BMM Persistence Model and Syntax

Issuer: openEHR Specification Program
Release: LANG latest	Status: STABLE
Revision: [latest_issue]	Date: [latest_issue_date]
Keywords: reflection, meta-model, UML

Issuer: openEHR Specification Program

Release: LANG latest

Status: STABLE

Keywords: reflection, meta-model, UML

© 2016 - 2022 The openEHR Foundation
The openEHR Foundation is an independent, non-profit foundation, facilitating the sharing of health records by consumers and clinicians via open specifications, clinical models and open platform implementations.
Licence	Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/
Support	Issues: Problem Reports Web: specifications.openEHR.org

The openEHR Foundation is an independent, non-profit foundation, facilitating the sharing of health records by consumers and clinicians via open specifications, clinical models and open platform implementations.

Licence

Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/

Support

Issues: Problem Reports
Web: specifications.openEHR.org

Amendment Record

Issue Details Raiser Completed

Issue	Details	Raiser	Completed
LANG Release 1.0.0
2.3.0	SPECLANG-2. Add Basic Meta-Model (BMM) spec to BASE component.	openEHR SEC	04 Sep 2019
	Add `P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_TYPE`, `P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_PROPERTY` to support indexed containers like `Hash<K, V>`.	T Beale	04 Sep 2019
	Add value-set constraint.	T Beale	26 Mar 2019
	Separate from main BMM specification; Support generic types as class ancestors; add new type `P_BMM_BASE_TYPE` as parent of `P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE`, `P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE` and `P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE`; Remove archetype-related schema meta-data.	T Beale	27 Apr 2018
2.2.2	Improve and update introductory text in the Overview section.	E Sundvall, T Beale	03 Nov 2017
2.2.1	Rename `P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE_OPEN` to `P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE`; Rename `P_BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER.create_bmm_generic_parameter_definition` to `create_bmm_generic_parameter`; Remove inheritance from `P_BMM_PACKAGE_CONTAINER` to `P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT`; Make `P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT` abstract; Correct `P_BMM_ENUMERATION.items_names` cardinality to multiple; Constrain `P_BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER.name` to one character and upper case.	C Nanjo, T Beale	02 Mar 2017
2.2.0	Remove class `P_BMM_CLASSIFIER`. Add missed inheritance from `P_BMM_PROPERTY` to `P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT`.	T Beale	20 Jun 2016
	Add missing inheritance from `P_BMM_SCHEMA` to `BMM_SCHEMA_CORE`. Correct naming of `bmm_xxx_definition`, `create_bmm_xxx_definition` in `P_BMM_XXX` classes to `bmm_xxx`, `create_bmm_xxx` etc.	T Beale	18 Apr 2016
2.1.0	Initial writing based on ADL Workbench implementation.	T Beale	08 Feb 2016

LANG Release 1.0.0

2.3.0

SPECLANG-2. Add Basic Meta-Model (BMM) spec to BASE component.

openEHR SEC

04 Sep 2019

Add P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_TYPE, P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_PROPERTY to support indexed containers like Hash<K, V>.

T Beale

04 Sep 2019

Add value-set constraint.

T Beale

26 Mar 2019

Separate from main BMM specification;
Support generic types as class ancestors;
add new type P_BMM_BASE_TYPE as parent of P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE, P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE and P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE;
Remove archetype-related schema meta-data.

T Beale

27 Apr 2018

2.2.2

Improve and update introductory text in the Overview section.

E Sundvall,
T Beale

03 Nov 2017

2.2.1

Rename P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE_OPEN to P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE;
Rename P_BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER.create_bmm_generic_parameter_definition to create_bmm_generic_parameter;
Remove inheritance from P_BMM_PACKAGE_CONTAINER to P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT;
Make P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT abstract;
Correct P_BMM_ENUMERATION.items_names cardinality to multiple;
Constrain P_BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER.name to one character and upper case.

C Nanjo,
T Beale

02 Mar 2017

2.2.0

Remove class P_BMM_CLASSIFIER.
Add missed inheritance from P_BMM_PROPERTY to P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT.

T Beale

20 Jun 2016

Add missing inheritance from P_BMM_SCHEMA to BMM_SCHEMA_CORE.
Correct naming of bmm_xxx_definition, create_bmm_xxx_definition in P_BMM_XXX classes to bmm_xxx, create_bmm_xxx etc.

T Beale

18 Apr 2016

2.1.0

Initial writing based on ADL Workbench implementation.

T Beale

08 Feb 2016

Acknowledgements

Primary Author

Thomas Beale, Ars Semantica; openEHR Foundation Management Board.

Contributors

This specification has benefited from formal and informal input from the openEHR and wider health informatics community. The openEHR Foundation would like to recognise the following people for their contributions.

Patrick Langford, NeuronSong LLC, Utah, USA
Claude Nanjo MA African Studies., M Public Health, Cognitive Medical Systems Inc., California, USA
Erik Sundvall PhD, Linkoping University, Sweden

Trademarks

'openEHR' is a registered trademark of the openEHR Foundation
'OMG' and 'UML' are registered trademarks of the Object Management Group

1. Preface

1.1. Purpose

This document describes a persistence model for the Basic Meta-Model (BMM) known as P_BMM, that may be used as a basis for serialisation of BMM models. It may be considered as an approximate replacement for the UML XMI for data-only models. It is human-readable and writable, and supports generic types (open and closed), container types, and multiple inheritance.

1.2. Status

This specification is in the STABLE state. The development version of this document can be found at https://specifications.openehr.org/releases/LANG/latest/bmm_persistence.html.

Known omissions or questions are indicated in the text with a 'to be determined' paragraph, as follows:

TBD: (example To Be Determined paragraph)

1.3. Feedback

Feedback may be provided on the openEHR languages specifications forum.

Issues may be raised on the specifications Problem Report tracker.

To see changes made due to previously reported issues, see the LANG component Change Request tracker.

1.4. Conformance

Conformance of a data or software artifact to an openEHR specification is determined by a formal test of that artifact against the relevant openEHR Implementation Technology Specification(s) (ITSs), such as an IDL interface or an XML-schema. Since ITSs are formal derivations from underlying models, ITS conformance indicates model conformance.

1.5. Tooling

The openEHR ADL Workbench (AWB) fully implements this specification, and provide a convenient way of illustrating BMM semantics. The screenshots used in this specification are all from the ADL Workbench. The tool is written in the Eiffel language, and is available as open source on Github. The BMM libraries can be found in the EOMF Github repository.

A modelling tool known as Archie implements BMM in Java, and can be found in the openEHR Github area.

2. Overview

2.1. Conceptual Approach

This specification defines a model that may be used as the basis for a serial format for the Basic Meta-Model (BMM). The formalism described here is an adaptation of pure object serialisation approaches used in mainstream programming languages. Instead of directly materialising a BMM instance graph from serial form, the initial materialised form is a graph of P_BMM_XXX classes, with a subsequent in-memory model-to-model transform step required to produce a materialised BMM model.

The P_BMM_* classes perform two functions. Firstly, they are a modified and simplified version of the BMM_* classes that enable for example symbolic referencing via class names, syntactical type names to be used etc, rather than the full explosion of fine-grained objects that would result from a direct serialisation of BMM_* classes. This enables an object model represented internally (to a tool, say) in BMM form, converted to P_BMM form, and then serialised to a .bmm file, to be easily readable and editable by human users.

The second is that .bmm files function as schemas that support schema inclusion and therefore re-use, in a similar manner to the XML schema languages. Thus, a single logical BMM model can be expressed as a number of .bmm schema files which are actually P_BMM_* object serialisations of parts of the BMM model. A schema reading component has to resolve the schema inclusions and ultimately BMM_* object instantiations to obtain the in-memory form of the model.

We thus talk of the P_BMM_* classes as a 'model of a BMM schema' and the BMM_* classes as a 'model of a BMM model', where the latter is understood as the fully computable in-memory object structure with all name references resolved to object references.

The P_BMM format is not the only serial format possible for BMM, and alternatives, e.g. a more syntactic style reminiscent of OMG IDL, are possible.

The normal use of P_BMM schemas is as follows:

create one or more .bmm schema files, using the P_BMM_ form of the model. This is easy to understand by using the example schema and/or copying other examples;
locate these files in a suitable place for use with a tool such as the openEHR ADL Workbench and LinkEHR.

2.2. Concrete Format

BMM models are normally expressed as schema text files that support inclusion and re-use. The default file format has historically been openEHR ODIN syntax, and BMM tools to date support this format. However any common format that can express typed object models may be used, including JSON (with type markers), YAML, and XML. The examples shown in this specification are primarily in ODIN, but a tool implementing BMM may choose to serialise in and out of another preferred format.

3. Persistence Package

3.1. Overview

The org.openehr.lang.bmm_persistence package, shown below, defines a simplified form of the main BMM model suitable for persisting and human authoring. The openEHR BMM schemas are authored in the P_BMM form of the BMM, using the openEHR ODIN syntax.

Figure 1. lang.bmm_persistence Package

The general approach taken in this model is that attributes named bmm_xxx and of type BMM_XXX are derived from the persisted attributes of the P_BMM_XXX classes of this model. In other words, they are in-memory only references to reconstructed instances of BMM_XXX types.

3.2. Class Definitions

3.2.1. P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT Class

Class	*P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT (abstract)*
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT`.
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1	documentation: `String`	Optional documentation of this element.

Class

P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT (abstract)

Description

Persistent form of BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT.

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1

documentation: String

Optional documentation of this element.

3.2.2. P_BMM_PACKAGE_CONTAINER Class

Class	P_BMM_PACKAGE_CONTAINER
Description	Persisted form of a model component that contains packages.
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
1..1	packages: `Hash<P_BMM_PACKAGE, String>`	Package structure as a hierarchy of packages each potentially containing names of classes in that package in the original model.

Class

P_BMM_PACKAGE_CONTAINER

Description

Persisted form of a model component that contains packages.

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

1..1

packages: Hash<P_BMM_PACKAGE, String>

Package structure as a hierarchy of packages each potentially containing names of classes in that package in the original model.

3.2.3. P_BMM_SCHEMA Class

Class	P_BMM_SCHEMA
Description	Persisted form of `BMM_SCHEMA`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_PACKAGE_CONTAINER`, `BMM_SCHEMA`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1	primitive_types: `List<P_BMM_CLASS>`	Primitive type definitions. Persisted attribute.
0..1	class_definitions: `List<P_BMM_CLASS>`	Class definitions. Persisted attribute.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
0..1 (effected)	validate_created Pre_state: `state = State_created` Post_state: `passed implies state = State_validated_created`	Implementation of `validate_created()`
0..1 (effected)	load_finalise Pre_state: `state = State_validated_created` Post_state: `state = State_includes_processed or state = State_includes_pending`	Implementation of `load_finalise()`
0..1 (effected)	merge ( other: `P_BMM_SCHEMA[1]` ) Pre_state: `state = State_includes_pending` Pre_other_valid: `includes_to_process.has (included_schema.schema_id)`	Implementation of `merge()`
0..1 (effected)	validate	Implementation of `validate()`
0..1 (effected)	create_bmm_model Pre_state: `state = P_BMM_PACKAGE_STATE.State_includes_processed`	Implementation of `create_bmm_model()`
1..1	canonical_packages (): `P_BMM_PACKAGE`	Package structure in which all top-level qualified package names like `xx.yy.zz` have been expanded out to a hierarchy of `BMM_PACKAGE` objects.

Class

P_BMM_SCHEMA

Description

Persisted form of BMM_SCHEMA.

Inherit

P_BMM_PACKAGE_CONTAINER, BMM_SCHEMA

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1

primitive_types: List<P_BMM_CLASS>

Primitive type definitions. Persisted attribute.

0..1

class_definitions: List<P_BMM_CLASS>

Class definitions. Persisted attribute.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

0..1
(effected)

validate_created

Pre_state: state = State_created
Post_state: passed implies state = State_validated_created

Implementation of validate_created()

0..1
(effected)

load_finalise

Pre_state: state = State_validated_created
Post_state: state = State_includes_processed or state = State_includes_pending

Implementation of load_finalise()

0..1
(effected)

merge (
other: P_BMM_SCHEMA[1]
)

Pre_state: state = State_includes_pending
Pre_other_valid: includes_to_process.has (included_schema.schema_id)

Implementation of merge()

0..1
(effected)

validate

Implementation of validate()

0..1
(effected)

create_bmm_model

Pre_state: state = P_BMM_PACKAGE_STATE.State_includes_processed

Implementation of create_bmm_model()

1..1

canonical_packages (): P_BMM_PACKAGE

Package structure in which all top-level qualified package names like xx.yy.zz have been expanded out to a hierarchy of BMM_PACKAGE objects.

3.2.4. P_BMM_PACKAGE Class

Class	P_BMM_PACKAGE
Description	Persisted form of a package as a tree structure whose nodes can contain more packages and/or classes.
Inherit	`P_BMM_PACKAGE_CONTAINER`, `P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
1..1	name: `String`	Name of the package from schema; this name may be qualified if it is a top-level package within the schema, or unqualified. Persistent attribute.
0..1	classes: `List<String>`	List of classes in this package. Persistent attribute.
0..1	bmm_package_definition: `BMM_PACKAGE`	`BMM_PACKAGE` created by `create_bmm_package_definition`.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
0..1	merge ( other: `P_BMM_PACKAGE[1]` )	Merge packages and classes from other (from an included `P_BMM_SCHEMA`) into this package.
0..1	create_bmm_package_definition	Generate a `BMM_PACKAGE_DEFINITION` object and write it to `bmm_package_definition`.

Class

P_BMM_PACKAGE

Description

Persisted form of a package as a tree structure whose nodes can contain more packages and/or classes.

Inherit

P_BMM_PACKAGE_CONTAINER, P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

1..1

name: String

Name of the package from schema; this name may be qualified if it is a top-level package within the schema, or unqualified. Persistent attribute.

0..1

classes: List<String>

List of classes in this package. Persistent attribute.

0..1

bmm_package_definition: BMM_PACKAGE

BMM_PACKAGE created by create_bmm_package_definition.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

0..1

merge (
other: P_BMM_PACKAGE[1]
)

Merge packages and classes from other (from an included P_BMM_SCHEMA) into this package.

0..1

create_bmm_package_definition

Generate a BMM_PACKAGE_DEFINITION object and write it to bmm_package_definition.

3.2.5. P_BMM_TYPE Class

Class	*P_BMM_TYPE (abstract)*
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_TYPE`.
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1	bmm_type: `BMM_TYPE`	Result of `create_bmm_type()` call.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
0..1 (abstract)	create_bmm_type ( a_schema: `BMM_MODEL[1]`, a_class_def: `BMM_CLASS[1]` )	Create appropriate `BMM_XXX` object; effected in descendants.
1..1 (abstract)	as_type_string (): `String`	Formal name of the type for display.

Class

P_BMM_TYPE (abstract)

Description

Persistent form of BMM_TYPE.

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1

bmm_type: BMM_TYPE

Result of create_bmm_type() call.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

0..1
(abstract)

create_bmm_type (
a_schema: BMM_MODEL[1],
a_class_def: BMM_CLASS[1]
)

Create appropriate BMM_XXX object; effected in descendants.

1..1
(abstract)

as_type_string (): String

Formal name of the type for display.

3.2.6. P_BMM_CLASS Class

Class	P_BMM_CLASS
Description	Definition of persistent form of `BMM_CLASS` for serialisation to ODIN, JSON, XML etc.
Inherit	`P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
1..1	name: `String`	Name of the class. Persisted attribute.
0..1	ancestors: `List<String>`	List of immediate inheritance parents. If there are generic ancestors, use `ancestor_defs` instead. Persisted attribute.
0..1	properties: `Hash<String,P_BMM_PROPERTY>`	List of attributes defined in this class. Persistent attribute.
0..1	is_abstract: `Boolean`	True if this is an abstract type. Persisted attribute.
0..1	is_override: `Boolean`	True if this class definition overrides one found in an included schema.
0..1	generic_parameter_defs: `Hash<String,P_BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER>`	List of generic parameter definitions. Persisted attribute.
1..1	source_schema_id: `String`	Reference to original source schema defining this class. Set during `BMM_SCHEMA` materialise. Useful for GUI tools to enable user to edit the schema file containing a given class (i.e. taking into account that a class may be in any of the schemas in a schema inclusion hierarchy).
0..1	bmm_class: `BMM_CLASS`	`BMM_CLASS` object built by `create_bmm_class_definition` and `populate_bmm_class_definition`.
1..1	uid: `Integer`	Unique id generated for later comparison during merging, in order to detect if two classes are the same. Assigned in post-load processing.
0..1	ancestor_defs: `List<P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE>`	List of structured inheritance ancestors, used only in the case of generic inheritance. Persisted attribute.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
1..1	is_generic (): `Boolean` Post: `Result := generic_parameter_defs /= Void`	True if this class is a generic class.
0..1	create_bmm_class	Create `bmm_class_definition`.
0..1	populate_bmm_class ( a_bmm_schema: `BMM_MODEL[1]` )	Add remaining model elements from Current to `bmm_class_definition`.

Class

P_BMM_CLASS

Description

Definition of persistent form of BMM_CLASS for serialisation to ODIN, JSON, XML etc.

Inherit

P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

1..1

name: String

Name of the class. Persisted attribute.

0..1

ancestors: List<String>

List of immediate inheritance parents. If there are generic ancestors, use ancestor_defs instead. Persisted attribute.

0..1

properties: Hash<String,P_BMM_PROPERTY>

List of attributes defined in this class. Persistent attribute.

0..1

is_abstract: Boolean

True if this is an abstract type. Persisted attribute.

0..1

is_override: Boolean

True if this class definition overrides one found in an included schema.

0..1

generic_parameter_defs: Hash<String,P_BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER>

List of generic parameter definitions. Persisted attribute.

1..1

source_schema_id: String

Reference to original source schema defining this class. Set during BMM_SCHEMA materialise. Useful for GUI tools to enable user to edit the schema file containing a given class (i.e. taking into account that a class may be in any of the schemas in a schema inclusion hierarchy).

0..1

bmm_class: BMM_CLASS

BMM_CLASS object built by create_bmm_class_definition and populate_bmm_class_definition.

1..1

uid: Integer

Unique id generated for later comparison during merging, in order to detect if two classes are the same. Assigned in post-load processing.

0..1

ancestor_defs: List<P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE>

List of structured inheritance ancestors, used only in the case of generic inheritance. Persisted attribute.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

1..1

is_generic (): Boolean

Post: Result := generic_parameter_defs /= Void

True if this class is a generic class.

0..1

create_bmm_class

Create bmm_class_definition.

0..1

populate_bmm_class (
a_bmm_schema: BMM_MODEL[1]
)

Add remaining model elements from Current to bmm_class_definition.

3.2.7. P_BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER Class

Class	P_BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
1..1	name: `String`	Name of the parameter, e.g. 'T' etc. Persisted attribute. Name is limited to 1 character, upper case.
0..1	conforms_to_type: `String`	Optional conformance constraint - the name of a type to which a concrete substitution of this generic parameter must conform. Persisted attribute.
0..1	bmm_generic_parameter: `BMM_PARAMETER_TYPE`	`BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER` created by `create_bmm_generic_parameter`.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
0..1	create_bmm_generic_parameter ( a_bmm_schema: `BMM_MODEL[1]` )	Create `bmm_generic_parameter`.
Invariants	Inv_generic_name: `name.count = 1 and name.is_upper`

Class

P_BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER

Description

Persistent form of BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER.

Inherit

P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

1..1

name: String

Name of the parameter, e.g. 'T' etc. Persisted attribute. Name is limited to 1 character, upper case.

0..1

conforms_to_type: String

Optional conformance constraint - the name of a type to which a concrete substitution of this generic parameter must conform. Persisted attribute.

0..1

bmm_generic_parameter: BMM_PARAMETER_TYPE

BMM_GENERIC_PARAMETER created by create_bmm_generic_parameter.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

0..1

create_bmm_generic_parameter (
a_bmm_schema: BMM_MODEL[1]
)

Create bmm_generic_parameter.

Invariants

Inv_generic_name: name.count = 1 and name.is_upper

3.2.8. P_BMM_PROPERTY Class

Class	*P_BMM_PROPERTY (abstract)*
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_PROPERTY`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
1..1	name: `String`	Name of this property within its class. Persisted attribute.
0..1	is_mandatory: `Boolean`	True if this property is mandatory in its class. Persisted attribute.
0..1	is_computed: `Boolean`	True if this property is computed rather than stored in objects of this class. Persisted Attribute.
0..1	is_im_infrastructure: `Boolean`	True if this property is info model 'infrastructure' rather than 'data'. Persisted attribute.
0..1	is_im_runtime: `Boolean`	True if this property is info model 'runtime' settable property. Persisted attribute.
0..1	type_def: `P_BMM_TYPE`	Type definition of this property, if not a simple String type reference. Persisted attribute.
0..1	bmm_property: `BMM_PROPERTY`	BMM_PROPERTY created by create_bmm_property_definition.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
0..1	create_bmm_property ( a_bmm_schema: `BMM_MODEL[1]`, a_class_def: `BMM_CLASS[1]` )	Create `bmm_property_definition` from `P_BMM_XX` parts.

Class

P_BMM_PROPERTY (abstract)

Description

Persistent form of BMM_PROPERTY.

Inherit

P_BMM_MODEL_ELEMENT

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

1..1

name: String

Name of this property within its class. Persisted attribute.

0..1

is_mandatory: Boolean

True if this property is mandatory in its class. Persisted attribute.

0..1

is_computed: Boolean

True if this property is computed rather than stored in objects of this class. Persisted Attribute.

0..1

is_im_infrastructure: Boolean

True if this property is info model 'infrastructure' rather than 'data'. Persisted attribute.

0..1

is_im_runtime: Boolean

True if this property is info model 'runtime' settable property. Persisted attribute.

0..1

type_def: P_BMM_TYPE

Type definition of this property, if not a simple String type reference. Persisted attribute.

0..1

bmm_property: BMM_PROPERTY

BMM_PROPERTY created by create_bmm_property_definition.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

0..1

create_bmm_property (
a_bmm_schema: BMM_MODEL[1],
a_class_def: BMM_CLASS[1]
)

Create bmm_property_definition from P_BMM_XX parts.

3.2.9. P_BMM_BASE_TYPE Class

Class	*P_BMM_BASE_TYPE (abstract)*
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_PROPER_TYPE`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_TYPE`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1	value_constraint: `String`

Class

P_BMM_BASE_TYPE (abstract)

Description

Persistent form of BMM_PROPER_TYPE.

Inherit

P_BMM_TYPE

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1

value_constraint: String

3.2.10. P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE Class

Class	P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_BASE_TYPE`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
1..1	type: `String`	Name of type - must be a simple class name.
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_type: `BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE`	Result of `create_bmm_type()` call.

Class

P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE

Description

Persistent form of BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE.

Inherit

P_BMM_BASE_TYPE

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

1..1

type: String

Name of type - must be a simple class name.

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_type: BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE

Result of create_bmm_type() call.

3.2.11. P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE Class

Class	P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_PARAMETER_TYPE`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_BASE_TYPE`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
1..1	type: `String`	Simple type parameter as a single letter like 'T', 'G' etc.
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_type: `@@`	Result of `create_bmm_type()` call.

Class

P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE

Description

Persistent form of BMM_PARAMETER_TYPE.

Inherit

P_BMM_BASE_TYPE

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

1..1

type: String

Simple type parameter as a single letter like 'T', 'G' etc.

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_type: @@

Result of create_bmm_type() call.

3.2.12. P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE Class

Class	P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_GENERIC_TYPE`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_BASE_TYPE`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
1..1	root_type: `String`	Root type of this generic type, e.g. `Interval` in `Interval<Integer>`.
1..1	generic_parameter_defs: `List<P_BMM_TYPE>`	Generic parameters of the root_type in this type specifier if non-simple types. The order must match the order of the owning class’s formal generic parameter declarations. Persistent attribute.
0..1	generic_parameters: `List<String>`	Generic parameters of the `root_type` in this type specifier, if simple types. The order must match the order of the owning class’s formal generic parameter declarations. Persistent attribute.
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_type: `BMM_GENERIC_TYPE`	Result of `create_bmm_type()` call.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
0..1	generic_parameter_refs (): `List<P_BMM_TYPE>`	Generic parameters of the root_type in this type specifier. The order must match the order of the owning class’s formal generic parameter declarations

Class

P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE

Description

Persistent form of BMM_GENERIC_TYPE.

Inherit

P_BMM_BASE_TYPE

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

1..1

root_type: String

Root type of this generic type, e.g. Interval in Interval<Integer>.

1..1

generic_parameter_defs: List<P_BMM_TYPE>

Generic parameters of the root_type in this type specifier if non-simple types. The order must match the order of the owning class’s formal generic parameter declarations. Persistent attribute.

0..1

generic_parameters: List<String>

Generic parameters of the root_type in this type specifier, if simple types. The order must match the order of the owning class’s formal generic parameter declarations. Persistent attribute.

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_type: BMM_GENERIC_TYPE

Result of create_bmm_type() call.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

0..1

generic_parameter_refs (): List<P_BMM_TYPE>

Generic parameters of the root_type in this type specifier. The order must match the order of the owning class’s formal generic parameter declarations

3.2.13. P_BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE Class

Class	P_BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_TYPE`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
1..1	container_type: `String`	The type of the container. This converts to the `root_type` in `BMM_GENERIC_TYPE`. Persisted attribute.
0..1	type_def: `P_BMM_BASE_TYPE`	Type definition of `type`, if not a simple String type reference. Persisted attribute.
0..1	type: `String`	The target type; this converts to the first parameter in `generic_parameters` in `BMM_GENERIC_TYPE`. Persisted attribute.
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_type: `BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE`	Result of `create_bmm_type()` call.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
1..1	type_ref (): `P_BMM_BASE_TYPE`	The target type; this converts to the first parameter in `generic_parameters` in `BMM_GENERIC_TYPE`. Persisted attribute.

Class

P_BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE

Description

Persistent form of BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE.

Inherit

P_BMM_TYPE

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

1..1

container_type: String

The type of the container. This converts to the root_type in BMM_GENERIC_TYPE. Persisted attribute.

0..1

type_def: P_BMM_BASE_TYPE

Type definition of type, if not a simple String type reference. Persisted attribute.

0..1

type: String

The target type; this converts to the first parameter in generic_parameters in BMM_GENERIC_TYPE. Persisted attribute.

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_type: BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE

Result of create_bmm_type() call.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

1..1

type_ref (): P_BMM_BASE_TYPE

The target type; this converts to the first parameter in generic_parameters in BMM_GENERIC_TYPE. Persisted attribute.

3.2.14. P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_TYPE Class

Class	P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_TYPE
Description
Inherit	`P_BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
1..1	index_type: `String`
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_type: `BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_TYPE`	Result of `create_bmm_type()` call.

Class

P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_TYPE

Description

Inherit

P_BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

1..1

index_type: String

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_type: BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_TYPE

Result of create_bmm_type() call.

3.2.15. P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY Class

Class	P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_PROPERTY`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1	type: `String`	If the type is a simple type, then this attribute will hold the type name. If the type is a container or generic, then type_ref will hold the type definition. The resulting type is generated in type_def.
0..1	type_ref: `P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE`	Type definition of this property computed from `type` for later use in `bmm_property`.
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_property: `BMM_UNITARY_PROPERTY`	`BMM_PROPERTY` created by `create_bmm_property_definition`.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
1..1	type_def (): `P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE`	Generate `type_ref` from `type` and save.

Class

P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY

Description

Persistent form of BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY.

Inherit

P_BMM_PROPERTY

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1

type: String

If the type is a simple type, then this attribute will hold the type name. If the type is a container or generic, then type_ref will hold the type definition. The resulting type is generated in type_def.

0..1

type_ref: P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE

Type definition of this property computed from type for later use in bmm_property.

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_property: BMM_UNITARY_PROPERTY

BMM_PROPERTY created by create_bmm_property_definition.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

1..1

type_def (): P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE

Generate type_ref from type and save.

3.2.16. P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY_OPEN Class

Class	P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY_OPEN
Description	Persistent form of a `BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY_OPEN`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_PROPERTY`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1	type_ref: `P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE`	Type definition of this property computed from `type` for later use in `bmm_property`.
0..1	type: `String`	Type definition of this property, if a simple String type reference. Really we should use `type_def` to be regular in the schema, but that makes the schema more wordy and less clear. So we use this persisted String value, and compute the `type_def` on the fly. Persisted attribute.
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_property: `BMM_UNITARY_PROPERTY`	`BMM_PROPERTY` created by `create_bmm_property_definition`.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
1..1	type_def (): `P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE`	Generate `type_ref` from `type` and save.

Class

P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY_OPEN

Description

Persistent form of a BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY_OPEN.

Inherit

P_BMM_PROPERTY

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1

type_ref: P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE

Type definition of this property computed from type for later use in bmm_property.

0..1

type: String

Type definition of this property, if a simple String type reference. Really we should use type_def to be regular in the schema, but that makes the schema more wordy and less clear. So we use this persisted String value, and compute the type_def on the fly. Persisted attribute.

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_property: BMM_UNITARY_PROPERTY

BMM_PROPERTY created by create_bmm_property_definition.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

1..1

type_def (): P_BMM_OPEN_TYPE

Generate type_ref from type and save.

3.2.17. P_BMM_GENERIC_PROPERTY Class

Class	P_BMM_GENERIC_PROPERTY
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_GENERIC_PROPERTY`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_PROPERTY`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1 (redefined)	type_def: `P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE`	Type definition of this property, if not a simple String type reference. Persistent attribute.
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_property: `BMM_UNITARY_PROPERTY`	`BMM_PROPERTY` created by `create_bmm_property_definition`.

Class

P_BMM_GENERIC_PROPERTY

Description

Persistent form of BMM_GENERIC_PROPERTY.

Inherit

P_BMM_PROPERTY

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1
(redefined)

type_def: P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE

Type definition of this property, if not a simple String type reference. Persistent attribute.

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_property: BMM_UNITARY_PROPERTY

BMM_PROPERTY created by create_bmm_property_definition.

3.2.18. P_BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY Class

Class	P_BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_PROPERTY`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1	cardinality: `Interval<Integer>`	Cardinality of this property in its class. Persistent attribute.
0..1 (redefined)	type_def: `P_BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE`	Type definition of this property, if not a simple String type reference. Persistent attribute.
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_property: `BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY`	`BMM_PROPERTY` created by `create_bmm_property`.
Functions	Signature	Meaning
0..1 (redefined)	create_bmm_property ( a_bmm_schema: `BMM_MODEL[1]`, a_class_def: `BMM_CLASS[1]` )	Create `bmm_property_definition`.

Class

P_BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY

Description

Persistent form of BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY.

Inherit

P_BMM_PROPERTY

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1

cardinality: Interval<Integer>

Cardinality of this property in its class. Persistent attribute.

0..1
(redefined)

type_def: P_BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE

Type definition of this property, if not a simple String type reference. Persistent attribute.

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_property: BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY

BMM_PROPERTY created by create_bmm_property.

Functions

Signature

Meaning

0..1
(redefined)

create_bmm_property (
a_bmm_schema: BMM_MODEL[1],
a_class_def: BMM_CLASS[1]
)

Create bmm_property_definition.

3.2.19. P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_PROPERTY Class

Class	P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_PROPERTY
Description
Inherit	`P_BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1 (redefined)	type_def: `P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_TYPE`	Type definition of this property, if not a simple String type reference. Persistent attribute.
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_property: `BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_PROPERTY`	`BMM_PROPERTY` created by `create_bmm_property`.

Class

P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_PROPERTY

Description

Inherit

P_BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1
(redefined)

type_def: P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_TYPE

Type definition of this property, if not a simple String type reference. Persistent attribute.

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_property: BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_PROPERTY

BMM_PROPERTY created by create_bmm_property.

3.2.20. P_BMM_ENUMERATION Class

Class	P_BMM_ENUMERATION
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_ENUMERATION` attributes.
Inherit	`P_BMM_CLASS`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1	item_names: `List<String>`
0..1	item_values: `List<Any>`
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_class: `BMM_ENUMERATION`	`BMM_CLASS` object build by `create_bmm_class_definition` and `populate_bmm_class_definition`.

Class

P_BMM_ENUMERATION

Description

Persistent form of BMM_ENUMERATION attributes.

Inherit

P_BMM_CLASS

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1

item_names: List<String>

0..1

item_values: List<Any>

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_class: BMM_ENUMERATION

BMM_CLASS object build by create_bmm_class_definition and populate_bmm_class_definition.

3.2.21. P_BMM_ENUMERATION_STRING Class

Class	P_BMM_ENUMERATION_STRING
Description	Persistent form of `BMM_ENUMERATION_STRING`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_ENUMERATION`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_class: `BMM_ENUMERATION_STRING`	`BMM_CLASS` object build by `create_bmm_class_definition` and `populate_bmm_class_definition`.

Class

P_BMM_ENUMERATION_STRING

Description

Persistent form of BMM_ENUMERATION_STRING.

Inherit

P_BMM_ENUMERATION

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_class: BMM_ENUMERATION_STRING

BMM_CLASS object build by create_bmm_class_definition and populate_bmm_class_definition.

3.2.22. P_BMM_ENUMERATION_INTEGER Class

Class	P_BMM_ENUMERATION_INTEGER
Description	Persistent form of an instance of `BMM_ENUMERATION_INTEGER`.
Inherit	`P_BMM_ENUMERATION`
Attributes	Signature	Meaning
0..1 (redefined)	bmm_class: `BMM_ENUMERATION_INTEGER`	`BMM_CLASS` object build by `create_bmm_class_definition` and `populate_bmm_class_definition`.

Class

P_BMM_ENUMERATION_INTEGER

Description

Persistent form of an instance of BMM_ENUMERATION_INTEGER.

Inherit

P_BMM_ENUMERATION

Attributes

Signature

Meaning

0..1
(redefined)

bmm_class: BMM_ENUMERATION_INTEGER

BMM_CLASS object build by create_bmm_class_definition and populate_bmm_class_definition.

4. BMM Persistence Syntax

4.1. Overview

A BMM schema is normally written in the ODIN syntax, although any other serialisation supporting typed object models may be used, including JSON (with type markers), YAML, XML etc. The ODIN form is described here. The structures are direct ODIN serialisations of the P_BMM_XXX classes in the persistence package.

4.2. Header Items

The following shows the header items of a BMM schema, which correspond to the 'persistent' attributes of the class P_BMM_SCHEMA.

------------------------------------------------------
-- P_BMM version on which these schemas are based.
------------------------------------------------------
bmm_version = <"2.3">

------------------------------------------------------
-- schema identification
-- (schema_id computed as <rm_publisher>_<schema_name>_<rm_release>)
------------------------------------------------------
rm_publisher = <"openehr">
schema_name = <"adltest">
rm_release = <"1.0.2">
model_name = <"TEST_PKG">

------------------------------------------------------
-- schema documentation
------------------------------------------------------
schema_revision = <"1.0.36">
schema_lifecycle_state = <"stable">
schema_description = <"openEHR schema to support test archetypes">

4.3. Inclusions

includes = <
    ["1"] = <
        id = <"openehr_basic_types_1.0.2">
    >
>

4.4. Package Definition

The packages definition should be self-explanatory: just name the classes and packages in a recursive fashion.

Note	only top-level package ids can be paths (i.e. contain the '.' character)

Note	only classes defined in the same schema can be referenced in the package section in that schema.

Note	make sure that the ODIN 'keys' are the same as the 'name' attributes in each block.

packages = <
    ["org.openehr.test_pkg"] = <
        name = <"org.openehr.test_pkg">
        classes = <"WHOLE", "SOME_TYPE", "BOOK", "CHAPTER", "ENTRY", "CAR", "CAR_BODY">
    >
>

4.5. Class Definitions

4.5.1. Classes for Primitive Types

Definitions for primitive types in a BMM schema are just normal class definitions within a primitive_types block. Types that are included here are usually types corresonding to primitives in target programming languages, XML schema or other downstream technologies. These types can be be detected as primitive types by tools, but otherwise are processed in the same way as types defined in the main class_definitions group.

Note	unlike UML, all container types such as `List<T>`, `Hash<V,K>` etc are exlicit in a BMM schema, and consequently, such types are normally defined (including with generic parameters) in a BMM schema.

primitive_types = <
    ["Any"] = <
        name = <"Any">
        is_abstract = <True>
    >
    ["Ordered"] = <
        name = <"Ordered">
        is_abstract = <True>
        ancestors = <"Any">
    >
>

4.5.2. Non-primitive Classes

The main group of class definitions in a schema occurs within the class_definitions block. Each definition is a keyed ODIN object block correspnding to a serialised P_BMM_CLASS object, where the key is the class name. Since name is a BMM meta-model attribute, the class definition always contains its ODIN key.

The possible class-level meta-properties:

name - class name - any capitalisation can be used, usually one of CamelCase or so-called UPPER_SNAKE_CASE;
ancestors - states classes from which this class inherits, as an ODIN String list;
is_abstract - indicates that the class cannot be instantiated directly;
properties - ODIN block containing definitions consisting of P_BMM_PROPERTY descendants, keyed by property name.

4.5.3. Simple Classes

Simple classes are those whose type is the same as the class, as opposed to generic classes and enumerated types (see below).

class_definitions = <
    ["ITEM"] = <
        name = <"ITEM">
        ancestors = <"Any">
        is_abstract = <True>
        properties = <
            -- properties here
        >
    >
    -- more classes here
>

4.5.3.1. Class properties

Class properties from the original model are expressed using ODIN object blocks keyed by property name. Since there are multiple possible descendants of P_BMM_PROPERTY, ODIN type markers must be used to indicate which subtypes is used in each case.

The possible BMM meta-properties of all property types are as follows:

name - String name of the property in its owning class in the model - use camelCase or snake_case as appropriate;
is_mandatory - Boolean flag indicating whether the property is mandatory within its class.

The following shows the class ELEMENT with two properties null_flavour and value of BMM meta-type P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY, i.e. corresponding to a single-valued attribute from the original model.

    ["ELEMENT"] = <
        name = <"ELEMENT">
        ancestors = <"ITEM">
        properties = <
            ["null_flavour"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"null_flavour">
                type = <"DV_CODED_TEXT">
                is_mandatory = <True>
            >
            ["value"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"value">
                type = <"DATA_VALUE">
            >
        >
    >

4.5.3.2. Container Properties

The following is a P_BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY definition for the model property items: List<ITEM> in the ELEMENT class. The type is expressed in the type_def part which indicates the type of the container, which must be defined elsewhere in the schema, typically in the primitive types. The optional cardinality meta-property indicates cardinality of the container, and is expressed as a ODIN range. The default is |0..*|.

    ["ELEMENT"] = <
        name = <"ELEMENT">
        ancestors = <"ITEM">
        properties = <
            ["items"] = (P_BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"items">
                type_def = <
                    container_type = <"List">
                    type = <"ITEM">
                >
                cardinality = <|>=1|>
                is_mandatory = <True>
            >
        >
    >

Indexed containers such as Hash<K,V>, Dictionary<K,V> etc are also suuported via the P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_PROPERTY, the use of which is shown here:

    ["CALLBACK_WAIT"] = <
        name = <"CALLBACK_WAIT">
        ancestors = <"...">
        properties = <
            ["custom_actions"] = (P_BMM_INDEXED_CONTAINER_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"custom_actions">
                type_def = <
                    container_type = <"Hash">
                    index_type = <"String">
                    type = <"EVENT_ACTION">
                >
                cardinality = <|>=0|>
            >
        >
    >

The above represents a property custom_actions: Hash <String, EVENT_ACTION> in the class CALLBACK_WAIT. The meta-element index_type is used to state the key type.

4.5.4. Generic Classes

Generic classes are those that have one or more substitutable generic type parameters. Such classes are therefore type generators, since actual types are formed by substitution of concrete types (typically simple classes) for the formal type parameters. The following example shows a generic class Interval with generic_parameter_defs of T which is constrained to conform to the type Ordered. This structure defineds the type Interval<T→Ordered>, with the same meaning as UML and programming languages supporting generic (templated) types.

Generic classes will normally contain one or more properties whose formal type is the generic type parameter, i.e. the T in this example, as is the case below where the model properties lower and upper are both declared to be of type T. This declaration necessitates the use of the BMM meta-type P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY_OPEN.

    ["Interval"] = <
        name = <"Interval">
        ancestors = <"Any">
        generic_parameter_defs = <
            ["T"] = <
                name = <"T">
                conforms_to_type = <"Ordered">
            >
        >
        properties = <
            ["lower"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY_OPEN) <
                name = <"lower">
                type = <"T">
            >
            ["upper"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY_OPEN) <
                name = <"upper">
                type = <"T">
            >
        >
    >

Given the presence of generic classes in a BMM schema, derived generic types can be used as the type of properties in other classes, for which the BMM meta-type P_BMM_GENERIC_PROPERTY is used. The folowing example shows first a generic class DV_INTERVAL defined in a similar way to Interval above, and then a class SOME_TYPE containing the property qty_interval_attr whose model type is DV_INTERVAL<DV_QUANTITY>. In the latter type declaration, the DV_INTERVAL is the root_type and DV_INTERVAL the generic_parameter.

    ["DV_INTERVAL"] = <
        name = <"DV_INTERVAL">
        ancestors = <"Interval", "DATA_VALUE">
        generic_parameter_defs = <
            ["T"] = <
                name = <"T">
                conforms_to_type = <"DV_ORDERED">
            >
        >
    >

    ["SOME_TYPE"] = <
        name = <"SOME_TYPE">
        ancestors = <"Any", ...>
        properties = <
            ["qty_interval_attr"] = (P_BMM_GENERIC_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"qty_interval_attr">
                type_def = <
                    root_type = <"DV_INTERVAL">
                    generic_parameters = <"DV_QUANTITY">
                >
            >
        >
    >

Type declarations can also be nested types, for example and container followed by a generic type. In the following the careProvider attribute is declared to be of model type List<Reference<Party>>. Any level of type nesting is allowed.

    ["Patient"] = <
        name = <"Patient">
        ancestors = <"Any">
        properties = <
            ["careProvider"] = (P_BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"careProvider">
                type_def = <
                    container_type = <"List">
                    type_def = (P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE) <
                        root_type = <"Reference">
                        generic_parameters = <"Party">
                    >
                >
                cardinality = <|>=0|>
            >
        >
    >

The following property definition is based on the class REFERENCE_RANGE, and in this case, has a generic parameter type that is another generic type: DV_INTERVAL<DV_QUANTITY>. To express this, we use generic_parameter_defs instead of just generic_parameters to specify a type structure, rather than just a string type name. Note that generic_parameter_defs is a logical list in general, since there can always be more than one generic parameter, i.e. 'T', 'U' etc, even though it is most commonly just one. Accordingly, the usual ODIN keyed hash structure is used with each member being keyed by a generic parameter name, below ["T"].

    ["REFERENCE_RANGE"] = <
        name = <"REFERENCE_RANGE">
        ancestors = <"Any">
        generic_parameter_defs = <
            ["T"] = <
                name = <"T">
                conforms_to_type = <"DV_ORDERED">
            >
        >
        properties = <
            ["range"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"range">
                type = <"DV_INTERVAL">
                is_mandatory = <True>
            >
        >
    >

    ["RANGE_OF_INTERVAL_OF_QUANTITY"] = <
        name = <"RANGE_OF_INTERVAL_OF_QUANTITY">
        ancestors = <"Any", ...>
        properties = <
            ["range"] = (P_BMM_GENERIC_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"range">
                type_def = <
                    root_type = <"REFERENCE_RANGE">
                    generic_parameter_defs = <
                        ["T"] = (P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE) <
                            root_type = <"DV_INTERVAL">
                            generic_parameters = <"DV_QUANTITY">
                        >
                    >
                >
            >
        >

The following example just does the same as the one above, but shows an (unrealistic) but legal case of multiple, mixed, nested generic parameters corresponding to the model property definition range: REFERENCE_RANGE<DV_INTERVAL<DV_QUANTITY>, Integer, List<DV_QUANTITY>, List<DV_INTERVAL<DV_QUANTITY>>>. The rules for expressing types is clearly illustrated:

use 'type' for simple string type refs; use type_def for structure types;
within P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE, use generic_parameters for a list of string types;
use generic_parameter_defs for a list of complex type references.

    ["CRAZY_TYPE"] = <
        name = <"CRAZY_TYPE">
        ancestors = <"Any">
        properties = <
            ["range"] = (P_BMM_GENERIC_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"range">
                type_def = <
                    root_type = <"REFERENCE_RANGE">
                    generic_parameter_defs = <
                        ["T"] = (P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE) <
                            root_type = <"DV_INTERVAL">
                            generic_parameters = <"DV_QUANTITY">
                        >
                        ["U"] = (P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE) <
                            type = <"Integer">
                        >
                        ["V"] = (P_BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE) <
                            type = <"DV_QUANTITY">
                            container_type = <"List">
                        >
                        ["W"] = (P_BMM_CONTAINER_TYPE) <
                            type_def = (P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE) <
                                root_type = <"DV_INTERVAL">
                                generic_parameters = <"DV_QUANTITY">
                            >
                            container_type = <"List">
                        >
                    >
                >
            >
        >
    >

4.5.5. Enumerated Types

In a BMM schema, enumerated types are treated as constrained forms of standard types with open ranges, currently only Integer and String. They are accordingly represented using class definitions of the meta-types P_BMM_ENUMERATION_INTEGER and P_BMM_ENUMERATION_STRING respectively. In either case, just names (items_names meta-property) or both names and values (item_values meta-property) can be specified.

The following example shows two variants of am enumerated type based on the Integer primitive type.

    ["PROPORTION_KIND"] = (P_BMM_ENUMERATION_INTEGER) <
        name = <"PROPORTION_KIND">
        ancestors = <"Integer">
        item_names = <"pk_ratio", "pk_unitary", "pk_percent", "pk_fraction", "pk_integer_fraction">
    >

    ["PROPORTION_KIND_2"] = (P_BMM_ENUMERATION_INTEGER) <
        name = <"PROPORTION_KIND_2">
        ancestors = <"Integer">
        item_names = <"pk_ratio", "pk_unitary", "pk_percent", "pk_fraction", "pk_integer_fraction">
        item_values = <0, 1001, 1002, 1003>
    >

The following example shows two similar examples based on String.

    ["MAGNITUDE_STATUS"] = (P_BMM_ENUMERATION_STRING) <
        name = <"MAGNITUDE_STATUS">
        ancestors = <"String", ...>
        item_names = <"le", "ge", "eq", "approx_eq">
        item_values = <"<=", ">=", "=", "~">
    >

    ["NAME_PART"] = (P_BMM_ENUMERATION_STRING) <
        name = <"NAME_PART">
        ancestors = <"String", ...>
        item_names = <"FIRST", "MIDDLE", "LAST">
    >

4.5.6. Value-set Constraints

Value-sets are related to enumerated types, but rather than specifying the possible instance values for a type in an explicit enumeration type, a standard type can be marked as having values that conform to an external value set, such as a terminology. The following shows an attribute declared to be of a simple type CODE_PHRASE in the normal way.

    ["encoding"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
        name = <"encoding">
        type = <"CODE_PHRASE">
    >

With a value-set constraint added, it now looks as follows:

    ["encoding"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
        name = <"encoding">
        type_ref = <
            type = <"CODE_PHRASE">
            value_constraint = <"openEHR::languages">
        >
    >

The use of the value_constraint attribute forces the use of the type_ref structural form of the type definition within a P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY instance, rather than the simple String form above.

Within a container type, the structure is slightly different, owing to another level of instance nesting. The following exmaple shows a container class declaration in original form and then with a value constraint.

    -- original form
    ["language"] = (P_BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY) <
        name = <"language">
        type_def = <
            container_type = <"List">
            type = <"Coding">
        >
    >

    -- with value constraint
    ["language"] = (P_BMM_CONTAINER_PROPERTY) <
        name = <"language">
        type_def = <
            container_type = <"List">
            type_def = (P_BMM_SIMPLE_TYPE) <
                type = <"Coding">
                value_constraint = <"hl7::Languages">
            >
        >
    >

4.6. Inheritance

In the case of inheritance from simple classes, the ancestors list of Strings may be used to simply name the types (which are the same as class names), as seen in the above examples. In the case of generic inheritance, the ancestors are generic types, which may be open, partially closed or fully closed. The following example shows a class model containing generic inheritance in UML (using the closest approximation available in UML), followed by the equivalent P_BMM schema. In the latter, a structured ancestor_defs section is used instead of the ancestors String list, in the same way as for the P_BMM_GENERIC_PROPERTY examples above.

Figure 2. Generic inheritance eaxmple model

    ["GENERIC_PARENT"] = <
        name = <"GENERIC_PARENT">
        generic_parameter_defs = <
            ["T"] = <
                name = <"T">
                conforms_to_type = <"SUPPLIER">
            >
            ["U"] = <
                name = <"U">
                conforms_to_type = <"SUPPLIER">
            >
        >
        properties = <
            ["property_a"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY_OPEN) <
                name = <"property_a">
                type = <"T">
            >
            ["property_b"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY_OPEN) <
                name = <"property_b">
                type = <"U">
            >
        >
    >

    ["SUPPLIER"] = <
        name = <"SUPPLIER">
        is_abstract = <True>
        properties = <
            ["abstract_prop"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"abstract_prop">
                type = <"String">
            >
        >
    >

    ["SUPPLIER_A"] = <
        name = <"SUPPLIER_A">
        ancestors = <"SUPPLIER">
        properties = <
            ["magnitude"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"magnitude">
                type = <"Double">
                is_mandatory = <True>
            >
            ["units"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"units">
                type = <"String">
                is_mandatory = <True>
            >
        >
    >

    ["SUPPLIER_B"] = <
        name = <"SUPPLIER_B">
        ancestors = <"SUPPLIER">
        properties = <
            ["property"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"property">
                type = <"CODE_PHRASE">
                is_mandatory = <True>
            >
            ["precision"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"precision">
                type = <"Integer">
            >
        >
    >

    ["GENERIC_CHILD_OPEN_T"] = <
        name = <"GENERIC_CHILD_OPEN_T">
        ancestor_defs = <
            ["GENERIC_PARENT<T,SUPPLIER_B>"] = (P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE) <
                root_type = <"GENERIC_PARENT">
                generic_parameters = <"T", "SUPPLIER_B">
            >
        >
        generic_parameter_defs = <
            ["T"] = <
                name = <"T">
                conforms_to_type = <"SUPPLIER">
            >
        >
        properties = <
            ["gen_child_open_t_prop"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"gen_child_open_t_prop">
                type = <"String">
            >
        >
    >

    ["GENERIC_CHILD_OPEN_U"] = <
        name = <"GENERIC_CHILD_OPEN_U">
        ancestor_defs = <
            ["GENERIC_PARENT<SUPPLIER_A,U>"] = (P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE) <
                root_type = <"GENERIC_PARENT">
                generic_parameters = <"SUPPLIER_A", "U">
            >
        >
        generic_parameter_defs = <
            ["U"] = <
                name = <"U">
                conforms_to_type = <"SUPPLIER">
            >
        >
        properties = <
            ["gen_child_open_u_prop"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"gen_child_open_u_prop">
                type = <"String">
            >
        >
    >

    ["GENERIC_CHILD_CLOSED"] = <
        name = <"GENERIC_CHILD_CLOSED">
        ancestor_defs = <
            ["GENERIC_PARENT<SUPPLIER_A,SUPPLIER_B>"] = (P_BMM_GENERIC_TYPE) <
                root_type = <"GENERIC_PARENT">
                generic_parameters = <"SUPPLIER_A", "SUPPLIER_B">
            >
        >
        properties = <
            ["gen_child_closed_prop"] = (P_BMM_SINGLE_PROPERTY) <
                name = <"gen_child_closed_prop">
                type = <"String">
            >
        >
    >

>