Summary
Text format agreements between OSID Consumer and OSID Provider.
The Multi-Format OSID Provider
The interfaces optimize for OSID Consumers that support a single format without having to understand a Type agreement. Now we have an OSID Provider that supports multiple Format Types and there's no way to specify one in an admin session.
Assumption: The OSID Consumer must also understand how to deliver multiple Format Types or there is no reason to have an OSID Provider present multiple Format Types.
Solution 1
The OSID Provider can detect among the formats given to it. This works if the text formats are distinguishable.
Solution 2
The OSID Consumer specifies the format via the launch of the AdminSession using a proxy service.
Solution 3
Make a new Format Type.
Define an "any format type" with the following syntax:
nroff:.PPsee spot run.PP
The Type is an agreement between the OSID Consumer and the OSID Provider as to what is being passed.