The 900000000000456007 | reference set descriptor reference set| is a reference set used to specify the format of all reference sets included in a release. The data type and meaning of the referenced component and each additional field within each reference set is described by this reference set. More specifically, the reference set descriptor is used to define:
- The order of appearance of additional attributes (other than those mandatory for all reference sets). The AttributeOrder attribute
- The name and purpose of the additional attributes. The attributeDescription attribute
- The data types for the additional attributes. The attributeType attribute
The table below shows an excerpt from the Reference Set Descriptor, to illustrate how the attributes of the predefined reference set types are specified consistently.
... | referencedComponentId | referencedComponentId_term | attributeDescription | attributeDescription_term | attributeType | attributeType_term | attributeOrder |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
446609009 | Simple type reference set | 449608002 | Referenced component | 900000000000461000 | Concept type component | 0 | |
447258008 | Ordered type reference set | 449608002 | Referenced component | 900000000000460000 | Component type | 0 | |
447258008 | Ordered type reference set | 447255006 | Priority order reference set attribute | 900000000000478000 | Unsigned integer | 1 | |
447258008 | Ordered type reference set | 447257003 | "Linked to" reference set attribute | 900000000000460000 | Component type | 2 | |
900000000000480006 | Attribute value type | 449608002 | Referenced component | 900000000000460000 | Component type | 0 | |
900000000000480006 | Attribute value type | 900000000000491004 | Attribute value | 900000000000461000 | Concept type component | 1 | |
900000000000496009 | Simple map | 900000000000500006 | Map source concept | 900000000000461000 | Concept type component | 0 | |
900000000000496009 | Simple map | 900000000000499002 | Scheme value | 900000000000465000 | String | 1 | |
900000000000506000 | Language type | 900000000000510002 | Description in dialect | 900000000000462000 | Description type component | 0 | |
900000000000506000 | Language type | 900000000000511003 | Acceptability | 900000000000461000 | Concept type component | 1 | |
900000000000512005 | Query specification type reference set | 900000000000514006 | Generated reference set | 900000000000461000 | Concept type component | 0 | |
900000000000512005 | Query specification type reference set | 900000000000515007 | Query | 900000000000465000 | String | 1 | |
900000000000516008 | Annotation type | 900000000000518009 | Annotated component | 900000000000461000 | Concept type component | 0 | |
900000000000516008 | Annotation type | 900000000000519001 | Annotation | 900000000000465000 | String | 1 | |
900000000000521006 | Association type | 900000000000532006 | Association source component | 900000000000460000 | Component type | 0 | |
900000000000521006 | Association type | 900000000000533001 | Association target component | 900000000000460000 | Component type | 1 |
Specializing a Descriptor Template
When a new reference set is created in an extension, it must (by default) conform to the reference set descriptors of its closest supertype (if one exists). Creation of a description template for a new reference set is optional in an extension, if the reference set has a supertype which itself has a descriptor template.
However, it is possible for a reference set to specialize the descriptor template of its supertype, by creating a copy and replacing the 900000000000458008 | Attribute description| or 900000000000459000 | Attribute type| values with a subtype.
For example, if a reference set has a descriptor, in which the 900000000000458008 | Attribute description| = 449608002 | Referenced component| and the 900000000000459000 | Attribute type| = 900000000000460005 | Component type| , then the reference set's subtype may replace this descriptor with one in which the 900000000000458008 | Attribute description| = 900000000000460005 | Component type| and the 900000000000459000 | Attribute type| = 900000000000461009 | Concept type component| (since 900000000000461009 | Concept type component| is a subtype of 900000000000460005 | Component type| ). In this way, the reference set descriptors may be specialized for use by the subtypes of the reference set.
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