Introduction
UDR is composed of a series of libraries, devices and systems. A library can be published by ESTA or a third party, and contains information that helps represent devices made by various manufacturers in a standard way.
UDR libraries, devices and systems are defined in UDR documents. UDR documents define an object model, similar to the Document Object Model used in web development. This object model can be translated to and from markup languages like XML or JSON for transmission and storage.
UDR devices and systems may additionally be generated by querying capabilities and information directly from devices.
Atomic Data Objects
Data Items
A data item is a single controllable and/or observable piece of data. This may be a simple value type such as an integer or string, or structured data. Data items standardize how data is interpreted, how data can be accessed, and any constraints on the value of data.
Data items can appear in two ways in a UDR document: as a class or as an instance. A data item class provides an abstract description of that data item which applies to all instances.
There are 3 flavors of data item: scalar, structured, and streaming structured. Each of these types carry different types of data:
A scalar item is a data item which represents a simple value type such as an integer or string.
A structured item is a data item which represents structured data.
A streaming structured item is a data item which represents structured data defining how other scalar and structured items might be streamed.
Bulk Items
A bulk item represents a URL of a file or other large binary object. The file at the URL may be a 3D model, an image, movie, firmware or other file associated with a device. Bulk items standardize how file data is interpreted, how data can be accessed, and any constraints on the file data.
Bulk items can appear in two ways in a UDR document: as a class or as an instance. A bulk item class provides an abstract description of that bulk item which applies to all instances.
Data Model Objects
Libraries
A UDR library consists of a collection of data item classes (scalar, structured, streaming structured), which may optionally be nested in categories. Examples of possible libraries are a collection of color control methods or a set of custom scalar items from a specific manufacturer in 2021.
Devices
Devices consist of a collection of data and bulk item instances, and represent some type of equipment that is configurable. The term “device class” in this standard is typically used to refer to a single model of equipment, and “device” refers to a single unit of that model.
Devices can appear in two ways in a UDR document: as a class or as an instance. A device class provides an abstract description of that device which applies to all instances.
Categories
Categories provide additional contextual information to defined data items. Categories are defined in supplementary documents using a hierarchy structure, allowing data items to adhere to as much or as little detail as desired.
Examples of possible categories are subtractive colors, additive colors or media objects.
Library Objects
While scalar items are simple value types, such as integers or strings, structured items contain structured data for the purpose of associating atomic data objects (data items, bulk items etc.) together.
These associations define relationships between objects which have been instantiated in a device class, and are used to provide additional context and meta-data to controllers and visualizers. Examples include modular hierarchy, signal path, physical models and linking gobo images with a particular wheel index.
These objects are defined in supplementary documents paired with libraries, each of which may be tailored for specific industry purposes.