Define "valid"

[jyasskin]

• https://w3c.github.io/vc-data-integrity/#retrieve-verification-method says "If controllerDocument is not a valid controller document, an error MUST be raised", but the link for "controller document" doesn't give an algorithm for determining whether a document is valid.
• It also says "If verificationMethod is not a valid verification method" without an algorithm for identifying valid verification methods.

[selfissued]

I suggest changing "If controllerDocument is not a valid controller document" to "If controllerDocument does not conform to the requirements defined by this specification".

Likewise, I suggest changing "If verificationMethod is not a valid verification method" to "If verificationMethod does not conform to the requirements defined by this specification".

[iherman]

The issue was discussed in a meeting on 2024-08-14

• no resolutions were taken

View the transcript

4.6. Define "valid" (issue controller-document#35)

See github issue controller-document#35.

Manu Sporny: https://w3c.github.io/controller-document/#conformance.

Manu Sporny: Right, agreed with what you said, Brent, I think we already have this in the spec. We have a conformance section -- talks about conforming document, processor, etc. There may be some detail that I'm missing in some comment.

Brent Zundel: Would the fix then just be to fix the data integrity language to say "conforming"?

Joe Andrieu: +1 to say "conforming".

Manu Sporny: Yes.
… I moved this over to the controller document spec because the retrieve verification method algorithm is now in the controller document spec. The change needs to be made there now.
… What we should do is say "If the verification method is not a conforming verification method..." that will make it clear.
… What Mike said in here is correct. We can make this more clear, it's an editorial change, I think it's ready for PR. We just need to link to the conforming statements and make this really clear.

Brent Zundel: This is another one that is editorial and it's clear what to do so if they can help out Manu, that would be great.

Will Abramson: I can do this one.

[msporny]

PR #44 has been merged, closing.