Information objects are application specific SGML strings representing semantic blocks of information. Part 41 defines a methodology for defining product data representations. There are several important conceptual points that need to be understood in association with the defining of compatible information structures. Text can be a representation of a product. A product can be defined using text-in the same manner as it can be defined using a geometric representation.
Text can be part of a product definition.
Text has inherent structure-similar to geometry or other representations. Similar to the inherent structures of geometry, text has inherent structures. For example, in Part 42 geometric constructs are defined using the traditional Euclidean geometry. A vector is defined with inherited geometric properties and a magnitude and direction. These topics have been brought up for discussion during the past meetings and have been tabled for future meetings.