CDISC Define.xml Guide

The define.xml is a great way to transfer metadata between organizations but like everything it needs to be handled with care.

One of the largest or most common misconceptions seems to be regarding the CDISC define.xml contents versus the presented view when opened in a browser with an applied stylesheet. The “I opened it, it looks fine and there were no validation findings, so it’s ok” mentality can miss a lot of genuine issues in the define.xml. This White Paper will provide you with key points on how to prevent your CDISC Define.xml code from common mistakes.

Key areas explored within this White Paper include:

• Define.xml – Content vs. Presentation
• Assumptions in the Stylesheet
• Adjusting the Stylesheet
• Simple Adjustment Examples
  • View more information
  • Display “hidden” metadata
  • Adjust the look
• More Complex Examples
  • Add additional hyperlinks
  • Showing Supplemental Qualifiers (VLM) as Keys
  • Optionally adding columns
  • Linking Supplemental Datasets with split Domains