MDDF Validator

The MMDF Validator will check the validity of Avails, Cross-Platform Extras (CPE-Manifest), Media Manifest , Media Manifest Core, Common Metadata, and Media Entertainment Core (MEC) for schema compliance (XSD); spec compliance; and, as applicable, profiles and best practices. The users select the specific specifications, profiles and best practices and the Validator lists errors (violations of normative requirements) and warnings (values and constructs that seem out of bounds). Coming soon: Asset Ordering and Delivery, and Media Delivery Core (MDC).

Starting with version 1.5, the validator for Avails and validator for Metadata and Manifest functions are combined into the MDDF Validator.

ReleaseS

Current Release

Version 1.8, February 28, 2020

This release of the desktop Validation tool has been upgraded to use the latest mddf-lib release. The focus of this release has been updates to support the latest versions of the MDDF specifications and the content ratings database (Common Ratings). Specific changes are:

  • Enhancement: added support for Manifest v1.9, Avails v2.5/v1.9, MDMEC v2.8, and CM v2.8
  • Enhancement: added support for validating Offer Status files (part of Avails, Title List and Offer Status).
  • Enhancement: updated Ratings DB to v2.4
  • User Interface: Avails VersionChooser dialog now displays file name
  • Bug Fix: Ingest of XLSX Avails incorrectly identified AvailType when WorkType=Collection
  • Bug Fix: Ingest of XLSX Avails failed due of typo in code identifying file type
  • Bug Fix: Setting LOG-LEVEL to 'Debug' threw NullPtrException during initialization [NOTE: bug introduced in v1.7]
  • Bug Fix: Ingest of Avails in XLSX dropped any term added from Avail v1.7.3 on (e.g. Download, Bonus) [Note: Fixes bug introduced in v1.6]

Online Validator

Release History

Release history can be found here.

Coverage

Version 1.8 supports the following versions of MDDF specifications:

  • Avails
    • Validates XML v2.1, v2.2, v 2.3 and v2.4, v2.5
    • Validates Excel v1.6, v1.7, v1.7.2, v1.7.3, v.1.8, v1.9
    • Translates between Excel v1.7, v1.7.2, v1.7.3, 1.7.4, 1.8 and 1.9 to XML v2.2, v2.3,, v2.4 and v2.5. Also translates from Excel v1.6. Note that translation from XML to Excel will remove (with warning) objects not supported in Excel.
  • Common Metadata: v2.4 - v2.8
  • Media Entertainment Core (MEC): v2.4 - 2.8
  • Media Manifest: v1.5 - v1.9
  • Media Manifest Core (MMC): v1.0, v2.0
  • Asset Ordering and Delivery: v1.0
  • Media Delivery Core (MDF): v1.0
  • CPE-Manifest Profiles: IP-1, IP-01 (against any applicable version of Media Manifest and Common Metadata)

Source Code

Manifest Validator is part of MovieLabs Data Distribution Framework (MDDF). The MDDF Library and Tools is available on GitHub here: https://github.com/MovieLabs/mddf

Functionality

The Validator is intended to ensure failers are compliant with all applicable specifications relating to a specific defined use (i.e., delivery, interactivity, etc). Some validation is general (e.g., schema validation) and some validation is specific to a given use.

Scope

Validation of conformance with all constraints and requirements specified in the applicable specifications. When validating a manifest with this tool, the user may select what level of validation checks will be applied.

  • Schema: Validation of compliance with the schema (i.e., does the XML comply with the schema XSD).
  • Controlled Vocabulary: Where controlled vocabulary is not defined in the schema, the Validator will ensure correct terms are used. In areas where controlled vocabular exists but is not strictly enforced, warnings will be issued for nonstandard vocabulary.
  • Consistency: This includes checking the internal consistency of the manifest to verify that all internal references are valid (e.g., if a PictureGroupID is referenced by an Experience then a PictureGroup with that ID value is also defined).

Some use cases contain constraints specific to particular partners but are not part of the specifications. These are not checked by the Validator. Some examples are as follows:

  • The Validator does not check that the correct media is referenced. For exampel, checks that a given audio or video track is what it supposed to be is outside the scope of the Validator.
  • The Validator does not check that URLs to external links are valid.
  • The Validator does not check limits specific to a particular business, unless those limits are included in the general specifications.

Avails Validation

Compliance with the following is determined

Common Metadata and Media Manifest Validation

As of Version 1.1, validation for Media Manifest Core is supported.

Compliance with the following is determined

CPE-Manifest Validation

This function is used when a Manifest is created for Cross Platform Extras. When selecting an Interactivity Profile (e.g., IP1), the Validator will determine if the file is compliant with the constraints of that Profile.

Compliance with the following is determined