Clarification on DataLink service descriptor input parameters

[Markus Demleitner]

Dear Apps,

On Wed, Oct 05, 2022 at 07:00:36PM +0000, Damian, Adrian wrote:
> <PARAM arraysize="2" datatype="double" name="BAND"
>            ucd="em.wl" unit="m" value=""
>            xtype="interval">
>       <DESCRIPTION>Spectral cutout interval</DESCRIPTION>
>       <VALUES>
>         <MIN value="3.52631986e-07"/>
>         <MAX value="9.21500998e-07"/>
>       </VALUES>
>  </PARAM>
> 
> The VOTable parser in astropy does not like the syntax - it
> expects, and I would say logically so, that MIN and MAX have the
> type of the BAND param, i.e. an interval. Is there a reason not to
> have the above MIN and MAX expressed as the maximum interval, i.e.
> <MAX value="3.52631986e-07 9.21500998e-07”/>?

As I said over on DAL: I think the content of (MIN/MAX)/@value needs
to be clarified in VOTable (and *perhaps* DALI), and that is not
entirely trivial.  I'd say a good way to tackle this would be to have
a side meeting on this during the upcoming Interop.  Alas, that would
need an organiser, and then perhaps an editor for the document change.

Are there any volunteers?

         -- Markus