML header?
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CSV header versus SDMX header?
• The CSV header corresponds to the name of the
columns in a CSV file
• The SDMX header is the description of a data file
in XML format
• For a conversion from CSV to SDMX format, both
are needed
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Use of constraints?
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Use of constraints?
• The constraints are used for validation purpose.
• They correspond to a subset of codes allowed in a
data exchange.
• If needed for a data exchange, they are included
in dataflows listed in the guidelines sent by the
Production Unit in Eurostat.
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Use of the Converter or the SDMX-RI?
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Use of the Converter or the SDMX-RI?
• It depends on the complexity of the data
exchange
• NSI could choose the better solution depending
on their system (except special requirements
from Eurostat)
• The Converter can be used as an intermediate
step because it is faster to configure.
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What to do if my question is not in
this presentation?
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What to do if my question is not in
the list?
• Do not hesitate to send any further question to :
[email protected]
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