Method, system and program for identifying a test specification for testing a file element

A system for implementing a file validator on a data processing system, the file validator for identifying a test specification to be used for testing validity of a file element associated with a file, the test specification being a member in one of a set of test specifications embedded in the file validator and a set of test specifications not embedded in the file validator, said system comprising:

• a selecting module for selecting the file element;
• a selector module for selecting a pointer associated with the selected file element;
• and
• a using module for using a pointer to select the test specification associated with the selected file element, the selected test specification being selectable from one of the set of test specifications embedded in the file validator and the set of test specifications not embedded in the file validator.

Computer readable code for implementing a file validator on a data processing system, the file validator for identifying a test specification to be used for testing validity of a file element associated with a file, the test specification being a member in one of a set of test specifications embedded in the file validator and a set of test specifications not embedded in the file validator, said computer readable code comprising:

• data processing system executable instructions for selecting the file element;
• data processing system executable instructions for selecting a pointer associated with the selected file element;
• and
• data processing system executable instructions for using a pointer to select the test specification associated with the selected file element, the selected test specification being selectable from one of the set of test specifications embedded in the file validator and the set of test specifications not embedded in the file validator.