Depthtype
Depthtype is a theoretical data type used in information organization to encode the depth relationship of elements within a hierarchical or layered structure. It provides a single depth value that can be interpreted in different ways depending on the variant: metric, ordinal, or categorical. In a metric interpretation, depthtype represents actual depth units from a defined origin. In an ordinal interpretation, it encodes the rank order of depth without implying equal intervals. In a categorical interpretation, depth values map to predefined depth labels such as surface, mid, deeper.
In data models, depthtype is distinct from spatial coordinates; it is intended to facilitate ordering, filtering,
Applications of depthtype include organizing document outlines, managing scene graphs, cataloging hierarchical products, coordinating user interface
Implementation considerations: in typed programming languages depthtype may be modeled as an algebraic data type with
See also: depth map, scene graph, z-order, hierarchical modeling, ordinal type, categorical type.