# Standards and output profiles

**The supplied materials do not identify one unambiguous standards baseline.** The draft repeatedly references Z39.86-2002, while the supplied ANSI/NISO attachment is the 2005 edition reaffirmed in 2012. Record and resolve this conflict before building an exporter.

## Editions in the source package

| Source | Identified edition | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Draft SOW | ANSI/NISO Z39.86-2002; applicable NLS specifications, with current-version language | Starting statement of requested work; request an explicit precedence ruling. |
| [J1 construction specification](https://sam.gov/api/prod/opps/v3/opportunities/resources/files/158655a84f024ae591f1b98e591bd801/download#page=1) | NLS 1203:2018, version 1.3, January 2019 | Attached construction rules, including legacy limits and exact file behavior. |
| [J2 ANSI/NISO standard](https://sam.gov/api/prod/opps/v3/opportunities/resources/files/f14f0acd77f64c29ad4d40567abbfab1/download#page=1) | Z39.86-2005, reaffirmed 2012 | Useful DTB specification, but not interchangeable with the 2002 baseline. |
| [J3 navigation instructions](https://sam.gov/api/prod/opps/v3/opportunities/resources/files/48b52294c2f44f0780f220a9eff56cbd/download#page=1) | QA201801, December 2018 | Rules for interpreting and marking book structure. |
| [Public NLS construction page](https://www.loc.gov/nls/who-we-are/guidelines-and-specifications/contract-specifications/digital-talking-book-requirements/) | 1203:2025 at review | Comparison reference; not an automatic replacement for J1. |

The public 1203:2025 specification still references the 2002 standard and removes the older 250-file limit. The attached edition and the public edition therefore need separate profiles until NLS confirms which applies. [Public construction specification](https://www.loc.gov/nls/who-we-are/guidelines-and-specifications/contract-specifications/digital-talking-book-requirements/).

## Why the edition changes code

An edition can change element names, allowed structures, metadata, counts, or validation behavior. For example, the 2005 NCX has `pageList` and `pageTarget`; the 2002 standard uses `navList` and `navTarget` for page navigation. A generic DAISY exporter can produce valid output for its own target and still miss the required NLS target. Compare [the 2002 standard](https://www.daisy.org/z3986/specifications/Z39-86-2002.html) with the [attached 2005 standard](https://sam.gov/api/prod/opps/v3/opportunities/resources/files/f14f0acd77f64c29ad4d40567abbfab1/download).

The SOW's reference to multiple multimedia types also needs clarification against J1's `audioNCX` metadata requirement (§5.3). The proposal is to deliver the approved audio-and-navigation profile first while preserving internal text structure for possible future outputs.

## Proposed versioned profile

Treat an output profile as configuration with an immutable version, not scattered constants throughout the code. It should identify:

- Governing standards and exact schema/DTD/entity files, with hashes.
- Required metadata, navigation classes, announcements, and supported multimedia types.
- Master-audio and compressed-audio parameters, timing rules, and container constraints.
- File names, file-size/count limits, checksum format, protection rules, and ZIP behavior.
- Approved validator versions and target playback systems.
- Documented NLS clarifications or authorized deviations, including their scope.

Every build records its profile ID. A change in profile creates a new build lineage so that later reviewers can explain why two otherwise similar books differ.

## A profile selection process

1. Send NLS a short matrix of conflicting requirements, with source sections.
2. Ask for written confirmation of editions, precedence, output types, and supplied tools.
3. Turn the approved rules into a machine-readable profile and human-readable checklist.
4. Compile a small reference book and test it with the approved tools and players.
5. Freeze that profile for the pilot; handle later amendments as explicit version changes.

These are proposed implementation steps. The wiki does not establish legal or contractual precedence between conflicting documents.

## Current references are separate from the baseline

The public [mastering](https://www.loc.gov/nls/who-we-are/guidelines-and-specifications/contract-specifications/audiobook-mastering/), [protection](https://www.loc.gov/nls/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/1205_Final_nov15_1_07.pdf), and [delivery](https://www.loc.gov/nls/who-we-are/guidelines-and-specifications/contract-specifications/dtb-delivery-requirements/) pages should be checked alongside the approved profile. Preserve dated copies or hashes when implementation begins; a live link may change after this wiki is written.