MODCA
| Company type | Document standard |
|---|---|
| Industry | Information technology |
| Founder | IBM |
| Products | Compound document files including text, images, vector graphics, barcodes |
| Parent | IBM Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) |
MO:DCA (Mixed Object: Document Content Architecture) represents an IBM compound document standard designed to integrate diverse elements such as text, images, vector graphics, and barcodes within a single file. The term 'Mixed Object' highlights the capability of MO:DCA files to include various object types, facilitating flexible document assembly. Barcode creation involves inputting digit sequences along with control codes that specify the barcode format, which can then be produced via output devices or software-based rendering.
Overview
MO:DCA encompasses Revisable Documents (which allow text editing), Presentation Documents (intended for final formatted output), and Resource Documents (containing control information like fonts). Within an MO:DCA file, independent entities—including documents, pages, data objects, and resources such as fonts and ICC profiles—are arranged in a linear hierarchy. These objects are encapsulated by begin/end markers; presentation settings and resource dependencies are specified within "environment groups." The sequential arrangement of pages permits rendering processes to commence as soon as the initial page is received.
Distinct object types are governed by Object Content Architectures (OCAs): PTOCA manages formatted presentation text, GOCA handles vector graphics, IOCA covers bitmapped images, FOCA deals with fonts, and BCOCA addresses barcodes. MO:DCA is integrated into IBM's Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) page description language framework.
Applications leveraging MO:DCA include IBM’s eViewer, IBM DisplayWrite, and devices compatible with AFP printers.
Encoding
MO:DCA-P encapsulates data objects comprising text, images, and graphics, utilizing a combination of binary and character encoding. Base64 is the preferred method for content transfer encoding.
Security
MO:DCA-P defines final-form presentation content primarily for images. It is not a programming language, lacks file operation commands, and therefore poses no risk to the recipient's file system or operating environment. Both MO:DCA and Mixed Object Document Content Architecture are registered trademarks of IBM.
Interoperability
To guarantee compatibility across systems, MO:DCA-P specifies interchange sets currently including Interchange Set 1 (IS/1) and Interchange Set 2 (IS/2).