EventDate
RIXML 2.5 Element
Event-specific date and time information using ISO 8601 format with Zulu time specification. Provides temporal context for various event-related milestones including start dates, registration deadlines, and expiration times.
Describes a date/time relevant to the event, and relative to the type attribute. It is expressed using ISO 8601 as refined by the World Wide Web Consortium's note http://www.w3.org/TR/NOTE-datetime. In addition, RIXML requires the use of Zulu time or Z-time (GMT +/- n hours:minute:seconds). All times are absolute and easier to compute, rather than using a relative (i.e. 08:30 +5) time.
Usage
Optional element within EventVenue requiring type attribute from EventDateTypeEnum to specify the temporal relationship to the event. Must use absolute time representation rather than relative time zones.
Business Context
Essential for event logistics and participant coordination. Supports automated event management systems and helps subscribers understand critical timing requirements for event participation.
Specification Guide
Overview
EventDate specifies a date and time that is relevant to a research-related event (such as a conference, roadshow, or company meeting), using ISO 8601 format with mandatory Zulu time notation. Each instance pairs a datetime value with a required type attribute (drawn from EventDateTypeEnum) that explains what the date represents — for example a start date, end date, or registration deadline. The element provides the precise temporal anchors needed to coordinate event scheduling and participant planning across global time zones (sources: data-dictionary-2.4 p.49, data-dictionary-2.5.1 p.51, user-guide-2.3.1 p.35).
Usage
EventDate appears inside the event-description structure and may be repeated to capture multiple temporal markers for the same event (start, end, registration deadline, expiration, etc.).
- In RIXML 2.x (2.1 through 2.5), EventDate is an optional child of EventVenue, with multiple occurrences allowed so that a single venue/event can carry several typed dates (sources: user-guide-2.1 p.34, user-guide-2.3 p.35, data-dictionary-2.4 p.49, data-dictionary-2.5.1 p.51).
- In the RIXML v3 draft, EventDate is restructured to sit inside an EventDateList container, where at least one EventDate is required and multiples are allowed [data-dictionary-v3-draft p.79].
The element's text content carries the datetime value; the type attribute (values from EventDateTypeEnum) classifies the date's role. All datetime values must be expressed as absolute Zulu time so that consumers do not need to reconcile local time zones.
Rules
- MUSTEventDate values must be expressed using ISO 8601 format (as refined by W3C) with Zulu time notation (GMT +/- hours:minutes:seconds), rather than as a relative time.[RIXML User Guide v2.1 p.34] [RIXML User Guide v2.3 p.35] [RIXML User Guide v2.3.1 p.35] [RIXML Research Data Dictionary v2.4 p.49] [RIXML Research Data Dictionary v2.5.1 p.51] [RIXML Research Suite Data Dictionary v3.0 (DRAFT) p.70]↗
- MUSTEach EventDate must carry a type attribute (from EventDateTypeEnum) that specifies the date's relevance to the event (for example start, end, or registration deadline).[RIXML User Guide v2.1 p.34] [RIXML User Guide v2.3 p.35] [RIXML Research Data Dictionary v2.4 p.49] [RIXML Research Data Dictionary v2.5.1 p.51] [RIXML Research Suite Data Dictionary v3.0 (DRAFT) p.79]↗
- MAYMultiple EventDate instances may be provided for the same event to capture different typed timestamps (e.g. start, end, and registration deadline).[RIXML Research Data Dictionary v2.4 p.49] [RIXML Research Data Dictionary v2.5.1 p.51] [RIXML User Guide v2.3.1 p.35] [RIXML Research Suite Data Dictionary v3.0 (DRAFT) p.79]↗
- SHOULDA proposal recorded for RIXML v3.0 would remove EventDetails and its sub-structure — including EventVenue, EventDate, EventHost and RegistrationInformation — from the schema, on the basis that these elements are not used by publishers or expected by research portals.[RIXML All-Member Meeting June 2023 p.33]↗
Relationships
- child-ofEventVenue — In RIXML 2.x, EventDate is an optional, repeatable child of EventVenue within the event description.
- constrained-byEventDateTypeEnum — The required type attribute draws its allowed values from EventDateTypeEnum, identifying what kind of date is being expressed (start, end, registration deadline, etc.).
- part-ofEventDetails — EventDate is part of the broader EventDetails sub-structure that describes a research-related event.
Where It Fits
Canonical Path
Definition
| Type | |
| Namespace | http://www.rixml.org/2017/9/RIXML |
| Min Occurs | 1 |
| Max Occurs | 1 |
| Content Model | Text content (string) |
Attributes
typeEventDateTypeEnum |
Describes the relevance of the date/time to the event. required |
Children
Contains text content (type: string)
This element's value is its text content. Attributes provide additional context.
Example
<EventDate type="Value">ABC-123</EventDate>Version History
Unchanged since introduction in RIXML 2.1
EventDate is present across RIXML 2.x with stable semantics: an optional, repeatable child of EventVenue carrying a typed datetime in ISO 8601 / Zulu time form (sources: user-guide-2.1 p.34, user-guide-2.3 p.35, user-guide-2.3.1 p.35, data-dictionary-2.4 p.49, data-dictionary-2.5.1 p.51).
In the v3.0 draft, the element is relocated into an EventDateList container and at least one EventDate is required within that list [data-dictionary-v3-draft p.79]. A separate v3.0 design discussion proposed removing the entire EventDetails sub-tree — including EventDate — on the grounds that it is unused by publishers and portals; this is a proposal rather than a finalised decision [meeting-2023-06 p.33]. Implementers targeting v3 should monitor whether the element is retained, restructured, or removed in the final release.