Flat File 3c3p6n

Title Page

Developer

Version 7.1

Flat File Schema Developer’s Guide

Copyright & Docu‐ ment ID

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Document ID: DEV-FFS-DG-71-20070831

Contents

Contents About This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Document Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 1. Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What Is a Flat File? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What Types of Flat Files Does webMethods ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What Is a Flat File Schema? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What Type of Flat File Constraints Can You Define? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How Is a Flat File Schema Used to Parse Records? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Record Parsers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Record Identifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Extractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Undefined Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Default Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What Is a Flat File Dictionary? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . When Should I Create a Flat File Dictionary? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What Is the Flat File Schema Editor? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flat File Structure Tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 2. Processing Flat Files Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Formatting Inbound and Outbound Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Processing Inbound Flat Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Create Appropriate Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: Receive the Flat File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 3: Parse, Convert, and Validate Flat File Data to an IS Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 4: Process the IS Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mapping Flat File Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Handling Large Flat Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Processing Outbound Flat Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Create Appropriate Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: Convert the IS Document to a Flat File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 3: Send/Process the Flat File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Flat File Schema Developer’s Guide Version 7.1

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Contents

Chapter 3. Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Add and Configure the Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: Specify Flat File Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Floating Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Examples: Parsing Inbound Floating Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Examples: Parsing Outbound Floating Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 3: Define the Structure of the Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flat File Schema Property Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Extractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Validators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conditional Validators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Field Validators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Length Validator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Code List Validator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Byte Count Validator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Format Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Format Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Working with Format Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Disabling Format Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Dictionary Dependencies on Format Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying Element Descriptions and Alternate Names in the Flow Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 4: Test the Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Flat File Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editing a Flat File Schema or Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Flat File Dictionary Dependencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting Access Permissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customizing the Flat File Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 4. Sending and Receiving Flat Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flat File Content Handler and Content Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Choosing the Service to Receive the Flat File from the Content Handler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server in a String Variable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via HTTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Building a Client that Posts a Flat File to a Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via FTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FTPing a File From a webMethods Integration Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Getting Results from an FTP’d Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


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Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via File Polling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via an E–mail Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Requirements for Submitting a Flat File Document via an E-mail Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Getting Results from an Emailed Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 5. WmFlatFile Built–in Services Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flat File Conversion Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile:FormatService . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile:convertToString . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile:convertToValues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile:getedEncodings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flat File Generation Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:createDocumentType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:createFFDictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionaryEntry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFSchema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:findDependants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:findReferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:getFFDictionaryAsXML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:getFFDictionaryEntryAsXML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:getFFSchemaAsXML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:listFFDictionaryEntries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLAsFFDictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLASFFSchema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:updateFFDictionaryEntryFromXML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flat File Generation IS Document Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flat File Generation Sample Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:delimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:fixedLength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Appendix A. Validation Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Validation Error Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General Error Entries in the errors Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Entries for Conditional Validator Errors in errorDetails Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Validation Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


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Appendix B. Flat File Byte Count Parser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Handling Partial Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reading Partial Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Writing Partial Character Encodings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stateful Encodings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Writing Stateful Encodings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

124 124 125 126 127 127

Appendix C. Programmatically Creating Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries . . . . . . . . . 129 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Flat File Dictionary Entries, Dictionaries, and Schemas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating Flat File Dictionary Entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating an Entire Flat File Dictionary with Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating an Empty Flat File Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying Flat File Dictionary Entries, Dictionaries, and Schemas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying an Existing Flat File Dictionary Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying an Existing Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deleting Flat File Dictionary Entries, Dictionaries, and Schemas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sample Flow Services for Working with XML Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a Service that Retrieves the XML File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Retrieving Namespace Data to Write to an XML File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

130 130 131 132 133 133 134 134 138 140 140 140 141

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143


6

About This Guide

About This Guide

The webMethods Integration Server provides the WmFlatFile package to enable you to exchange and process flat files using its built–in services. This guide is for s who want to use webMethods Developer to create flat file schemas and dictionaries to parse and validate inbound flat files and produce outbound flat files. To use this guide effectively, you should be familiar the basic concepts described in the webMethods Integration Server ’s Guide and the webMethods Developer ’s Guide.

Document Conventions Convention

Description

Bold

Identifies elements on a screen.

Italic

Identifies variable information that you must supply or change based on your specific situation or environment. Identifies  the first time they are defined in text. Also identifies service input and output variables.

Narrow font

Identifies storage locations for services on the webMethods Integration Server using the convention folder.subfolder:service.

Typewriter font

Identifies characters and values that you must type exactly or messages that the system displays on the console.

UPPERCASE

Identifies keyboard keys. Keys that you must press simultaneously are ed with the “+” symbol.

\

Directory paths use the “\” directory delimiter unless the subject is UNIX‐specific.

[ ]

Optional keywords or values are enclosed in [ ]. Do not type the [ ] symbols in your own code.


7

About This Guide

Additional Information The webMethods Advantage Web site at http://advantage.webmethods.com provides you with important sources of information about webMethods products: Troubleshooting Information. The webMethods Knowledge Base provides troubleshooting information for many webMethods products. Documentation . To provide  on webMethods documentation,  go to the Documentation  Form on the webMethods Bookshelf. Additional Documentation. Starting with 7.0, you have the option of ing the documentation during product installation to a single directory called “_documentation,” located by default under webMethods installation directory. In addition, you can find documentation for all webMethods products on the webMethods Bookshelf.


8

Chapter 1. Concepts

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 What Is a Flat File? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 What Is a Flat File Schema? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 What Type of Flat File Constraints Can You Define? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 How Is a Flat File Schema Used to Parse Records? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 What Is a Flat File Dictionary? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 When Should I Create a Flat File Dictionary? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 What Is the Flat File Schema Editor? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19


9

1. Concepts

Overview The webMethods Flat File package (WmFlatFile) is a set of services that enables you to translate documents into and from flat file formats. To set up the translation, you use a flat file schema to define how to identify individual records within a flat file and what data is contained in each of those records.

What Is a Flat File? When different applications attempt to communicate with one another, they may not speak the same “language.” Flat files enable you to send data to any application in a mutually agreed upon format so that the data in the files can be read and processed. Flat files present complex hierarchical data in a record–based storage format, which unlike XML does not embed structural information (metadata) within the data. In other words, the metadata of a flat file is separated from the data and contained in a flat file schema. A single logical record of application data is externalized as a set of records without any structural information. Therefore, the application receiving the flat file must have knowledge of the structure of the flat file, through the flat file schema, to read the flat file. This structural information identifies the parent–child relationships between different records in the flat file. The actual data has been “flattened” by removing this hierarchical relationship. By nesting records in the flat file schema (adding a record to a record) you can represent the hierarchical structure of the data in the flat file schema. All flat files consist of a list of records containing fields and composites: Fields are atomic pieces of data (for example, postal code). Composites contain multiple fields (for example, ID and ID qualifier, Date and time). The fields within a composite are referred to as subfields. A composite definition contains the same information as a record definition, except that composites are not allowed inside composites. Records (also known as segments) are sequences of fields and/or composites. For example, the following flat file data and its list of delimiters enables you to see how elements (records, composites, and fields) within a flat file can be identified. Field

record delimiter = !

Rec1*C1Field1+C1Field2*FieldA*C2Field1+C2Field2!

field delimiter = * subfield delimiter = +

Composite

Composite Record

To communicate using flat files, s must create a flat file schema that contains a particular flat file’s structural information, including how to identify records and separate those records into fields. This enables receivers of flat file documents to parse and validate


10

1. Concepts

inbound flat files for use by their back–end systems, and senders of documents to convert outbound documents to flat file format for delivery to another back–end system.

What Types of Flat Files Does webMethods ? The WmFlatFile package can exchange all types of flat files but can process only certain types of flat files. The WmFlatFile package can process flat files in which: The records in the flat file are defined using one of the following methods: Delimiters. Each record in the flat file is separated by a delimiter. Fixed length. Each record is a fixed number of bytes (for example, mainframe punch or print records). Variable length. Each record is preceded by two bytes that indicate the length of the record. Records in the flat file can have different lengths. Each distinct record structure has a record identifier, or if no record identifier is present, the record must be parsed using a default record definition. For more information about default records, see “Default Records” on page 18. If the flat file contains record identifiers, the record identifiers must be located in the same location in all records in the file. The WmFlatFile package then can identify fields in these records based on either: Delimiters. Each field is separated by a delimiter, and the Nth delimited field is identified in the record. This can be used only when a field delimiter (and, if necessary, subfield delimiter) has been specified. Byte position. Each field is defined by 1) the number of bytes from the beginning of the record and 2) the field length. This can be used regardless of whether a field delimiter has been specified. To parse a flat file that does not conform to these restrictions, you can create a custom service using webMethods Developer. For more information, see the webMethods Developer ’s Guide.


11

1. Concepts

What Is a Flat File Schema? A flat file schema is the blueprint that contains the instructions for parsing or creating a flat file and is created as a namespace element in the webMethods Integration Server. This blueprint details the structure of the document, including delimiters, records, and repeated record structures. A flat file schema also acts as the model against which you can validate an inbound flat file. A flat file schema consists of hierarchical elements that represent each record, field, and subfield in a flat file. Each element is a record, composite, or field, and either a definition or reference. You then configure each element with the necessary constraints. For instructions to create a flat file schema, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries”, in this guide.

What Type of Flat File Constraints Can You Define? Flat file schemas contain information about the document, record, and field levels of flat files. A flat file schema can define three types of constraints: Structural constraints describe the sequence of records, composites, and fields in a flat file. For example, a flat file schema might describe an address record that consists of a Street Address field, followed by a City field, State field, and ZIP Code field. You define structural constraints for each parent element in the flat file schema. Content type constraints describe the possible values or minimum/maximum values for elements in a flat file. For example, the State field might have a content constraint specifying that its value must be exactly two digits. These types of constraints are referred to as validators. In flat file dictionaries, you can define validators only for parent records. Conditional constraints describe the valid combinations of fields and subfields allowed in records and composites. For example, you can use the Required (R) conditional validator to require that at least one of the specified fields be present. During data validation, the validation engine in the WmFlatFile package compares the records, composites, and fields in a flat file with the constraints described for those records and fields in the flat file schema. An inbound flat file is considered valid when it complies with the constraints outlined in its related flat file schema. For more information about setting flat file schema constraints, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries” in this guide. For more information about data validation, see Appendix A, “Validation Errors” in this guide.


12

1. Concepts

The following table identifies the types of flat file schema constraints you can set for the document, record, and field levels. Level

Constraint

Document

How the records are parsed What records can appear in the document Whether the records are record definitions or record references The order in which the records can appear Whether a record is mandatory or optional Whether a record can repeat, and if so, how many times

Record/ Composite

How fields and composites are extracted from a record Delimited field. Extracts the Nth delimited field from the record. This can be used only when a field delimiter has been specified. Fields within a character–delimited composite are separated by a subfield delimiter. Positional field. Each field is defined by an offset from the beginning of the record and length. This can be used regardless of whether a field delimiter has been specified. Whether a field or composite is mandatory or optional How to conditionally validate each field

Field

Minimum and maximum field lengths List of valid values Range of valid values Partition of valid values

Important! All lengths and positions specified in a flat file schema refer to byte lengths and positions, not character lengths and positions. This is important to note because the byte count can differ from the character count for encodings that have multi–byte characters.


13

1. Concepts

How Is a Flat File Schema Used to Parse Records? The WmFlatFile package provides the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service, which uses a flat file schema to parse flat files inbound to the Integration Server. The convertToValues service uses a record parser (Delimited, Fixed Length, or Variable Length) to parse the records in a flat file. After each record in a flat file has been parsed, each record must be identified. This is done using the record identifier. Identifying the record provides the definition of that record, as defined in the flat file schema using the Flat File Schema Editor. The field values then are pulled from the record using the extractors defined in the flat file schema. If the record cannot be identified (known as undefined data) and you have selected a default record, the field values are extracted from the record using the definition of the default record. If the record cannot be identified and you have not selected a default record, the field values are not extracted from the record. You also can format flat file data to meet the requirements of your back–end system or application using the Format Service property on the Flat File Structure tab of the Flat File Schema Editor. For information about how to specify field format services, see “Format Services” on page 66. Finally, the parsed record is placed in the output data based on the structure defined in the flat file schema. This process is repeated until all records in the flat file have been parsed.

Record Parsers A record parser breaks a flat file into individual records. In the WmFlatFile package, you can choose from one of its four record parsers: Delimited Record Parser. This parser expects a specific delimiter to indicate the end of a record. For a record delimiter, you can specify: A character (for example, !) or character representation (for example, \r\n for carriage return) Hexidecimal value (for example, 0X09) Octal value (for example, 009) Unicode characters (for example, \uXXXX, where XXXX represents the unicode value of the character) The occurrence of the record delimiter signals the end of one record and the beginning of the next record.


14

1. Concepts

Fixed Length Record Parser. This parser splits a file into records of the same pre‐specified length. Note: This parser measures the lengths and positions of records in  of bytes, rather than characters. Prior to 6.5, Service Pack 2, the parser measured lengths and positions in  of characters. This change does not affect s who currently parse/compose flat files using single‐byte encodings because one byte equals one character. In this case, there is no functional difference between specifying bytes or characters. The parser s both single‐byte and multi‐byte encodings. Multi‐byte encoded files must run on JVM version 1.4 or later. (The behavior of delimited fields and records remain the same.) For details, see Appendix B, “Flat File Byte Count Parser”. Variable Length Record Parser. This parser expects each record to be preceded by two bytes that indicate the length of the record. Each record may be a different length. EDI Document Type Record Parser. This parser is used only for EDI flat files and provides additional functionality needed to properly parse EDI documents. Documents using this record parser should be created using the webMethods EDI Module, not the WmFlatFile package. For more information, see the webMethods EDI Module ’s Guide.

Record Identifiers A record identifier looks at a record and extracts an identifier out of the data. The WmFlatFile package uses that identifier to connect the record definition in a flat file schema with a particular record in the flat file. The name of the record definition must match the value obtained by the record identifier. In the WmFlatFile package, you can choose from one of two methods of record identification: Starts at position record identifiers compare the value that occurs in the record, at the specified offset, to all the record names defined in the flat file schema. Note that the Starts at position identifier cannot distinguish between all types of record names. For example, if you name records “Rec1” and “Rec,” some instances of “Rec1” may be identified as “Rec,” because “Rec1” begins with “Rec.” Nth Field record identifiers use the value of the specified field as the record identifier. These identifiers count from zero (0). For example, if 2 is specified, the third field is used as the record identifier. The WmFlatFile package does not perform any kind of normalization on input provided in the flat file schema or when comparing or processing values retrieved from a file. You must enter carefully the exact Unicode character values you want to search for in an instance of the flat file you are describing. For example, you should differentiate wide (sometimes called multi–byte or zenkaku) characters from their narrow (or single–byte) equivalents when processing Asian characters. Another example is the use of Unicode


15

1. Concepts

combining and pre–composed sequences. In all cases, fields are matched using a strict binary comparison of Unicode character values in the separate fields. You also should exercise care when selecting the encoding of the file being processed. Some encodings are very similar to one another. For example, the Shift–JIS and MS932 encodings commonly used with Japanese language text are very similar, but they map some characters differently. This can result in the WmFlatFile package not finding a match where you otherwise would expect one to exist.

Extractors Extractors take data out of a parsed record and place it in the output of the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service. If extractors are not defined in the flat file schema, the parser returns a series of records that contain no fields or composites. Fields and composites are extracted from a record based on the position of the field delimiter. From the beginning of the record to the first field delimiter is the first field in the record. From the first field delimiter to the second field delimiter is the second field in the record, and so on. Everything from the last field delimiter to the record delimiter (the end of the record) is considered part of the final field. Note: Although fixed length and variable length record parsers do not use record delimiters, they can have field delimiters. Fields also can be extracted from a record based on a substring of the original record starting at a particular byte count and ending at a particular byte count. The  specifies the start of the field by specifying the number of bytes from the beginning of the record to the start of the field and specifying the number of bytes from the beginning of the record to the end of the field. If a value is a composite, it is simply a field that can be further parsed into more fields. Instead of a field delimiter, a subfield delimiter is used to separate a composite into fields. Fields are extracted from a composite based on either the position of the subfield delimiter in the composite or on a substring of the composite.  that all positions used in extracting fields from a composite are referenced from the beginning of the composite, not the start of the record.

Undefined Data In some cases, the data resulting from the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service might contain records that were not recognized, known as undefined data. This could be a result of the complexity of the flat file, or of the lack of detail in the flat file schema (such as no record identifier). When the convertToValues service processes an unrecognized record, it puts a


16

1. Concepts

placeholder named unDefData in the resulting IS document (IData object) and stores the record as a string in the pipeline. Note: If the file is encoded using a multi‐byte encoding, and if you use a fixed length or variable length parser, the service puts two placeholders into the pipeline: unDefData and unDefBytes. You can select a default record when creating a flat file schema. Any record that cannot be recognized will be parsed using this default record. If a default record is not selected, unrecognized records will be placed into the output IS document with the undefined data tag, which might produce errors. Note: If your flat file does not contain record identifiers, you must select a default record. By selecting a default record, a CSV (comma separated values) file can be parsed as a special case of record with no record identifier, but with fixed field and record delimiters. For some types of documents, undefined data should not be allowed in the document and if encountered should generate validation errors in the output. In other cases, undefined data is expected and should not generate validation errors. In still other cases, all unidentified records should be parsed using a default record definition, as described in “Default Records” on page 18. You can choose whether you want errors to be generated for a flat file schema when undefined data is encountered. You do so using a combination of two fields: The Allow Undefined Data check box on the Settings tab The Allow Undefined Data check box for each record in the flat file schema on the Flat File Structure tab When the Allow Undefined Data check box on the Settings tab is selected, which it is not the default, and the Allow Undefined Data check box for a particular record is selected, no errors will be generated if the record contains undefined data. If either the Allow Undefined Data check box on the Settings tab or the Allow Undefined Data check box for a particular record is cleared, errors will be generated if the record contains undefined data. Working with undefined data involves three steps: 1

Configuring the flat file schema and record–level Allow Undefined Data settings.

2

Ignoring undefined data, OR parsing the undefined data in each record based on the document structure.

3

Writing logic to handle the parsed data, such as logic to map the parsed data to another service or perform error handling.


17

1. Concepts

Default Records If the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service cannot recognize a record (for example, the record does not have a record identifier), the record will be treated as undefined data unless you specify a default record definition to be used to parse all unrecognized records of a particular type. In fact, if your flat file schema does not contain any record identifiers, you must specify a default record. A default record can only be defined in a flat file dictionary. For example, if you have a CSV (comma separated values) flat file that simply lists the name, address, and phone number of a group of customers, none of the records would have a record identifier: John Doe, 123 Main St Washington DC, 888–555–1111; Jane Smith, 321 Oak Dr Memphis TN, 800–555–2222;

If you specified a default record definition to parse this particular type of record, the file can be properly parsed and converted to an IS document (IData object) of the name recordWithNoID. By default, each recordWithNoID record appears as a child of the record above it, in an array. To modify this default behavior, see “Customizing the Flat File Configuration Settings” on page 74. If a default record has not been specified, the record will be treated as undefined data, as described in “Undefined Data” on page 16.

What Is a Flat File Dictionary? A flat file schema can contain either record definitions or references to record definitions that are stored elsewhere in the namespace in a flat file dictionary. A flat file dictionary is simply a repository for elements that you reference from flat file schemas. This allows you to create record definitions in a dictionary that can be used across multiple flat file schemas. Reusing record definitions reduces the amount of memory consumed by a flat file schema. Flat file dictionaries are created as namespace elements in the Integration Server and contain definitions of records, composites, and fields. When you change a definition in a flat file dictionary that is referenced in multiple flat file schemas, the element definition is updated automatically in all of the flat file schemas. Note: You can reference a flat file dictionary definition in any flat file schema regardless of whether the dictionary and schema are located in the same package. When creating an element definition in a flat file dictionary, you specify only certain properties. You then specify the remaining properties in the instance of the element definition in a particular flat file schema.


18

1. Concepts

When Should I Create a Flat File Dictionary? The decision to define records in a flat file dictionary versus in a flat file schema depends on the type of flat files that you intend to parse. The Electronic Document Interchange (EDI) ANSI X12 standard defines a large set of document structures that reuse the same record, field, and composite definitions many times. Defining these records, fields, and composites in a dictionary allows for them to be reused throughout the entire set of EDI ANSI X12 document flat file schemas. Reusing definitions reduces the amount of memory consumed by the webMethods Integration Server. EDI ANSI X12 also has different versions of these documents (for example, 4010). Each version of the document set should have its own dictionary. In this way, you can be certain that changes to a record, field, or composite between versions are maintained. A more complex scenario would involve multiple families of documents and multiple versions of those families. An example of this is EDI ANSI X12 and UN/EDIFACT documents. One dictionary should be created for each version of EDI ANSI X12 documents and one dictionary should be created for each version of EDI UN/EDIFACT documents. A separate dictionary would not be required for each flat file schema in the same version. All flat file schemas in one version of the same family should use the same dictionary. In a scenario in which you intend to parse only one flat file, or flat files that do not share record, composite, or field definitions, you can define these elements directly in the flat file schema. This allows for the entire document to be edited in a single view, without referencing a flat file dictionary. If a clear choice does not exist between these two scenarios, the best approach is to create the definitions in the flat file dictionary and reference them in a flat file schema. The definitions then can be reused at a later time.

What Is the Flat File Schema Editor? When you select a flat file schema or dictionary from the Navigation  of webMethods Developer, Developer displays the contents of the flat file schema or dictionary in the Flat File Schema Editor.


19

1. Concepts

Identifying Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries Name of Flat File Schema

Navigation

Flat File Schema Editor

The following table identifies the symbols for flat file schemas and dictionaries in the Navigation  of webMethods Developer. Symbol

Description Flat File Schema. Identifies a flat file schema in the Navigation . Flat File Dictionary. Identifies a flat file dictionary in the Navigation .

Note: A green check mark next to a flat file schema or dictionary ( ) indicates that the flat file schema or dictionary is locked and available to be edited. When the check mark is absent, the schema or dictionary is unlocked and cannot be edited. The Flat File Schema Editor is divided into the following sections: Flat File Definition tab. This tab enables you to specify what type of flat file you are parsing or creating. Flat File Structure tab. This tab enables you to specify the structural, content type, and conditional constraints of your flat file schema. For detailed information, see “Flat File Structure Tab” below.


20

1. Concepts

Properties . This  enables you to configure a default record, allow undefined data, add areas, and set up the ACL (access control lists) permissions for your flat file schema or dictionary.

Flat File Structure Tab When creating your flat file schema, you will create new records, composites and fields. The Flat File Schema Editor uses unique symbols to represent the components of flat file schemas and dictionaries. The following table identifies the symbols for each component that can appear in a flat file schema. Symbol

Description Record Definition. Identifies a record definition in a flat file schema. Record Reference. Identifies a record reference in a flat file schema. If “Reference not found” appears after the reference name, your reference is broken. A broken reference indicates that the referenced element no longer exists. Flat file schemas that contain broken references will not parse correctly. To fix a broken reference, either delete the reference or re–create the definition in the appropriate dictionary. Composite Definition. Identifies a composite definition in a flat file schema. A composite definition contains the same information as a record definition, except that composites are not allowed inside of a composite. Composite Reference. Identifies a composite reference in a flat file schema. See Record Reference in this table for information about “Reference not found.” Field Definition. Identifies a field definition in the flat file. Field Reference. Identifies a field reference in a flat file schema. See Record Reference in this table for information about “Reference not found.”

An element definition is an element that is contained in a flat file schema or dictionary. An element reference refers to an element definition in a flat file dictionary. For the element name you have selected in the Flat File Schema Editor, when you add a new element it will be added as a child of the selected element. The appropriate new element selections will be displayed for that element level. For example, when you have a record selected, you can add record, composite, or field references or definitions to this record. If you create a composite and then select that composite, you can add only a field reference or field definition.


21

1. Concepts

You use the buttons at the top of this tab to edit the structure of your schema. The following table provides a description of each of these buttons. Button

Description Select the desired element, and then click to delete the selected element. Select the desired element, and then click to move the element up or down in the flat file schema structure. Select the desired element, and then click to move the element left or right in the flat file schema structure. Creates an IS document type for this flat file schema. The IS document type is used to map the output of the convertToValues service to another format. For more information, see “Mapping Flat File Data” on page 27 of Chapter 2, “Processing Flat Files Overview” of this guide.


22

Chapter 2. Processing Flat Files Overview

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Processing Inbound Flat Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Processing Outbound Flat Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31


23

2. Processing Flat Files Overview

Overview As discussed in Chapter 1, “Concepts” in this guide, the webMethods WmFlatFile package enables you to exchange all types of flat files and process certain types of flat files. You create flat file schemas to convert and validate inbound flat files and to create outbound flat files. The following diagram summarizes the services that the WmFlatFile package provides to process flat files: pub.flatFile:convertToValues and pub.flatFile:convertToString. For descriptions, see the table that follows the diagram below. Note: If you also are using Trading Networks, see the sections about flat file TN document types in the webMethods Trading Networks Concepts Guide and webMethods Trading Networks ’s Guide for information about how Trading Networks processes flat files. Processing Flat Files

webMethods Integration Server Flat File Package Conversion/Validation Services Flat File (ffData)

Inbound

Receive flat file convertToValues (optional validation)

IS Doc (ffValues)

Process IS Document Flat File Schema Process IS Document

IS Doc (ffValues)

convertToString Flat File (ffData)

Outbound

Send/Process Flat File

Item

Description

Flat File (ffData)

Flat file input with type of String, InputStream, or ByteArray (received by the Integration Server via File Polling, HTTP, FTP, etc. For more information, see Chapter 4, “Sending and Receiving Flat Files” in this guide.)


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Item

Description

Conversion/ Validation Services

WmFlatFile package provides services (pub.flatFile:convertToValues and pub.flatFile:convertToString) that parse, validate, and convert inbound flat files to IS documents (IData objects), and construct outbound documents from IS documents. For more information about these services, see Chapter 5, “WmFlatFile Built–in Services Reference” in this guide.

Flat File Schema

Flat File schema containing the structure of the flat file.

IS Doc (ffValues)

An IS document (IData object) represents the structure and values of your flat file for eventual mapping or other processing. All inbound documents must be converted to IS documents before being processed further.

Formatting Inbound and Outbound Data You can format flat file data to meet the requirements of your back–end system or application. The Format Service property in the Flat File Schema Editor enables you to specify the service you want to invoke for a particular field when convertToValues or convertToString is called. For example, when using the convertToValues service to convert a date field in a flat file into an IS document, you can specify that a particular format service be invoked for that field during parsing. To alter the format of the date field, you might invoke a service that changes the format of the field from YYYYMMDD to MMDDYYYY. For information about how to specify field format services, see “Format Services” on page 66.

Processing Inbound Flat Files The WmFlatFile package provides the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service, which uses a flat file schema to parse flat files inbound to a webMethods Integration Server. The input of this service is a flat file and the name of a flat file schema, and the output of this service is an IS document (IData object). The output IS document is created based on the structure defined in the flat file schema. You can also specify to validate the flat file against the flat file schema, which generates errors as output based on the constraints placed on the records and fields in the flat file schema. Note: Validation is turned off by default. To enable validation, you must set the validate variable of the convertToValues service to true. You should use this service as part of customized flow services. You then can use webMethods Developer services to process the resulting data as necessary, (for example, map data from one format to another). For more information about creating flow services,


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see the webMethods Developer ’s Guide. For more information about mapping data, see “Mapping Flat File Data” on page 27. The general process for inbound flat files is as follows: Inbound Flat File Process Conversion/Validation Flat File (ffData)

convertToValues (optional validation)

IS Doc (IData)

Process IS Document

Is Valid

Flat File Schema errors

The flat file schema provides the convertToValues service with the information necessary to detect the boundaries between records and fields. After a record boundary is detected, the service matches the record in the flat file with a record defined in the flat file schema using the record identifier. Note: When parsing a file, the flat file parser ignores any data that appears before the first valid record in the file.

Step 1: Create Appropriate Flat File Schema Before you start working with an inbound flat file, you must create a flat file schema to be used for conversion and validation of the document. Use the webMethods Developer to create the flat file schemas used to parse, convert, and validate inbound flat files. For steps to create flat file schemas, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries” in this guide.

Step 2: Receive the Flat File The webMethods Integration Server provides a number of ways to send and receive flat files. For more information, see Chapter 4, “Sending and Receiving Flat Files” in this guide.


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Step 3: Parse, Convert, and Validate Flat File Data to an IS Document To parse a flat file using a flat file schema, and to convert the data into IS documents (IData objects), you call the convertToValues service. During flat file parsing, it is an option to validate the flat file against the document, record, and/or field constraints you defined in a flat file schema. For a list of the constraints you can set, see “What Type of Flat File Constraints Can You Define?” on page 12. To set or change the constraints for a particular flat file schema, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries” in this guide. To validate a flat file against the flat file schema used to parse the file, you must set the validate variable of the convertToValues service to true, which returns errors describing how the given ffData violates the constraints described in the flat file schema. For a list of validation error codes and messages, see Appendix A, “Validation Errors” in this guide. For more information about the convertToValues service, see Chapter 5, “WmFlatFile Built– in Services Reference” in this guide.

Step 4: Process the IS Document webMethods Developer provides tools for processing IS documents (IData objects), including mapping data into other formats.

Mapping Flat File Data In many cases it is necessary to map the output of the convertToValues service to another format. Creating an IS document type from your flat file schema enables you to reference and view the document structure in a flow service. These steps enable you to map data into other formats, such as your back–end, or – defined format.


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To map flat file data 1

In the Developer Navigation , select the saved flat file schema, click the Flat File Structure tab, and then click the schema.

. This creates an IS document type in the same folder as

This IS document type is named the same as the flat file schema, with “DT” appended. For example, as shown in the figure above, if your flat file schema name is “PurchaseOrder,” the related IS document type name is “PurchaseOrderDT.” 2

Click

3

For the flow service you are creating or editing, on the Flow Editor of the Developer select the INVOKE pub.flatFile:convertToValues flow operation.

to save the IS document type.


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4

On the Pipeline tab under Service In, in the ffSchema variable specify the location and name of the flat file schema (for example, “Test:PurchaseOrder”). Specify other inputs as necessary.

5

Perform the following to add a Document Reference to the IS document type that is based on the flat file schema. a

On the Pipeline tab click under Pipeline Out, then click Reference to add a new document reference variable.

b

In the Select dialog box, navigate to the IS document type created in step 1 of this procedure (for example, “PurchaseOrderDT”). The name appears in the Name box. Click OK.


. Select Document

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6

On the Pipeline tab under Service Out, map the value of the ffValues variable to the document reference variable created in this procedure.

7

Click

to save the service.

Handling Large Flat Files As installed, the WmFlatFile package processes all flat files in the same manner, regardless of their size. That is, the WmFlatFile package receives a flat file and keeps the file content in memory during processing. However, if you receive large files, the WmFlatFile package can encounter problems when working with these files because the system does not have enough memory to hold the entire parsed file. If some or all of the files that you process using the WmFlatFile package encounter problems because of memory constraints, you can set the iterator variable in the pub.wmflatFile:convertToValues service to true to process top level records (children of the document root) in the schema one at a time. After all child records of the top level record are parsed, the convertToValues service returns and the iterator moves to the top level of the next record in the schema, until all records are parsed. This parsing should be done in a repeat step where each time the convertToValues service returns, the results are mapped and dropped from the pipeline to conserve memory. If the results were kept in the pipeline, out–of–memory errors might occur. The service generates an output object (ffIterator variable) that encapsulates and keeps track of the input records during processing. When all input data has been parsed, this object becomes null. When the ffIterator variable is null, you should exit from the repeat step to discontinue processing.


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Processing Outbound Flat Files The WmFlatFile package provides the pub.flatFile:convertToString service, which uses a flat file schema to create a flat file outbound from a webMethods Integration Server. The input of this service is an IS document (IData object) and a flat file schema, and the output of this service is a flat file. Note: The flat file resulting from convertToString will be only as complete as the information translated from the original flat file to the IS document. If you specified only certain parts of the flat file to translate to the IS document (via the flat file schema), of course, only those parts will be translated back to the flat file. The general process for outbound documents is as follows: Outbound Flat File Process Conversion IS Doc (IData)

Flat File Schema

convertToString

Flat File (ffData)

Send/Process Flat File

Step 1: Create Appropriate Flat File Schema Before you start working with an IS document (IData object), you must create a flat file schema to be used for conversion of the object. You use webMethods Developer to create the flat file schemas used to create outbound flat files. For steps to create flat file schemas, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries” of this guide.

Step 2: Convert the IS Document to a Flat File The WmFlatFile package provides the convertToString service to convert flat file IS documents (IData objects) to outbound flat files using the flat file schema you created. This service enables you to specify delimiters to be used as record, field, and subfield separators as well as optionally specify an outputFileName so that the output also will be written to a file.


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Example In many cases it is necessary to map the output of the convertToString service to another format. Creating an IS document type from your flat file schema enables you to reference and view the document structure in a flow service. The following steps provide an example of how you might convert an IS document to a flat file. To convert an IS document to flat file data 1

In the Developer Navigation , select the saved flat file schema, click the Flat File Structure tab, and then click as the schema.

. This creates an IS document type in the same folder

This IS document type is named the same as the flat file schema, with “DT” appended. For example, as shown in the figure above, if your flat file schema name is “PurchaseOrder,” the related IS document type name is “PurchaseOrderDT.” 2

Click

3

For the flow service you are creating or editing, on the Flow Editor of the Developer select the INVOKE pub.flatFile:convertToString flow operation.

4

On the Pipeline tab under Service In, in the ffSchema variable specify the location and name of the flat file schema (for example, “Test:PurchaseOrder”). Specify other inputs as necessary.

to save the IS document type.


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5

Perform the following to add a Document Reference to the IS document type that is based on the flat file schema. a

On the Pipeline tab, click under Pipeline In, then click to add a new document reference variable.

. Select Document Reference

b

On the Select dialog box, navigate to the IS document type created in step 1 of this procedure (for example, “Test:PurchaseOrder”). The name appears in the Name box. Click OK.

6

On the Pipeline tab, map the document reference variable created in this procedure to the value of the ffValues variable under Service Out.

7

Click

to save the service.

Step 3: Send/Process the Flat File After the flat file is created, you can send or process the file as necessary. You can send a flat file using many methods, including via HTTP, SMTP, and FTP. For more information, see Chapter 4, “Sending and Receiving Flat Files” in this guide.


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34

Chapter 3. Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries

Creating a Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Step 1: Add and Configure the Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Step 2: Specify Flat File Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Step 3: Define the Structure of the Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Step 4: Test the Flat File Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Creating a Flat File Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Editing a Flat File Schema or Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Managing Flat File Dictionary Dependencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Setting Access Permissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Customizing the Flat File Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74


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3. Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries

Creating a Flat File Schema Creating a flat file schema consists of a number of steps. To simplify the steps needed to create a flat file schema, this procedure is broken down into sections: “Step 1: Add and Configure the Flat File Schema” on page 36 “Step 2: Specify Flat File Properties” on page 41 “Step 3: Define the Structure of the Flat File Schema” on page 48 “Step 4: Test the Flat File Schema” on page 68

Step 1: Add and Configure the Flat File Schema To add a new flat file schema 1

Create a package with a dependency on the WmFlatFile package by clicking and typing WmFlatFile in the Package box and its version number in the Version box. If you need instructions for creating packages within the Developer, see the webMethods Developer ’s Guide.

2

Create a new folder within the new package.

3

If you want to reuse element definitions in other flat file schemas, create a flat file dictionary. (Note that any flat file schemas sharing records, fields, or composite definitions should use a common dictionary.) For more information about creating and using a flat file dictionary, see “Creating a Flat File Dictionary” on page 69.

4

In webMethods Developer, click File  New in the menu bar.

5

In the New dialog box, select Flat File Schema, and then click Next.

6

Type the name of the new flat file schema, select its location (the folder you created in the WmFlatFile–dependent package), and then click Finish. The flat file schema you created is automatically selected, and the Flat File Schema Editor displays in the right pane.

7

On the Flat File Definition tab under Record Parser, select the type of parser for this flat file schema: Delimiter. Each record is separated by a delimiter. Fixed Length. Each record is of a fixed length (for example, mainframe punch or print records). Variable Length. The first two bytes of the input data stream contains the length of each record.


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EDI Document Type. Do not select this option. Important! If you are using the webMethods EDI Module to process EDI documents, you should use the wm.b2b.edi services to create your flat file schemas. This guide does not provide information about creating EDI flat file schemas for use with the webMethods EDI Module. For more information and steps, see the webMethods EDI Module ’s Guide. The EDI Document Type option is displayed for you to view existing EDI flat file schemas. Although you can create EDI flat file schemas using the Flat File Schema Editor, Software AG does not recommend it. Note: In subsequent steps you can specify delimiters using the Character property. When you specify delimiters, use the following syntax: One character or character representation (for example, *, \n for line terminator, \t for tab). For the Record delimiter, you can also select carriage return line feed (or specify \r\n) if a record ends with the two–character CRLF. Hexidecimal value with prefix “0X” (for example, 0X09, 0X13) Octal value with prefix “0” or decimal value (for example, 009, 013) Unicode characters (for example, \uXXXX, where XXXX represents the unicode value of the character) The space character is allowed as a delimiter. 8

For all types of record parsers, specify the following fields: a

For Field or Composite: Property

Description

Character

Optional – Character that separates fields in a flat file document.

–OR– Character position

Optional – Starting from the beginning of the document and counting from zero (0), the character position at which the field delimiter for this document is located. For example, if you specify 4 as the Character position, you have indicated that the field delimiter appears in the fifth character position from the beginning of the document.


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b

For Subfield: Property

Description

Character

Optional – Character that separates subfields in a flat file document.


Optional – Starting from the beginning of the document and counting from zero (0), the character position at which the subfield delimiter for this document is located. For example, if you specify 5 as the Character position, you have indicated that the subfield delimiter appears in the sixth character position from the beginning of the document.

c

For Release Character: Specify either Release Character –or– Quoted Release Character. If you specify both, the convertToString service uses Quoted Release Character. Property

Description

Character

Optional – Character used to enable a delimiter to be used for its intended, original meaning. The character following the release character will not be treated as a delimiter. For example, your field delimiter is + and your release character is \. When using + within a field as text, you must preface it with your release character. When using the convertToValues service to create the strings a+b+c and d+e+f, the record would appear as a\+b\+c+d\+e\+f. When using the convertToString service to create a\+b\+c+d\+e\+f, the value of the record would be a+b+c and d+e+f.


Optional – Starting from the beginning of the document and counting from zero (0), the character position at which the release character for this document is located. For example, if you specify 5 as the Character position, you have indicated that the release character appears in the sixth character position from the beginning of the document.


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d

For Quoted Release Character: Specify either Release Character –or– Quoted Release Character. If you specify both, the convertToString service uses Quoted Release Character.) Property

Description

Character

Optional – Character used to enable a section of text within a field to be represented as its literal value. Any delimiter characters that appear within this section will not be treated as delimiters. For example, your field delimiter is (,) and your release character is “. When you want to use (,) within a field as text, you must preface it with your quoted release character. When using the convertToValues service to create the strings Doe, John and Doe, Jane, the record would appear as “Doe, John”,“Doe, Jane”. When using the convertToString service to create “Doe, John”,“Doe, Jane”, the value of the record would be Doe, John and Doe, Jane. When using the convertToString service, if you have specified both the Release Character and the Quoted Release Character, the Quoted Release Character will be used.


Optional – Starting from the beginning of the document and counting from zero (0), the character position at which the quoted release character for this document is located. For example, if you specify 5 as the Character position, you have indicated that the quoted release character appears in the sixth character position from the beginning of the document.

9

If you selected Delimiter for Record Parser, complete the following Record fields: Property

Description

Character

Character that separates records in a flat file document.


Starting from the beginning of the document and counting from zero (0), the character position at which the record delimiter for this document is located. For example, if you specify 3 as the Character position, you have indicated that the record delimiter appears in the fourth character position from the beginning of the document.


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Important! If records use a fixed position extractor, the Delimiter record parser does not include the record delimiter character in the parsed record. You will not be able to extract the record delimiter character in a fixed position field. Important! If you use the webMethods EDI Module, set the eadableDelimiterReporting variable to false. This variable controls how the Delimiter record parser parses non‐readable characters, such as \r (carriage return), \n (line feed), or \t (tab). For details, see “Customizing the Flat File Configuration Settings” on page 74. 10 If you selected Fixed Length for Record Parser, complete the following Record Parser field: Property

Description

Record length

Length, in characters, of each record in the flat file.

11 To define the record identifier for this flat file schema, complete the appropriate Record Identifier property: Property

Description

Starts at Position

Counting from zero (0), the character position at which the record identifier is located. For example, if you specify 5 as the Starts at Position, you have indicated that the record identifier appears in the sixth character position in each record. The default for this field is zero (0).

–OR– Nth Field

Counting from zero (0), indicates which field in each record you want used as the record identifier. This value cannot be null and must be an integer greater than or equal to zero (0). This field is available only if you have specified a field delimiter.


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Step 2: Specify Flat File Properties To specify properties for the flat file schema 1

View the Properties .

2

Under Default Record, configure the following properties: Property

Description

Set

Optional – Under Value, click Set to select the default record for this flat file schema from a flat file dictionary. This record is used to parse an undefined data record when the convertToValues service fails to find a match between the flat file and the flat file schema. If the default record is specified when creating the flat file schema, any record that cannot be recognized will be parsed using this default record. If a default record is not selected, the record will be treated as undefined data. If the Undefined Data property is set to False and the validate variable of the convertToValues service is set to true, convertToValues will generate errors when it encounters undefined data. For more information about the Undefined Data property, see page 42. Note: If the flat file you are parsing does not contain record identifiers, you must select a default record. By selecting a default record, a CSV (comma separated values) file can be parsed as a special case of record with no record identifier, but with fixed field and record delimiters.

Delete

Under Value, click Delete to delete the default record for this flat file schema. The actual record definition still exists, but is no longer assigned to this flat file schema.

Dictionary

Displays the name of the flat file dictionary that contains the default record.

Name

Displays the name of the record reference that will be used as the default record.

Floating Record

Optional – The name of the record that is defined in the schema as a floating record. Note: If the floating record has an alternate name, specify the alternate name in this field. For details about how the parser handles floating records, see “Floating Records” on page 43.


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3

Under Settings, the Undefined Data property helps control the generation of undefined data errors at any location in the flat file schema. If you want to allow undefined data, select True. You now can choose whether to allow undefined data at the record level. For more information about the record–level property, see the Allow Undef Data property on page 57. If you do not want to allow undefined data in any location in this flat file schema, select False. This is the default. If the validate variable of the convertToValues service is set to true, the convertToValues service will generate errors when undefined data is encountered. When the convertToValues service processes an undefined record, it puts a placeholder named unDefData in the resulting IS document and stores the record as a string in the pipeline. Note: For a file that is encoded using a multi‐byte encoding, the behavior is different. When you use a fixed length or variable length parser (but not a delimited parser) to parse such a file, the service places unDefData and unDefBytes into the pipeline. If you want to re‐parse such a file to extract fixed byte position fields, use unDefBytes.

4

Under Settings, the Areas property enables you to add and edit areas for this flat file schema. Click Choices to display the Areas dialog box, which enables you to use the following buttons to add and edit areas. Property

Description Click to add a new area to this flat file schema. You must save the flat file schema before the new area will be available for use in your flat file structure. An area is a way to associate an arbitrary string with a given record. For example, you may have an address record that needs to specify the shipping address in the document header, but needs to specify the billing address in the document detail. To differentiate these two records, you would create “Header” and “Detail” areas. Then when defining a record in “Step 3: Define the Structure of the Flat File Schema” on page 48, you would assign the appropriate area to a record to identify in which section of the document the record belongs. Note: Areas are used primarily for EDI document parsing. Click to insert a new area in a specific location in the list. Click to delete an existing area.


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Floating Records You can use the Floating Record property to designate any single record of a given flat file schema to be a floating record. By designating a floating record, you enable that record to appear in any position within a flat file without causing a parsing validation error. If you do not use this property, validation errors will occur if the record structure of an inbound document does not match the record structure defined in its flat file schema. For example, consider the following EDI document and its flat file schema (where all records are mandatory except the record NTE): Flat file schema definition

Input EDI document

Rec1 Rec2 Rec3

Rec1 NTE Rec2

NTE

Rec3

Output IS document Rec1 NTE

The parser generates a validation error because it expects NTE to be the last record, not the second record. In addition, it ignores Rec2 and Rec3.

To solve this problem, you would designate NTE to be a floating record so it may appear anywhere in the EDI document without causing a validation error. (The position in which it appears in the parsed record is explained in the following sections.) The parser creates a container for NTE records, and places each NTE record that appears in an EDI document into this container at run time. If a flat file schema contains multiple instances of the designated floating record at multiple record levels, the system creates a container for each record level. This property appears in the Properties  of the Flat File Schema Editor (see the table in step 8 on page 55). This problem can also occur while converting outbound IS documents (IData objects) into string documents. The parser s floating records for both inbound and outbound parsing (i.e., while executing the convertToValues and convertToString services, respectively). For examples, see “Examples: Parsing Inbound Floating Records” on page 44 and “Examples: Parsing Outbound Floating Records” on page 47.


43


Examples: Parsing Inbound Floating Records When the convertToValues service receives a document that includes floating records, the parser handles them as shown in the following examples. Assume that the Floating Record property is set to the record NTE. Example 1: Flat file schema definition

Input EDI document

Output IS document

Rec1 NTE [] Max Occurs 99 Rec2 Rec3 Rec4 Rec5

Rec1 Rec2 Rec3 Rec4 NTE (1) NTE (2) NTE (3) Rec5

Rec1 NTE [] NTE (1) NTE (2) NTE (3) Rec2 Rec3 Rec4 Rec5

In accordance with the schema definition, the parser creates an NTE array as the first record, and places NTE (1), NTE (2), and NTE (3) into it. A validation error is generated if more than 99 NTE records appear in the document. NTE records are not allowed prior to the Rec1 record. Example 2: Flat file schema definition

Input EDI document

Output IS document

Rec1 NTE [] Max Occurs 99 Rec2 [] Max Occurs 99 NTE [] Max Occurs 99 Rec3 Rec4 Rec5

Rec1 NTE (1) Rec2 Rec3 NTE (2) Rec4 NTE (3) Rec2 NTE (4) Rec5 NTE (5)

Rec1 NTE [] NTE (1) NTE (5) Rec2 [] Rec2 NTE [] NTE (2) NTE (3) Rec3 Rec4 Rec2 NTE [] NTE (4) Rec5


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How Example 2 was Parsed 1

The first six records of the EDI document were parsed as follows:

a

Input EDI document

Output IS document

Rec1 NTE (1) Rec2 Rec3 NTE (2) Rec4

Rec1 NTE [] <== NTE container for Rec1. NTE (1) Rec2 [] Rec2 NTE [] <== NTE container for Rec2 array. NTE (2) Rec3 Rec4

The positions of the first three records (Rec1, NTE (1), and Rec2) match the schema. In accordance with the schema definition, the parser: Creates an NTE container (an array) under Rec1, and places NTE (1) into it. Creates a Rec2 array, and places Rec2 into it.

b

Even though the schema definition says the next record should be an NTE (followed by Rec3), the next record in the document is Rec3 (followed by NTE (2)). This is valid; the parser simply: Places Rec3 into the Rec2 array, as specified in the schema definition. Creates another NTE container (an array) under Rec2, as specified in the schema definition. To determine which container to put NTE (2) in, the parser looks for the last defined container at the current level. Thus, the parser places NTE (2) in this container.

c

The parser places the next record, Rec4, in the Rec2 array, in accordance with the schema definition.


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2

Parsing NTE (3): Input EDI document Rec1 NTE (1) Rec2 Rec3 NTE (2) Rec4

NTE (3)

Output IS document Rec1 NTE [] NTE (1) Rec2 [] Rec2 NTE [] NTE (2) NTE (3) <== added to this container at current level Rec3 Rec4

To determine which container to put NTE (3) in, the parser looks for the last defined container at the current level. Thus, the parser places NTE (3) in the same container as NTE (2). 3

Parsing Rec2 and NTE (4): Input EDI document Rec1 NTE (1) Rec2 Rec3 NTE (2) Rec4 NTE (3) Rec2

NTE (4)

Output IS document Rec1 NTE [] NTE (1) Rec2 [] Rec2 NTE [] NTE NTE Rec3 Rec4 Rec2 NTE [] Rec2 NTE

(2) (3)

<== creates an NTE container for second (4)

In accordance with the schema definition, the parser adds another Rec2 to the Rec2 array. Just as with the first Rec2 in the array, the parser also creates another NTE container, for the second Rec2.


46


4

Parsing Rec5 and NTE (5): Input EDI document Rec1 NTE (1) Rec2 Rec3 NTE (2) Rec4 NTE (3) Rec2 NTE (4) Rec5

NTE (5)

Output IS document Rec1 NTE [] NTE (1) NTE (5) <== this container is same level as Rec5 (current level) Rec2 [] Rec2 NTE [] NTE (2) NTE (3) Rec3 Rec4 Rec2 NTE [] NTE (4) Rec5

a

In accordance with the schema definition, the parser places Rec5 under Rec1.

b

To determine which container to put NTE (5) in, the parser looks for the last defined container at the current level. Thus, the parser places NTE (5) in the same container as NTE (1).

Examples: Parsing Outbound Floating Records When the convertToString service converts an IS document (an IData object) to a string, the parser places each floating record immediately following its parent record (as defined in the IS document). In the following examples, assume that the Floating Record property is set to the record NTE. Example 1: Flat file schema definition Rec1 Rec2 NTE [] Rec3 Rec4


Input IS document

Output string

Rec1 Rec2 Rec3 NTE [] NTE(1) NTE(2) Rec4

Rec1!Rec2!Rec3!NTE(1)!NTE(2)!Rec4

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Because NTE(1) and NTE(2) are children of Rec3, the parser places them after Rec3 in the string. Example 2: Flat file schema definition Rec1 Rec2 NTE [] Rec3 Rec4

Input IS document

Output string

Rec1 Rec2 Rec3 Rec4 NTE [] NTE(1) NTE(2)

Rec1!NTE(1)!NTE(2)!Rec2!Rec3!Rec4

Because NTE(1) and NTE(2) are children of Rec1, the parser places them after Rec1 in the string.

Step 3: Define the Structure of the Flat File Schema Important! Validation is turned off by default. To enable validation, you must set the validate variable of the convertToValues service to true. This enables errors to be generated for the Ordered, Mandatory, Validator, and Undefined Data properties. For more information about this service, see Chapter 5, “WmFlatFile Built–in Services Reference” of this guide.

To define the structure of a flat file schema 1

With the flat file schema name selected in webMethods Developer Navigation , click the Flat File Structure tab of the Flat File Schema Editor.


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2

To add the first record, click the name of the flat file schema in the Name column, and then click select Add.

3

. The Select New wizard appears. You also can right–click an element and

Select one of the following. Property

Description

Record Definition

Select to create a record definition to be used one time in this flat file schema. After selecting Record Definition, click Next.

Record Reference

Select to create a reference to a record definition in a flat file dictionary. After selecting Record Reference, click Next. Navigate to the flat file dictionary in which the record is located, select the dictionary, and then click Next. Select the element that you want to reference and then click Next.


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4

In the Enter Record Definition Name(s) dialog box, type the name of the record.

Important! This name must match the value of its record identifier exactly as it will appear in the flat file. The name of a record reference does not have to match the name of the record definition in the flat file dictionary. The name of a record reference will be matched to the record identifier in the record. The name of the record definition in the flat file dictionary does not need to match the record identifier that appears in the flat file. To add another record definition at this time, click and type the record name. When you have added all of the records for this level, click Finish. The record(s) is added to the flat file schema structure. The Referring To field indicates the record definition to which the record reference refers. The Dictionary field indicates the flat file dictionary to which the record reference refers. If the element is a definition, these two fields are empty. 5

In the Properties  of the Flat File Schema Editor, specify the particular properties for this record. For a list and further explanation of these properties, see the table in step 8 on page 55.


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For element definitions, you see only one line of detail. For element references, you will see two lines of detail: one for the instance of that element in this flat file schema, and one for the element definition in the flat file dictionary. In a flat file dictionary you can specify only certain fields for each element. The remaining fields must be set in the particular instance of the element in the flat file schema. You cannot edit the dictionary definition detail line. For information about creating flat file dictionaries, see “Creating a Flat File Dictionary” on page 69. 6

To add more elements, select the element to which you want to add a child and click . You also can right–click an element and select New. The valid element selections display for the element you have selected. If you are adding a record definition, type the Name of the record in the Enter Record Definition Name(s) dialog box. Note: The name(s) must match the value of the identifier for each record exactly as it will appear in the flat file.


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To add additional record definitions at this level, click

.

If you are adding a composite definition, specify the Name, Position, and Mandatory properties in the Enter Composite Definition Name(s) dialog box.

Property

Description

Name

Type the name of the composite.

Position

Type the field number in the record that contains the composite you want to extract. This pulls the subfield data from the composite. If you leave this property empty, the composite will not be extracted. For a description of composite extractors, see “Extractors” on page 61. Note: The extractor works only if a field and subfield delimiter have been defined for this flat file schema.


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Property

Description

Mandatory

Optional – Select the check box to require that this composite appear in the flat file. If it is not selected, the composite is not required to appear in the flat file. If it is selected and the convertToValues service validate variable is set to true, errors will be generated if the composite does not appear in the flat file.

To add additional composite definitions at this level, click

.

If you are adding a field definition, specify the Extractor Type, Name, Start, End, and Mandatory properties in the Enter Field Definition Name(s) dialog box.

Extractor Type

Property

Fixed Position

Description Counting from zero (0), extracts a fixed number of bytes from a record. For more information about field extractors, see “Extractors” on page 61.

Name

Type the name of the field.

Start

Type the first byte to extract from the record.

End

Type the first byte that is not included in the extraction. If you enter a negative number (for example, –1), the extractor returns all bytes from the byte specified in Start to the last byte in the record or composite.

Mandatory

Optional – Select the check box to require that this field appear in the flat file. If is not selected, the field is not required to appear in the flat file. If it is selected and the convertToValues service validate variable is set to true, errors will be generated if the field does not appear in the flat file.


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Extractor Type

Property

Nth Field

Description Counting from zero (0), indicates the field that you want to extract from the record. For more information about field extractors, see “Extractors” on page 61.

Name

Type the name of the field.

Position

Type a value to indicate the position of the field that you want to extract from the record. This value cannot be null and must be an integer greater than or equal to zero (0). For example, if you type 1, the second field will be extracted. This option is available only if you specified a field delimiter when configuring your flat file schema. This extractor returns the field as a key–value pair. The key is the name of the field. The value is the String value of the field.

Mandatory

Optional – Select the check box to require that this field appear in the flat file. If is not selected, the field is not required to appear in the flat file. If it is selected and the convertToValues service validate variable is set to true, errors will be generated if the field does not appear in the flat file.

To add additional field definitions at this level, click

.

If you are adding an element reference, complete the following steps: After selecting Reference, click Next. Navigate to the flat file dictionary in which the element is located, select the dictionary, and then click Next. Select the element that you want to reference and then click Next. 7

When you have added all of the elements for this level, click Finish.


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8

For each of the following element levels and type, you can specify the following properties in the Properties  of the Flat File Schema Editor: Element

Property

For details, see ...

Record Definition

Ordered Mandatory Max Repeat Validator Area Position Allow Undef Data Check Fields Alternate Name Description

page 60 page 60 page 60 page 61 page 57 page 61 page 57 page 58 page 57 page 58

Record Reference

Ordered Mandatory Max Repeat Area Position Allow Undef Data Local Description

page 60 page 60 page 60 page 57 page 61 page 57 page 59

Composite Definition

Mandatory * Extractor Validator * Check Fields * Alternate Name * Description * ID Code * Local Description **

page 60 page 58 page 61 page 58 page 57 page 58 page 59 page 59

* not available for composite definitions in record references ** not available for composite definitions in flat file schemas Composite Reference

Mandatory * Extractor Alternate Name * Local Description

page 60 page 58 page 57 page 59

* not available for composite references in record references


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Element

Property


Field Definition

Mandatory Extractor Validator Format Service DataType Alternate Name Description ID Code Local Description *

page 60 page 58 page 61 page 59 page 58 page 57 page 58 page 59 page 59

* only available for field definitions in composite references or record references Field Reference

Mandatory * Extractor * Local Description

page 60 page 58 page 59

* not available for field definitions in composite references or record references 9

After you have added all of the necessary elements to this flat file schema, click

.

10 To map the output of the convertToValues service to another format, click on the Flat File Structure tab. For more information about mapping flat file schemas, see “Mapping Flat File Data” on page 27 of Chapter 2, “Processing Flat Files Overview” of this guide. You now can use this flat file schema to parse and convert inbound flat files to IS documents (IData objects) and convert outbound documents to flat files.


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Flat File Schema Property Descriptions The flat file schema properties that you can define using the Flat File Schema Editor are described below, in alphabetic order. Property

Description

Allow Undef Data

Optional. Use in record definitions and record references in flat file schemas. If the schema–level Undefined Data property is set to True, select True to allow undefined data at the record level and not generate errors when undefined data is encountered. The default is True. For more information about the Undefined Data property, see page 42. Select False to not allow undefined data at the record level. If the validate variable of the convertToValues service is set to true, the convertToValues service will generate errors when undefined data is encountered.

Alternate Name

Optional. Use in: record definitions and composite definitions in flat file schemas; composite references in record definitions; field definitions in composite definitions and record definitions; record, composite, and field definitions in flat file dictionaries. An alternate name for the record definition. This name will appear as the document name in the document type that is generated by this flat file schema. This name will also appear in the Flow Editor. Use this field to provide a more meaningful name that can be helpful when mapping the record. For example, instead of using the record name ST, you could specify the alternate name Transaction Start. It will also appear as a tool tip comment in the Flow Editor. For details, see “Displaying Element Descriptions and Alternate Names in the Flow Editor” on page 67.

Area

Optional. Use in record descriptions and record references in flat file schemas. If you have created areas for the flat file schema on the Settings tab, from the Area drop–down list, select the area you want to use for this record. This field is used primarily for EDI document parsing. For more information, see the Areas property on page 42.


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Property

Description

Check Fields

Optional. Use in: record definitions and composite definitions in flat file schemas; record, composite, and field definitions in flat file dictionaries. Select True to report as errors more fields at the end of the record or composite than are defined in the flat file schema. Select False to allow extra fields at the end of a record or composite. The default is False.

DataType

Use in: field definitions in composite definitions and record definitions; fields in flat file dictionaries. Select the appropriate data type. It will also appear as a tool tip comment in the Flow Editor. For details, see “Displaying Element Descriptions and Alternate Names in the Flow Editor” on page 67.

Description

Optional. Use in: record definitions and composite definitions in flat file schemas; field definitions in composite definitions and record definitions; record, composite, and field definitions in flat file dictionaries. Describe the purpose of the record, composite, or field. This description will appear in the comments section of the document type that is generated for this flat file schema. It will also appear as a tool tip comment in the Flow Editor. For details, see “Displaying Element Descriptions and Alternate Names in the Flow Editor” on page 67.

Extractor

Use in: composite definitions in flat file schemas and record references; composite references in record definitions and record references; field definitions and field references in composite definitions or record definitions. Click the Extractor field, and then type the field number in the record that contains the composite you want to extract. This pulls the field or composite data from the record, or pulls the subfield data from the composite. If you leave this property empty, the composite will not be extracted. For more information, see “Extractors” on page 61. Note: The extractor works for a field only if field delimiters have been defined for this flat file schema. The extractor works for a composite only if field delimiters and subfield delimiters have been defined for this flat file schema.


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Property

Description

Format Service

Use in: field definitions in composite definitions or record definitions; fields in flat file dictionaries. Click the Format Service field to select the service you want to invoke for a particular field when convertToValues or convertToString is called, and then click OK. For example, to alter the format of the date field, you might invoke a service that changes the format of the field from YYYYMMDD to MMDDYYYY. To clear the format service, simply clear the text box. For the service to be visible in the browser, the template specification for the service on its Input/Output tab must be pub.flatFile:FormatService. For information about format services, see “Format Services” on page 66.

ID Code

Use in: composite definitions in flat file schemas; field definitions in composite definitions or record definitions; composite and field definitions in flat file dictionaries. The IDCode, which is provided by your SEF file, is used by the WmEDI package. It will appear in the comments section of the document type that is generated for this flat file schema. It will also appear as a tool tip comment in the Flow Editor. For details, see “Displaying Element Descriptions and Alternate Names in the Flow Editor” on page 67.

Local Description

Optional. Use in: record references in flat file schemas; composite references in record definitions or record references; composite definitions in record references; field definitions and field references in composite references or record references. Describe the record, composite, or field as it is used in this particular flat file schema. Since the record that is being referenced is stored in a flat file dictionary, it may be used differently in different flat file schemas. Local descriptions will also appear as a tool tip comment in the Flow Editor. For details, see “Displaying Element Descriptions and Alternate Names in the Flow Editor” on page 67.


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Property

Description

Mandatory

Optional. Use in: record definitions, record references, and composite definitions in flat file schemas; composite references in record definitions; field definitions and field references in composite definitions or record definitions. Select True to require that this record, composite, or field appear in the flat file. Select False to not require the record, composite, or field to appear in the flat file. If you select True and the convertToValues service validate variable is set to true, errors will be generated if the record does not appear in the flat file.

Max Repeat

Optional. Use in record definitions and record references in flat file schemas. Maximum number of times this record can repeat within the flat file. You can select Unlimited or type any positive integer. The default value is 1, except for default records. For all default records, the value is always Unlimited and cannot be changed. If you set this property and the convertToValues service validate variable is set to true, errors will be generated if the number of record instances exceeds the maximum repeat value.

Ordered

Optional. Use in record definitions and record references in flat file schemas. Select True to require that the child records of this record appear in the flat file in the order that they appear in the flat file schema. This property applies only to records, not composites or fields. Select False to allow the child records to appear in any order in the flat file. If you select True and the convertToValues service validate variable is set to true, errors will be generated if the records do not appear in this order.


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Property

Description

Position

Reserved for future use.

Validator

Optional. Use in: record definitions and composite definitions in flat file schemas; field definitions in composite definitions or record definitions; record definitions Click the Validator field, and then type the desired validation you want to be performed on this record, composite, or field in the flat file. For a list of valid validators, see “Validators” on page 62. Important! Validation is disabled by default. To enable validation, you must set the validate variable of the convertToValues service to true.

Extractors Extractors represent the location of a field within a record, or of a subfield within a composite. You extract fields from a composite using a Nth field extractor, while you extract fields from a record using Nth field, ID Node, or Fixed Position extractors. Note: To use Nth Field or ID Node extractors for a field or composite in a record, the field delimiter must be specified. To use these extractors for a field in a composite, the subfield delimiter must be specified. If these extractors are used without the appropriate delimiter set, the field values will not be returned correctly. Nth Field. Counting from zero (0), Position indicates the position of the field that you want to extract from the record. This value cannot be null and must be an integer greater than or equal to zero (0). For example, if you type 1, the second field will be extracted. This option is available only if you specified a field delimiter when configuring your flat file schema. This extractor returns the field as a key–value pair. The key is the name of the field. The value is the String value of the field. Software AG recommends that you use this extractor instead of ID node. ID Node. This extractor is a variation of the Nth Field extractor and is available for backward compatibility for s of the webMethods EDI Module. Counting from zero (0), Position indicates the position of the field that you want to extract from the record. This value cannot be null and must be an integer greater than or equal to zero (0). This extractor returns the field as a key–value pair. The key is the name of the field. The value is an IS document (IData object) containing a key–value pair in which the key is always “code,” and the value is the String value of the field. Software AG does not recommend that you use the ID node extractor.


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Fixed Position. Counting from zero (0), extracts a fixed number of bytes from a record. Start Position. First byte to extract from the record. End Position. First byte that is not included in the extraction. If you enter a negative number (for example, –1), the extractor returns all bytes from the byte specified in the Start Position to the last byte in the record or composite. For example: record = webMethods Start Position = 1 End Position = 7 Extracted bytes = ebMeth

Validators Different types of validators are available for records, composites, fields, and multi‐byte encoded records. You validate: Records and composites using conditional validators. Fields using either length or code list validators. Multi‐byte encoded records, you use the byte count validator. Conditional Validators Regardless of what type of flat file you are processing, you follow the syntax rules created by the EDI Standards bodies ANSI X12 or UN/EDIFACT to specify conditional validators for a flat file record or composite. In these rules, 0n and 0n0 represent the number of the field defined in the record or composite, where n is the number of the field in the composite or record. For example, in the following flat file: Record1*FieldA*FieldB*FieldC*FieldD*FieldE;

To validate fields using the ANSI X12 conditional validator, you might enter the following in the Validator property: C0102C030405 A B C D E Code

Field

To validate the appropriate fields using the UN/EDIFACT conditional validator, you might enter the following in the Validator property: D5(010,020) D5(030,040,050) A B C D E Code

Field

The record definition has five fields defined. Each with an Nth Field extractor, the first extracting field A, the second field B and so on. Both of these validators indicate that if


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Field A is present, Field B is required. If Field C is present, Field D and Field E are required. However, if Field D and Field E are present, Field C need not be present. The conditional validator refers to the location of the field in the definition, not the location of the data in the flat file. For example, if you switched the extractors for the first and second field such that the first field extracted the value Field B and the second field extracts the value Field A, the conditional validator would indicate that if Field B is present Field A is required. Example: Record1 – conditional validator C0102 Field A – Nth field extractor, position 1 FieldB – Nth field extractor, position 2 This indicates that if FieldA is present Field B also must be present. If you switched the position of these fields in the record, you would get the following. Example: Record1 – conditional validator C0102 FieldB – Nth field extractor, position 2 FieldA – Nth field extractor, position 1 This now indicates that if Field B is present Field A also must be present. ANSI X12 Rule Name (and Code)

UN/EDIFACT Rule Name (and Code)

Required (R)

One or more (D3)

Definition At least one of the specified fields must be present. ANSI X12 Example: R030405 UN/EDIFACT Example: D3(030,040,050)

Conditional (C)

If first, then all (D5)

If a specified field is present, all of the fields specified in a dependent set of fields also must be present. If a dependent field is present, the first specified field need not be present. ANSI X12 Example: C030405 UN/EDIFACT Example: D5(030,040,050)

Exclusion (E)

One or none (D4)

At most, only one of the specified fields can be present. ANSI X12 Example: E030405 UN/EDIFACT Example: D4(030,040,050)


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ANSI X12 Rule Name (and Code)

UN/EDIFACT Rule Name (and Code)

List Conditional (L)

If first, then at least one (D6)

Definition If a specified field is present, at least one of the fields specified in a dependent set of fields also must be present. If a dependent field is present, the first specified field need not be present. ANSI X12 Example: L030405 UN/EDIFACT Example: D6(030,040,050)

Paired (P)

All or none (D2)

All of the specified fields must be present or absent. ANSI X12 Example: P030405 UN/EDIFACT Example: D2(010,020)

N/A

N/A

One and only one (D1) If first, then none (D7)

Exactly one field may be present. UN/EDIFACT Example: D1(030,040,050) If the first field is present, all others cannot be included. UN/EDIFACT Example: D7(030,040,050)

Field Validators You validate fields using either a length validator or a code list validator. Length Validator For a length validator, you specify the maximum and minimum number of characters this field can contain to be considered valid. Minimum length. Minimum number of characters that this field can contain to be considered valid. If the field contains fewer characters than the number entered, an error will be generated. You can enter zero (0). Maximum length. Maximum number of characters that this field can contain to be considered valid. If the field contains more characters than the number entered, an error will be generated. If you enter a negative number (for example, –1), a maximum length error will never be generated for this field, regardless of its value. Code List Validator In the Conditions box, type the appropriate code list conditions. The code list is a comma– separated list of the allowed values for this field. If the value of the field is not contained in the code list, errors will be generated. Note: This validator validates only in ascending order and according to the ASCII values.


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You can specify three different types of code lists: Simple Code List. A comma separated list of valid codes. Range List. A range list, which can occur within any type of code list, validates that a string value is between a given start string and end string. The range is specified as start string:end string. Values are considered to be valid for a given range if all of the following conditions are true: The value is the same length as the start and end strings of the range. The character value in the same position in the start and end string comes from the same character set (a–z, A–Z or 0–9). The value is lexically greater than or equal to the start string and lexically less than or equal to the value of the end string. For example A0:Z9 is valid, because the first character of each string comes from the set A–Z, and the second character of each string comes from the set 0–9. A2:2B is not valid because the first character of the start string does not come from the same character set as the first character of the end string. Partition List. A partition s together multiple code lists within one field, separated by a pipe (|). For example, if you enter ABC,DEF|1,2, the allowed values of the field are ABC1, ABC2, DEF1, and DEF2. Each set of code lists must have the same number of bytes. The code list validator allows for the right hand side of the partition to be optional. For example, if you enter ABC,DEF|1,,2, the allowed values of the field are: ABC1, ABC2, ABC, DEF1, DEF2, and DEF. The extra comma in 1,,2 indicates that the values 1 and 2 are optional. Byte Count Validator You use the byte count validator for multi‐byte encoded records. You specify the maximum and minimum number of bytes this field can contain to be considered valid. Minimum length. Minimum number of bytes that this field can contain to be considered valid. If the field contains fewer bytes than the number entered, an error will be generated. You can enter zero (0). Maximum length. Maximum number of bytes that this field can contain to be considered valid. If the field contains more bytes than the number entered, an error will be generated. If you enter a negative number (for example, –1), a maximum length error will never be generated for this field, regardless of its value.


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Format Services You can use the Format Service property on the Flat File Structure tab of the Flat File Schema Editor to specify the service you want to invoke for a particular field when convertToValues or convertToString is called. Important! If a particular field does not have a value (that is, a value is not returned in an IS document (IData object) for convertToValues or is not present in the input data for convertToString) the format service assigned to that field will not be executed. A format service formats the string and optionally ensures that the value of the string meets the restrictions specified in the format service. For example, when using the convertToValues service to convert a date field in a flat file into an IS document (IData object), you can specify that a particular format service be invoked for that field during parsing. To alter the format of the date field, you might invoke a service that changes the format of the field from YYYYMMDD to MMDDYYYY. Note: If you are using the webMethods EDI Module, you can use the built–in format services provided in the WmEDI package to format fields. For more information, see the webMethods EDI Module ’s Guide and the webMethods EDI Module Built‐in Services Reference. Creating Format Services To create a format service for use with a field in a flat file schema or dictionary, the service must implement the pub.flatFile:FormatService service as its template specification for the format service (located on its Input/Output tab). Working with Format Error Messages If the validate input variable of your format service was set to true to validate the format and value of a field, and that field does not meet the criteria specified in the service, you will receive an error message in the errorMessage output variable of the format service indicating why this field could not be validated. Disabling Format Services To disable the format service for a particular field, you simply clear the text box and save the flat file schema or dictionary. To disable all format services within the WmFlatFile package regardless of what is specified in each field definition, open IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\config\ff.cnf and set the enableFormatting variable to false. For more detailed information about format services, see “pub.flatFile:FormatService” on page 88 in Chapter 5, “WmFlatFile Built–in Services Reference”.


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Managing Dictionary Dependencies on Format Services If you move or rename a format service, the Integration Server’s dependency manager will ask whether it should update all the flat file schemas and flat file dictionaries that use that format service with the new location or name of the format service. If you delete a format service, the dependency manager will list all schemas and dictionaries that will be impacted by the deletion, and prompts you to confirm the deletion.

Displaying Element Descriptions and Alternate Names in the Flow Editor The webMethods Developer Flow Editor will display the values of several properties that you specified for the elements of your schema. They are visible as tool tips when you move the cursor over the elements. Use these optional properties to provide helpful comments and more meaningful names when mapping elements in flow services. The Flow Editor will display the following properties: Element

Property

Record definition

Description Alternate Name

Record reference

Local Description

Composite definition

Description Alternate Name ID Code

Composite reference

Alternate Name Local Description

Field definition

Description Alternate Name IDCode DataType

Field reference

Local Description

To display properties in the Flow Editor 1

Define values for the properties as described in step 8 of “Step 3: Define the Structure of the Flat File Schema” on page 48.

2

Enable the Show Variable’s Comment option in the webMethods Developer’s Flow Editor as follows: a

Click File  New in the menu bar.

b

Select Flow Editor in the navigation area.

c

Click Show Variable’s Comment.


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Step 4: Test the Flat File Schema Testing a flat file schema involves viewing a flat file schema in a readable structure. This enables you to locate errors in your flat file schema that are keeping your flat file documents from being parsed correctly. The test response you receive contains the same information that would result from processing and validating a flat file. Note: Although validation is turned off by default, testing a flat file schema always performs validation regardless of you settings. To enable validation in the processing of an actual flat file schema, you must set the validate variable of the convertToValues service to true. For more information about this service, see Chapter 5, “WmFlatFile Built–in Services Reference” of this guide.

To test a flat file schema 1

In webMethods Developer Navigation , double–click the flat file schema that you want to test.

2

Click

3

To select a flat file with which to test the flat file schema, click , navigate to and select the test flat file, and then click Open. The name of your test flat file appears in the top portion of the Test tab.

4

From the Encoding drop–down list, select the encoding for the flat file you are testing.

5

To run the test, click OK. The parsed and converted IS documents appear in the Results . Any errors found when parsing the flat file appear in the Errors section of the Flat File Schema Editor.

. The Select file and encoding dialog box appears.

Note: If you make a change to the test file you are parsing, you must reload the file before running a test. For information about validation errors, see Appendix A, “Validation Errors” of this guide. 6

After you have reviewed the results, you may find that it is necessary to edit your flat file schema.


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Creating a Flat File Dictionary You can create a flat file dictionary for use with flat file schemas. Like a flat file schema, a flat file dictionary contains definitions of records, composites, and fields that can be used across multiple flat file schemas. Reusing these definitions reduces the amount of memory consumed by a flat file schema. Flat file dictionaries can also contain references to composite and field definitions in this dictionary and/or in other dictionaries. Flat File Dictionary

After you have created elements, you edit the element and its child elements just as you would elements in a flat file schema, except that you cannot add a record to a record. For more information about the circumstances for which you might want to create and use a flat file dictionary, see “When Should I Create a Flat File Dictionary?” on page 19 in Chapter 1, “Concepts” of this guide.


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To create a flat file dictionary 1

In webMethods Developer, click File  New in the menu bar.

2

In the New dialog box, select Flat File Dictionary, and then click Next.

3

Type the name of the new flat file dictionary, select its location (a folder in a WmFlatFile–dependent package), and then click Finish. The flat file dictionary you created is automatically selected, and the Flat File Schema Editor displays in the right pane of the Developer. You now can use the Flat File Schema Editor to configure the flat file dictionary.

4

To add elements, select the element type to which you want to add a child (Record Definition, Composite Definition, or Field Definition) and click an element and select New.


. You also can right–click

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The valid element selections display for the element you have selected. For each of the following element levels, you can specify the following properties in the Properties of the Flat File Schema Editor: Element

Property


Record Definition

Validator Check Fields Alternate Name Description

page 61 page 58 page 57 page 58

Define all other record definition properties in the record reference instance in the flat file schema. (For a list of these properties, see “Flat File Schema Property Descriptions” on page 57.) You define child composite and field definitions and references within a record the same way you define them in a flat file schema. Composite Definition

Validator Check Fields Alternate Name Description ID Code

page 61 page 58 page 57 page 58 page 59

Define all other composite definition properties in the composite reference instance in the flat file schema. (For a list of these properties, see “Flat File Schema Property Descriptions” on page 57.) You define child field definitions and references within a composite the same way you define the elements in a flat file schema. Field Definition

Validator Format Service DataType Alternate Name Description ID Code

page 61 page 59 page 58 page 57 page 58 page 59

Define all other field definition properties in the field reference instance in the flat file schema. You cannot define child elements for a field definition. To add additional element definitions at this level, click 5

.

After you have created elements, you edit the element and its child elements just as you would elements in a flat file schema, except that you cannot add a record to a record.


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6

After you have added all of the elements to this flat file dictionary, click the dictionary.

to save

Note: Elements added the dictionary cannot be referenced until the dictionary has been saved. You now can create flat file schemas based on this flat file dictionary.

Editing a Flat File Schema or Dictionary Important! To edit a flat file schema or dictionary, you must have the proper access permissions to do so and have locked the flat file schema. For information about access control lists (ACLs) see “Setting Access Permissions” on page 73. For flat file schemas and dictionaries, you can do the following: Edit any element properties. To do so, make the necessary changes on the Flat File Structure tab and then save the flat file schema or dictionary. For a list of these settings and properties, see “Creating a Flat File Schema” on page 36. Rename existing elements. To do so, right–click the element, and then select Rename. Re–structure the elements. To rearrange the structure of your flat file schema, use the buttons at the top of the Flat File Structure tab. Button

Description Select the element you want to delete, and click to delete. Select the element you want to move, and click to move the element up or down in the flat file schema structure. Select the element you want to move, and click to move the element left or right in the flat file schema structure.

Managing Flat File Dictionary Dependencies If you move or rename a dictionary, the Integration Server’s dependency manager will ask whether it should update all the flat file schemas and dictionaries that use this dictionary with the new location or name of the dictionary. If you delete a dictionary, the dependency manager will list all flat file schemas and dictionaries that will be impacted by the deletion, and prompts you to confirm the deletion. However, it does not identify the names of the records, fields, or composites that reference the dictionary; that is your responsibility.


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The dependency manager also manages dictionary dependencies on format services in a similar way; see “Managing Dictionary Dependencies on Format Services” on page 67.

Setting Access Permissions s of the Integration Server can set access control list (ACL) permissions to control  access and editing privileges for each flat file schema or flat file dictionary. To set access privileges for a flat file schema or dictionary 1

From the webMethods Developer Navigation , double–click the flat file schema for which you want to set permissions.

2

In the Properties , under Permissions, from the List ACL drop–down box, select the ACL level to which you want to grant read access. This enables the ACL you select to view this flat file schema or dictionary.

3

From the Write ACL drop–down box, select the ACL level to which you want to grant write access. This enables the ACL you select to view and edit this flat file schema or dictionary.

4

Click

to save the flat file schema permissions.


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Customizing the Flat File Configuration Settings The WmFlatFile package provides the following flags you can use to customize some aspects of the package’s default behavior. You implement these flags in the configuration file: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\config\ff.cnf Flag

Value

alwaysSortFields

Determines whether the pub.flatFile:convertToString service checks the order of the fields in composites and records that it receives as input (in ffValues) against the flat file schema that is specified in the ffSchema input parameter. false (the default): Assume that the fields in composites

and records are in the same order as the flat file schema. true: Attempt to match the order of the fields in composites and records to the order of the fields in composites and records in the flat file schema.

Example: alwaysSortFields=true useAlternateCodeSets

Determines whether to enable the use of alternate code sets. true (the default): Enable the use of alternate code sets. false: Do not enable the use of alternate code sets.

Example: useAlternateCodeSets=true


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Flag

Value

eadableDelimiter Reporting

Controls how the Delimiter record parser parses non‐readable delimiters, such as \r (carriage return), \n (line feed), or \t (tab). true (the default): The parser reports the delimiters as

human‐readable characters, e.g., the carriage return character is represented as \r. This variable does not impact human‐readable delimiters such as | or *. false: The parser reports the delimiters as the actual

delimiter character. For example, if the delimiter is a carriage return, the value reported will be the non‐readable carriage return code (decimal 13 or hexidecimal OD). Note: If you use the webMethods EDI Module, set this variable to false. This impacts how you can use the delimiter information in flow mapping. If you use the delimiters directly in flows with variable substitution, non‐printable characters will not be substituted correctly when eadableDelimiterReporting=true. For example, when the output of the convertToValues service shows that the record delimiter is \n and a  flow has an input set to the following: abc%@delimiters\record%def the resulting value will be as follows: If eadableDelimiterReporting=true, the resulting value is abc\ndef

If eadableDelimiterReporting=false, the resulting value is abc def


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Flag

Value

spacePadJustifies

Controls how the input parameter spacePad justifies fixed length fields handled by the services pub.flatFile:convertToString and wm.b2b.edi:convertToString. If spacePadJustifies=true and:

spacePad is set to left, fixed length fields are left justified. spacePad is set to right, fixed length fields are right justified. If spacePadJustifies=false (the default) and:

spacePad is set to left, fixed length fields are right justified. spacePad is set to right, fixed length fields are left justified. spacePadJustifies has no effect when spacePad is set to none. Example: spacePadJustifies=false dontTrimControl Characters

Determines how whitespace and control characters are handled by the service wm.b2b.edi:convertToString when the parameter spacePad is set to left or right. If dontTrimControlCharacters=true, and spacePad is set to left or right, the service does not truncate control characters from delimited fields. If dontTrimControlCharacters=false, and spacePad is set to left or right, control characters are treated as whitespace and truncated. Example: dontTrimControlCharacters=true


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Chapter 4. Sending and Receiving Flat Files

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Flat File Content Handler and Content Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Choosing the Service to Receive the Flat File from the Content Handler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server in a String Variable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via HTTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via FTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via File Polling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via an E–mail Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84


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4. Sending and Receiving Flat Files

Overview The webMethods Integration Server provides the following automated mechanisms for sending and receiving any type of flat file. Submit a flat file to a service in a String variable (of any name), which the target service can convert into an IData object using pub.flatFile:convertToValues. Post a flat file to a service via HTTP. FTP a flat file to a service. Submit a flat file to a service via File Polling. Send a flat file to a service as an e–mail message attachment. For general steps to configure ports, which is not included in this guide, see the “Configuring Ports” section of the “Configuring the Server” chapter in the webMethods Integration Server ’s Guide. Note: If you use Trading Networks, you can send flat files directly to Trading Networks. For more information about how Trading Networks processes flat files, see sections about flat file TN document types in the webMethods Trading Networks Concepts Guide and webMethods Trading Networks ’s Guide

Flat File Content Handler and Content Type You submit a flat file to a flow service using one of the methods discussed in this chapter. The WmFlatFile package s a content handler for the content type “application/x– wmflatfile.” This content handler es the contents of the flat file to the service specified in the submit method in an InputStream named ffdata. If an InputStream or ByteArray named ffreturn is present when the service completes execution, the InputStream is read and the results are returned to the invoker of the service, for example, HTTP, FTP, etc. The WmFlatFile package provides services that can be called within customized flow services or the File Polling processing service to initially accept and consume inbound flat files. These services are described in “Choosing the Service to Receive the Flat File from the Content Handler” in this chapter. For more information about File Polling, see “Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via File Polling” on page 84.


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Choosing the Service to Receive the Flat File from the Content Handler Those methods that use the flat file content handler must do the following: Accept an InputStream object called ffdata. Return data in an InputStream or a ByteArray called ffreturn. The WmFlatFile package provides the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service to be used within flow services to initially accept inbound flat files. Details about using this service to process inbound documents are provided in “Processing Inbound Flat Files” on page 25 of Chapter 2, “Processing Flat Files Overview” of this guide.

Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server in a String Variable One way to submit a flat file to the Integration Server is to  the entire document to a service in a String variable. This approach does not use the flat file content handler, so the restrictions outlined in the previous section do not apply. Instead, the invoked service must expect the contents of the flat file to be in a specific pipeline variable. The java client must place the source file in the pipeline as a String. The invoked service then processes the input data and can place parameters in the pipeline that will be returned to the java client as determined by the specific scenario. When you use this approach, you should code the target service to execute pub.flatFile:convertToValues to convert the String variable (i.e., the flat file) to an IS document (IData object). For more information about using convertToValues, see Chapter 5, “WmFlatFile Built–in Services Reference” of this guide. The following code fragment illustrates how a Java client might submit a flat file to the purch:postOrder service on the Integration Server. In this example, the client 1) loads the flat file into a String, 2) puts the String into the element orders in an IS document (IData object) named “inputs,” and 3) invokes purch:postOrder on the server at localhost:5555. import com.wm.app.b2b.client.*; import com.wm.util.*; import com.wm.data.*; import java.io.*; public class ArbitraryFlatFileClient . . //––Load FF into orders string String orders = YourLoadFlatFileMethod(orderFile); //––Put input values into IData object IData inputs = IDataFactory.create(); IDataCursor inputsCursor = inputs.getcursor(); inputsCursor.last(); inputsCursor.insertAfter(“orders”, orders); inputsCursor.insertAfter(“authCode”, authCode);


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//––Submit request to server c.connect(“localhost:5555”, “null”, null); IData outputs = c.invoke(“purch”, “postOrder”, inputs); c.disconnect(); if (inputsCursor.first(“response”)) { //...process response }

The Integration Server invokes postOrder to  the flat file to convertToValues. This will produce an “orders” string that can be mapped to the ffdata input variable in the convertToValues service. As discussed in Chapter 2, “Processing Flat Files Overview” of this guide, this service will produce an IS document (IData object).

Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via HTTP A client can post a flat file to a service via HTTP. To use this approach, you must have a client that can do the following: Send a string of data (a flat file) to the Integration Server using the HTTP POST method. –AND– Set the value of the Content–Type request–header field to “application/x–wmflatfile.” When the Integration Server receives an HTTP POST request where Content–Type is application/x–wmflatfile, it es the body of the request as an InputStream to the service specified in the request’s URL. Because most browsers do not allow you to modify the Content–Type header field, they are not suitable clients for this type of submission. Clients that you might use to submit a flat file in this manner include PERL scripts (which allow you to build and issue HTTP requests) or the Integration Server service, pub.client:http.

Building a Client that Posts a Flat File to a Service Regardless of which client you use, if you want to post a flat file to a service through HTTP, you must specify certain information. To build a client 1 2

Submit a POST request to the Integration Server. Address the request to the URL of an service (for example, http://rubicon:5555/invoke/purch/postOrder).

3

Set the Content–Type header field to “application/x–wmflatfile.”

4

Contain flat file data in the body of the message. The data must be the only text that appears in the body of the request. Do not assign it to a name=value pair.


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The following example describes the values that you set if you use pub.client:http to POST a flat file to a service. Set this Variable...

To...

url

This is the URL of the service that you want to invoke. webMethods services can be invoked via a URL. The format for specifying the URL is http://hostname:port/invoke/ folder.subfolder/service name, where hostname is the name of the machine running the Integration Server, port is the port on which the Integration Server is running, folder.subfolder is the path to the service folder names, and service name is the name of the service to invoke. The following value would invoke the “ProcessFlatFile” flow service located in the “MyFFProcessing” package on the “rubicon” server with port number “5555.” Example: http://rubicon:5555/invoke/MyFFProcessing/ ProcessFlatFile

method

“post”

headers.Content– Type

Name: Content–type

data.string –OR– data.bytes

This is the flat file that you want to post.

Value: The specific content type for the document (application/ x–wmflatfile)

You also will set any optional HTTP variables, such as authorization information, that are required by your application. The invoked service will have an InputStream ffdata object in the pipeline that contains the flat file data.

Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via FTP You can FTP a flat file to the Integration Server’s FTP listening port. By default the FTP port is assigned to port “8021.” However, this assignment is configurable, so you should check with your Integration Server  to see which port is used for FTP communications on your Integration Server. When the Integration Server receives a flat file on the FTP listening port, it es it as an InputStream to the service in the directory to which the file was FTP’d. To submit a flat file to the Integration Server via FTP, the service to which you want to   the document must take an InputStream as input for the ffdata variable.


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If you want to submit a flat file to a service through FTP, the application must specify certain information. To submit a flat file via FTP 1

Initiate an FTP session on the Integration Server’s FTP listening port.

2

Point to the directory that contains the service to which you want to  the flat file. Example: cd \ns\Purchasing\SubmitOrder Important! Note that the root directory for this operation is your Integration Server’s namespace directory (ns), not the root directory of the target machine. Therefore, if you want to FTP a file to a service in the Purchasing folder, you use \ns\Purchasing\ServiceName as the path to that service, not IntegrationServer_directory\ns\Purchasing\ServiceName. Each folder in the Developer is treated as a directory when FTPing to the Integration Server. For example, for the purchasing.purchaseRequests:rfq service, the directory name would be \ns\purchasing\purchaseRequests\rfq.

3

Copy the flat file to this directory using the following command: put sourceflatfile.txt destinationflatfile.txt;file content type

Where sourceflatfile.txt is the name of source file that you want to  to the Integration Server, destinationflatfile.txt is the name of the destination file, and application:x–wmflatfile indicates the content type of the file submitted. For example, to put a document called PurchaseOrder.txt on the Integration Server as Partner1PO.txt, you would use the following FTP command: Example: put PurchaseOrder.txt Partner1PO.txt;application:x–wmflatfile Note that the file you FTP to the Integration Server is never actually written to the server’s file system. The file you send and the output file it produces (see below) are written to a virtual directory system maintained in your Integration Server session.

FTPing a File From a webMethods Integration Server The pub.client folder contains built–in services that you can use to FTP a file from the Integration Server. To use the pub.client:ftp service, you must set the variables listed in the following table. Set this variable...

To set...

serverhost

This is the name of the machine running the Integration Server.

serverport

This is the port on the Integration Server that is listening for FTP traffic.

name

This is the valid  name on the target machine.


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Set this variable...

To set...

This is the valid  for the name in name.

command

“put”

dirpath

If you are sending to the Integration Server, this is the local path to the service that should be invoked after receiving the flat file. For example, \ns\Purchasing\SubmitOrder. If sending to another type of server, this is the working directory of the FTP server.

localfile

This is the name of the source file.

remotefile

This is the name of the remote file in which you want to save the data you sending. For example, destinationflatfile.txt. If you are sending to the Integration Server, the file name should be followed by the content–type. For example, destinationflatfile.txt;application:x–wmflatfile.

For more information about these services, see the webMethods Integration Server Built‐In Services Reference.

Getting Results from an FTP’d Document The results from a service executed by an FTP request are written to the same virtual directory to which the flat file was initially FTP’d. The name of the output file to which results are written is sourcefile.txt.out. You retrieve this document using the FTP “get” command. For example, if you put a document called “PurchaseOrder.txt” on the Integration Server, you would use the following FTP command to get its results: Example: get PurchaseOrder.txt.out “PurchaseOrder.txt.out” is the name of the flat file initially FTP’d to the service. This file contains the value of the output variable ffreturn of the invoked service. It is a good practice to make each file name that you FTP to the Integration Server unique (perhaps by attaching a timestamp to the name) so that you do not inadvertently overwrite other FTP’d documents or their results during an FTP session. Important! When you end the FTP session, the Integration Server automatically deletes the original file and its results from your session.


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Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via File Polling You can send a flat file to the Integration Server via a File Polling processing service. For general steps to configure the File Polling listener port, see the “Configuring Ports” section of the “Configuring the Server” chapter in the webMethods Integration Server ’s Guide. To poll specifically for flat files, you must specify the Default Content Type as “application/x– wmflatfile”. When a file with this content type is posted to the directory on the Integration Server that you are monitoring for flat files (Monitoring Directory), the Integration Server executes the service that you specified as the Processing Service. Because the content type is “application/x–wmflatfile”, when the Integration Server receives the flat file in the appropriately configured Monitoring Directory, it es the document as an InputStream to the service configured in the pipeline variable ffdata.

Submitting a Flat File to Integration Server via an E–mail Message You can send a flat file document as an attachment to an e–mail message to an e–mail mailbox and have the Integration Server automatically retrieve the e–mail message and process the flat file it contains. To do this, your Integration Server must be configured with an e–mail port that monitors the mailbox to which the flat file will be sent. (Consult your Integration Server  to see whether an email port has been set up on your Integration Server.) When a flat file arrives in the e–mail port’s mailbox, the Integration Server automatically retrieves the message and es that document as an InputStream to the service specified on the e–mail’s subject line (or, if a service is not specified on the subject line, the e–mail port’s default service).

Requirements for Submitting a Flat File Document via an E-mail Message To submit a flat file to the Integration Server via an e–mail message, your client program must specify certain information. To submit a flat file via email 1

Put the flat file in an e–mail attachment.

2

Set the e–mail’s Content–Type header to “application/x–wmflatfile.”

3

Specify the name of the service that will process the file in the e–mail’s subject line. If you leave the subject line empty, the document will be processed by the global service if one is defined or, if not, by the default service assigned to the e–mail port (if one has


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been assigned). For more information about specifying the port’s default service, see the webMethods Integration Server ’s Guide. The service that will process the flat file must take an InputStream as input in the ffdata variable. The following example describes the values that you would set if you used pub.client:smtp to email a flat file to a service. For more information about using this service, see the webMethods Integration Server Built‐In Services Reference. Set this Variable...

To...

to

A String specifying the e–mail address monitored by the Integration Server’s e–mail port.

subject

A String specifying the fully qualified name of the service to which the Integration Server will  the attached document. Example: orders:ProcessPO If you do not specify subject, the e–mail port invokes its default service (if one has been assigned to it).

from

A String containing the e–mail address to which the results of the service will be sent.

attachments. contenttype

The specific content type for the document (“application/x– wmflatfile”).

attachments. filename

A string specifying the fully qualified name of the file containing the flat file.

Getting Results from an Emailed Document If your e–mail port has been configured to return results, the results from a service invoked through the port are written to sourcefile.txt.out, and then sent as an attachment of an e–mail message to the sender of the original message. This file contains the value of the output variable ffreturn of the invoked service. ffreturn can be either an InputStream or a byte array. Important! By default, the e–mail port does not return any results from requests that it receives. If you want the port to return results, you must explicitly configure it to do so. For more information about configuring the e–mail port to return results, see your webMethods Integration Server ’s Guide.


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86

Chapter 5. WmFlatFile Built–in Services Reference

Flat File Conversion Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Flat File Generation Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Flat File Generation IS Document Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Flat File Generation Sample Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111


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5. WmFlatFile Built–in Services Reference

Flat File Conversion Services Use the services in the pub.flatFile folder when converting between Flat File documents and IS documents (IData objects).

pub.flatFile:FormatService Use this specification when you create format services for fields in a flat file schema or dictionary. The format service is invoked for a field when the pub.flatFile:convertToValues and pub.flatFile:convertToString services are invoked. You create a format service to format the field String and ensure that the value of the String meets the format restrictions of the format service. When creating a particular format service for use with the Format Service property in a flat file schema or dictionary, the service you select must implement the pub.flatFile:FormatService specification (located on its Input/Output tab). Important! If a particular field does not have a value (that is, a value is not returned in the IS document (IData object) for the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service or is not present in the input data for the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service) the format service assigned to that field will not be executed. Input Variables value

String The field value to format.

direction

String Indicates the type of formatting to be applied to the field. Specify one of the following:

validate

minLength

Value

Description

convertToString

This field is in an outbound document and needs its internal format converted to its external format.

convertToValues

This field is in an inbound document and needs its external format converted to its internal format.

String The value of the input parameter validate from the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service. true

The value of the convertToValues validate parameter is true (validate).

false

The value of the convertToValues validate parameter is false (do not validate). This value is always false when the value of the direction parameter is convertToString.

String Enables you to validate the minimum length of a field. If the field is extracted via a Fixed Position Extractor, this is the number of bytes that are extracted. If the field is not extracted via the Fixed Position Extractor and a Length Validator is associated with this field, this is the minimum length that will be considered valid. Otherwise, this parameter will not be present in the pipeline.


88


maxLength

String Enables you to validate the maximum length of a field. If the field is extracted via a Fixed Position Extractor, this is the number of bytes that are extracted. If the field is not extracted via the Fixed Position Extractor and a Length Validator is associated with this field, this is the maximum length that will be considered valid. If the maximum length is unlimited (–1) or there is no Length Validator, this parameter will not be present in the pipeline.

FormatInfo

Document Information that can be used by individual formatting services. This information can be obtained from one of 3 locations: convertToString – You can specify FormatInfo in addition to the delimiter information for a call to this service. convertToValues – If delimiter information is explicitly ed into the convertToValues service, FormatInfo can be specified. From the UNEDIFACT UNA segment – The EDI document type automatically extracts the decimal separator from the UNA segment. The only format services that use this feature are the decimal formatting services (for implied decimal and decimal formats). The FormatInfo IS document should contain a string called DecimalCharacter. If the decimal character is ‘,’ the number would be formatted as 100,10 (European format) instead of 100.10, as is common in the US. Note: Changes to the data in this object will be reflected in all other format services that are invoked during execution of convertToString and convertToValues.

Output Variables formattedValue

String The field value with appropriate formatting applied.

meetsFormat

String Whether the value could be formatted properly. Value

Description

true

Indicates that the value could be properly formatted.

false

Indicates that the value could not be properly formatted.

errorMessage

String If meetsFormat is false, this parameter provides a text message describing the formatting error.

valueToValidate

String The value that will be used by the validator for this field. If this value is not present, the value ed in the input variable value will be validated. This field is used only for situations in which the input variable validate is set to true.


89


pub.flatFile:convertToString Converts an IS document (IData object) to a flat file document based on the flat file schema that you specify. By default, this service returns the document as a string, but you can set a flag to optionally return the document as a byte array instead. Note: This service does not validate the document. Input Variables ffValues

Document The IData object representing the flat file.

ffSchema

String Namespace name of the flat file schema to use to convert the given IS document to a string.

spacePad

String (optional) How to position the records in the flat file.

signalError

Value

Meaning

left

Left justify the records (add blank spaces to the right of the records) before the records are written to the output. This is the default.

right

Right justify the records (add blank spaces to the left of the records) before the records are written to the output.

none

No spaces added.

String Whether to create errors in the output. Value

Meaning

false

Do not create errors in output.

true

Create errors in output.

Important! If you are upgrading from webMethods Integration Server version 4.6, to enable left or right justification you must add the following line to the IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\config\ff file: spacePadJustifies=false

Then, reload the WmFlatFile package so that this configuration setting will take effect. For details, see “Customizing the Flat File Configuration Settings” on page 74.


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noEmptyTrailing Fields

delimiters

String Whether trailing empty fields are to be removed from the output. Used only with records that have delimited fields. Value

Description

true

Trailing empty fields will be removed from the output. For example, if it is set to true, the output for a record with empty trailing fields looks like the following: AAA*01*02! (where ! is used as segment terminator). This is the default.

false

A field separator remains to denote an empty field. For example, if it is set to false, the output for a record with empty trailing fields looks like the following: AAA*01*02********! (where ! is used as segment terminator).

Document (optional) The separator characters used to construct the output string. To specify a delimiter, you can specify: One character or character representation (for example, *, \n for line terminator, \t for tab) Hexidecimal value with prefix “0X” (for example, 0X09, 0X13) Octal value with prefix “0” or decimal value (for example, 009, 013) Unicode characters (for example, \uXXXX where XXXX represents the unicode value of the character) Value

Meaning

record

String Character to use to separate records. If you want to specify the two–character carriage return line feed (CRLF) characters, specify \r\n.

field

String Character to use to separate fields.

subfield

String Character to use to separate subfields.

release

String Character to use to ignore a record, field, or subfield delimiter in a field. If a release character occurs in a field or subfield before the delimiter, it will be prefixed with release before being written to the output string.

quotedRelease

String Character to use to ignore a record, field, or subfield delimiter in a field. If a quoted release character occurs in a field or subfield before the delimiter, it will be prefixed with quotedrelease before being written to the output string. The string is pre‐ and appended with the quoted release character. For example, if * is a delimiter, the field value is a*b, and the quoted release character is “, the string appears as “a*b”.


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FormatInfo

Document Any values mapped to the FormatInfo variable will be ed unmodified to all format services invoked by convertToString and convertToValues.

outputFileName

String (optional) If you want the output returned in a file instead of in the string output variable, provide the name of the file you want created as a result of this service.

Encoding

String The type of encoding used to write data to the output file. The default encoding is UTF–8.

sortInput

String (optional) Whether you want the service to sort the input records to match the flat file schema specified in ffSchema. You should specify true for sortInput if the data in ffValues is not in the same order as defined by ffSchema. Value

Description

true

You want the service to sort the input records to match the flat file schema. Important! If you select to sort the input records, note that: The service will run slower. All undefined records will be sorted after the defined records. The order of the undefined records appear in the final document is random. If there are multiple records at the same level with the same name, the order they appear in the final document is random.

false

You do not want the service to sort the input records to match the flat file schema. The input records must match the order of the flat file schema. This is the default.

Value

Description

false

Returns the document as a string. This is the default.

true

Returns the document as a byte array instead of a string. This setting is useful (but optional) when parsing multi‐byte encodings.

returnAsBytes


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Output Variables string

String Data that represents the flat file document.

bytes

Object If the input variable returnAsBytes=true, returns the output as a byte array encoded using the specified encoding. The string value is not returned.

errorArray

Object String array containing messages pertaining to errors that occurred during conversion. If no errors are encountered, this contains a value of null.

pub.flatFile:convertToValues Converts a flat file document to an IS document (IData object) based on the input flat file schema. Input Variables ffData

Object The flat file input with type of String, InputStream, or ByteArray.

ffSchema

String The full name of the flat file schema object used to parse the ffData object.

ffIterator

Object (optional) An object that encapsulates and keeps track of the input data during processing. It is used only when the iterate variable has been set to true.

encoding

String (optional) The encoding of the InputStream ed in to ffData. The default encoding is UTF–8.

delimiters

Document (optional) An IData object that contains the segment terminator and the field and subfield separators. If the delimiter is null, it will be located using the information defined in the flat file schema. To specify a delimiter, you can specify: One character or character representation (for example, *, \n for line terminator, \t for tab) Hexidecimal value with prefix “0X” (for example, 0X09, 0X13) Octal value with prefix “0” or decimal value (for example, 011, 023) Unicode characters (for example, \uXXXX where XXXX represents the unicode value of the character) The space character. Important! If you specify one delimiter value, you must specify all values. Specifying one of these values will override any information set in the flat file schema. Variable

Description

record

String Character used to separate records. If you want to specify the two–character carriage return line feed (CRLF) characters, specify \r\n.


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field

String Character used to separate fields.

subfield

String Character used to separate subfields.

release

String Character used to ignore a record, field, or subfield delimiter in a field. If a release character occurs in a field or subfield before the delimiter, it will be prefixed with the release before being written to the output ffValues.

quotedRelease

String Character to use to ignore a record, field, or subfield delimiter in a field. If a quoted release character occurs in a field or subfield before the delimiter, it will be prefixed with quotedrelease before being written to the output string. The string is pre‐ and appended with the quoted release character. For example, if * is a delimiter, the field value is a*b, and the quoted release character is “, the string appears as “a*b”.

FormatInfo

iterate

createIfNull

Document Any values mapped to the FormatInfo variable will be ed unmodified to all format services invoked by convertToString and convertToValues.

String (optional) Whether you want to process the input all at one time or not. Value

Description

true

Processes top level records (children of the document root) in the flat file schema one at a time. After all child records of the top level record are processed, the iterator moves to the top level of the next record in the flat file schema, until all records are processed.

false

Processes all input data at one time. This is the default.

String (optional) Whether to create the IData object if all the fields are null. Value

Description

true

No IS document (IData object) will be created if all the fields are null. This is the default.

false

Always create IS document even though all the fields are null.


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skipWhiteSpace

String (optional) Whether white space at the beginning of records will be ignored. Note: The fixed length record parser ignores skipWhiteSpace; it preserves white space.

keepResults

validate

returnErrors

maxErrors

Value

Description

true

Ignore white spaces at the beginning of a record. This is the default.

false

Record is used as it is identified (useful for positional data record).

String (optional) Whether to return the parsed data in the ffValues output parameter. Value

Description

true

The parsed ffData will be returned in the output ffValues. This is the default.

false

ffValues will not return data. Use this option when validating the structure of the ffData against the given flat file schema.

String (optional) Whether to return error messages that describe how ffData differs from the flat file schema. Value

Description

false

Do not return error messages describing how ffData differs from the specified flat file schema. This is the default.

true

Return errors describing how the given ffData violates the constraints described in the flat file schema.

String (optional) Whether to return the validation errors. Validation errors are returned only if validate is set to true. Value

Description

asArray

Return any validation errors with the ffData in an array called errors. This is the default.

inResults

Return validation errors in the ffValues object.

both

Return validation errors in both errors and ffValues.

String (optional) The maximum number of errors that can be returned from one record. When the flat file parser encounters more than the maximum number of errors within a record, the parser will stop parsing and return the parsed data and errors processed up until that point. Validation errors are returned only if validate is set to true.


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flags

Document (optional) Flags that you can set to govern convertToValues options. Variable

Description

addRecordCount

String Whether you want the service to add an additional field (@record–count) to each parsed record in the resulting IData object (ffValues). The @record–count field is used to identify the record number of each parsed record. Value

Description

true

The @record–count field is added to each parsed record. This field contains the number of the parsed record. The first parsed record is 1, the second is 2, etc. If there are records that are undefined data, the count of the next defined record will reflect the undefined data. For example, if the @record–count field for a record is 2 and that record contains 5 undefined records, the @record–count field for the next defined record will be 8.

false

detailedErrors


The @record–count field is not added to each parsed record. This is the default.

String Whether you want detailed conditional validation error information. This flag is only used when validate is true. Value

Description

true

When a conditional validation error occurs, the output errors variable will contain detail information about all the conditions that were violated. For more information, see Appendix A, “Validation Errors”.

false

When a conditional validation error occurs, the service does not provide detail error information. Conditional validators report only whether a condition failed validation with no additional information about the conditions that were violated. This is the default.

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String Whether you want the service to wait until it finds the first valid record before reporting invalid records as errors.

skipToFirst Record

Value

Description

true

The service will wait until it finds the first valid record before reporting invalid records as errors. This is the default.

false

The service will report invalid records as errors prior to locating the first valid record.

String Whether you want the service to delete any blank spaces at the beginning of fields, at the end of fields, or both.

trimWhitespace

Value

Description

none

The service will not delete any blank spaces from fields. This is the default.

left

The service will delete all blank spaces at the beginning of all fields.

right

The service will delete all blank spaces at the end of all fields.

both

The service will delete all blank spaces at the beginning and end of all fields.

Output Variables ffValues

Document The IData object that represents the input flat file data.

ffIterator

Object (optional) An object that encapsulates and keeps track of the input records during processing. It is used only when the iterate variable has been set to true. When all input data has been processed, the object becomes null. When the ffIterator variable is null, you should exit the LOOP to discontinue processing.

isValid

String Whether flat file contains validation errors.

errors

Value

Description

true

The validate input variable was set to true and no errors were found.

false

The validate input variable was set to true and errors were found, or the validate input variable was set to false.

String (optional) An array containing the validation errors, if any, that were found in ffData. For more information about validation error codes see Appendix A, “Validation Errors” of this guide.


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pub.flatFile:getedEncodings This service returns a list of ed encodings. This service will only report webMethods encodings, not Java defaults. That is, if you do not have converters.jar installed, it returns null. Input Variables None Output Variables encodings

String List A list of ed encodings.

Flat File Generation Services Use the services in the pub.flatFile.generate folder to create, modify, and delete flat file dictionary entries, entire flat file dictionaries, and flat file schemas. For more information about how to use these services, see Appendix C, “Programmatically Creating Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries”. The sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema folder, which is in the WmFlatFileSamples package, contains sample services that illustrate how to use the services in the pub.flatFile.generate folder. The sample services are the sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:delimited service and the sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:fixedLength service, which are described in “Flat File Generation Sample Services” on page 111.

pub.flatFile.generate:createDocumentType Creates an IS document type that defines the XML representation of a flat file schema. Input Variables FlatFileSchema

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file schema for which you want to generate an IS document type.

PackageName

String The name of the Integration Server package in which you want the created IS document type to be placed.

DocumentTypeName

String The fully–qualified name that you want to assign to the created IS document type.

Output Variables None


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pub.flatFile.generate:createFFDictionary Creates an empty flat file dictionary. This service throws an exception is if the flat file dictionary you want to create already exists when the service is invoked. Input Variables FFDictionaryName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file dictionary you want to create.

PackageName

String The name of the Integration Server package in which you want the created flat file dictionary to be placed.


pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionary Deletes a flat file dictionary. Before deleting the dictionary, the Integration Server determines if other dictionaries depend on the dictionary being deleted, and gives the  the option of cancelling the deletion. Input Variables FFDictionaryName

String The fully qualified name of the flat file dictionary that you want to delete.

Output Variables deleted

String Whether the flat file dictionary was successfully deleted; deleted will be either true or false. Value

Description

true

The flat file dictionary was successfully deleted.

false

The flat file dictionary was not successfully deleted.

Usage Note Before you run this service, you should run the pub.flatFile.generate:findDependants service to return the names of all flat file schemas and dictionaries that are dependent on the dictionary you are deleting.


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pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionaryEntry Deletes a single entry from a flat file dictionary. Input Variables FFDictionaryName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file dictionary that contains the entry that you want to delete.

EntryName

String The name of the entry that you want to delete.

EntryType

String The type of entry that you are deleting. Specify Record, Composite, or Field.


String Whether the flat file dictionary entry was successfully deleted; deleted will be either true or false. Value

Description

true

The flat file dictionary entry was successfully deleted.

false

The flat file dictionary entry was not successfully deleted.

pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFSchema Deletes a flat file schema. Input Variables FFSchemaName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file schema that you want to delete.


String Whether the flat file schema was successfully deleted; deleted will be either true or false. Value

Description

true

The flat file schema was successfully deleted.

false

The flat file schema was not successfully deleted.


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pub.flatFile.generate:findDependants Returns the names of all flat file schemas and dictionaries that are dependent on a given flat file dictionary. Input Variables ffDictionaryName

String The name of the flat file dictionary whose dependants you want to find.

Output Variables dependants

Document List The dependant objects and the packages that contain them. Variable

Description

packageName

String The name of the package that contains the dependant object.

name

String The name of the dependant object.

pub.flatFile.generate:findReferences Returns the names of all flat file dictionaries that are referenced by a given flat file dictionary or flat file schema. Input Variables name

String The name of the flat file dictionary or flat file schema whose references you want to find.

Output Variables references

Document List The referenced objects and the packages that contain them. Variable

Description

packageName

String The name of the package that contains the referenced object.

name

String The name of the referenced object.

pub.flatFile.generate:getFFDictionaryAsXML Returns a dictionary as an XML string. Input Variables FFDictionaryName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file dictionary that you want returned as XML.


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Output Variables FFXML

String The returned flat file dictionary as an XML string. The returned XML string conforms to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary IS document type.

pub.flatFile.generate:getFFDictionaryEntryAsXML Returns a single dictionary entry as an XML string. Input Variables FFDictionaryName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file dictionary that contains the entry that you want returned as XML.

EntryName

String The name of the entry that you want to returned as XML.

EntryType

String The type of entry that you want returned. Specify Record, Composite, or Field.


String The returned flat file dictionary entry as an XML string. The returned XML string conforms to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary IS document type.

pub.flatFile.generate:getFFSchemaAsXML Returns the specified flat file schema as an XML string. Input Variables FFSchemaName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file schema that you want returned as XML.


String The returned flat file schema as an XML string. The returned XML string conforms to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema IS document type.


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pub.flatFile.generate:listFFDictionaryEntries Lists all entries in a specified flat file dictionary that are of a specified type. Input Variables FFDictionaryName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file dictionary that contains the entries that you want listed.

EntryType

String The type of entries that you want listed. Specify Record, Composite, or Field.

Output Variables EntryNames

String List The list of returned flat file dictionary entries.

pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLAsFFDictionary Creates a flat file dictionary in the Integration Server namespace by converting the specified flat file dictionary that is in XML format into a namespace flat file dictionary. If a flat file dictionary with the same name already exists in the Integration Server namespace, use the pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionary service to delete the flat file dictionary before invoking this service. This service throws an exception is if a flat file dictionary with the same name already exists when it is invoked. Input Variables FFDictionaryName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file dictionary that you want to create in the Integration Server namespace.

PackageName

String The name of the Integration Server package in which to save the flat file dictionary.

FFXML

String The flat file dictionary (as an XML string) that you want to create in the Integration Server namespace. The XML string must conform to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary IS document type. Note: To see examples of how to supply the XML string in FFXML by mapping data from another file, see the samples provided in the WmFlatFileSamples package and that are described in “Flat File Generation Sample Services” on page 111. For sample code that shows how to retrieve the data for FFXML from an XML file in the local file system, see “Creating a Service that Retrieves the XML File” on page 140 in Appendix C, “Programmatically Creating Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries”.


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maxNumOfErrors

String (optional) The maximum number of errors that you want returned. The default is 100. The service ensures the flat file dictionary is valid before saving it in the Integration Server namespace. The validation occurs in two stages. 1

Structural validation of the XML.

2

Logical validation of the XML contents.

If structural validation errors occur, the service reports the structural validation errors, but does not proceed with logical validation. When the XML string contains no structural validation errors, the service proceeds with logical validation and reports any logical validation errors. Output Variables saved

String Whether the flat file dictionary was saved successfully. It will have one of the following values. Value

Description

true

The flat file dictionary was successfully saved.

false

The flat file dictionary was not successfully saved.

Errors

String List (optional) Errors that occurred while attempting to save the flat file dictionary to the Integration Server namespace.

Warnings

String List (optional) Warnings about the flat file dictionary that was created.

Usage Note Use this service to add a new flat file dictionary. Use the pub.flatFile.generate:updateFFDictionaryEntryFromXML if you want to update one or more entries in a flat file dictionary rather than creating a new flat file dictionary.

pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLASFFSchema Creates a flat file schema in the Integration Server namespace by converting the specified flat file schema that is in XML format into a namespace flat file schema. If a flat file schema with the same name already exists in the Integration Server namespace, use the pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFSchema service to delete the flat file schema before invoking this service. This service throws an exception is if a flat file schema with the same name already exists when it is invoked.


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Input Variables FFSchemaName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file schema that you want to create in the Integration Server namespace.

PackageName

String The name of the Integration Server package in which to save the flat file schema.

FFXML

String The flat file schema (as an XML string) that you want to create in the Integration Server namespace. The XML string must conform to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema IS document type. Note: To see examples of how to supply the XML string in FFXML by mapping data from another file, see the samples provided in the WmFlatFileSamples package and that are described in “Flat File Generation Sample Services” on page 111. For sample code that shows how to retrieve the data for FFXML from an XML file in the local file system, see “Creating a Service that Retrieves the XML File” on page 140 in Appendix C, “Programmatically Creating Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries”.

maxNumOfErrors

String (optional) The maximum number of errors that you want returned. The default is 100. The service ensures the flat file schema is valid before saving it in the Integration Server namespace. The validation occurs in two stages. 1


2



String Whether the flat file schema was saved successfully. It will have one of the following values. Value

Description

true

The flat file schema was successfully saved.

false

The flat file schema was not successfully saved.

Errors

String List (optional) Errors that occurred while attempting to save the flat file schema to the Integration Server namespace.

Warnings

String List (optional) Warnings about the flat file schema that was created.


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pub.flatFile.generate:updateFFDictionaryEntryFromXML Updates one or more entries in a flat file dictionary in the Integration Server namespace. This service goes through all entries that you specify in the FFXML variable. If an entry with the same name and type already exists in the flat file dictionary, this service overwrites the existing entry. If the entry does not already exist, this service creates the entry in the specified flat file dictionary. Input Variables FFDictionaryName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file dictionary that contains the entries that you are replacing and/or adding.

FFXML

String The dictionary entries (as an XML string) that you want to use to replace an existing entry or that you want to add to the flat file dictionary. The XML string in FFXML must conform to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary IS document type. Note: To see examples of how to supply the XML string in FFXML by mapping data from another file, see the samples provided in the WmFlatFileSamples package and that are described in “Flat File Generation Sample Services” on page 111. For sample code that shows how to retrieve the data for FFXML from an XML file in the local file system, see “Creating a Service that Retrieves the XML File” on page 140 in Appendix C, “Programmatically Creating Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries”.

maxNumOfErrors

String (optional) The maximum number of errors that you want returned. The default is 100. This service ensures the entries are valid before saving them in the flat file dictionary. The validation occurs in two stages. 1


2



String Whether the dictionary entry was saved successfully. It will have one of the following values. Value

Description

true

The dictionary entry was successfully saved.

false

The dictionary entry was not successfully saved.


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Errors

String List (optional) Errors that occurred while attempting to save the entry to the flat file dictionary.

Warnings

String List (optional) Warnings about the dictionary entry that was updated or added.

Flat File Generation IS Document Types The IS document types in the pub.flatFile.generate folder define the format of the information that you must provide to add or update dictionary entries, entire flat file dictionaries, and flat file schemas. For more information about how to use these IS document types, see Appendix C, “Programmatically Creating Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries”.

pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary This IS document type defines the format to use when supplying a flat file dictionary or dictionary entry (in the FFXML variable) and the format that services return (in the FFXML variable) when you are retrieving a flat file dictionary or dictionary entry. The structure for this IS document type is defined in the following XML schema: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\pub\FFGeneration.xsd

Variables FFDictionary

Document The dictionary entries that you want to add or update. FFDictionary has the following structure: RecordDictionary Entry


Document List (optional) The dictionary entries for records that you want to add or update in the flat file dictionary. Leave this null if you do not want to add or update record entries. Variable

Description

EntryName

String The name of the record.

RecordDefinition

Document The definition of the record. The information you specify in a record definition is the same as the information that you specify when creating a flat file dictionary using the Flat File Schema Editor. For descriptions of the fields, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries”.

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Composite DictionaryEntry

FieldDictionary Entry

Document List (optional) The dictionary entries for composites that you want to add or update in the flat file dictionary. Leave this null if you do not want to add or update composite entries. Variable

Description

EntryName

String The name of the composite.

Composite Definition

Document The definition of the composite. The information you specify in a composite definition is the same as the information that you specify when creating a flat file dictionary using the Flat File Schema Editor. For descriptions of the fields, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries”.

Document List (optional) The dictionary entries for fields that you want to add or update in the flat file dictionary. Leave this null if you do not want to add or update field entries. Variable

Description

EntryName

String The name of the field.

FieldDefinition

Document The definition of the field. The information you specify in a field definition is the same as the information that you specify when creating a flat file dictionary using the Flat File Schema Editor. For descriptions of the fields, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries”.

Usage Notes If you are using this IS document type to supply a flat file dictionary as input to the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLAsFFDictionary, be sure to supply all dictionary entries. If you are using this IS document type to update an existing dictionary, provide only the entries that you want to add or update and invoke the pub.flatFile.generate:updateFFDictionaryEntryFromXML to update the flat file dictionary.


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pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema This IS document type defines the format to use when supplying a flat file schema (in the FFXML variable) and the format that services return (in the FFXML variable) when you are retrieving a flat file schema. The structure for this IS document type is defined in the following XML schema: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\pub\FFGeneration.xsd

Variables FFSchema

Document The flat file schema that you want to add or update. FFSchema has the following structure: Variable

Description

Delimiters

Document The delimiters used in the flat files that adhere to this flat file schema. The information that you specify for Delimiters corresponds to the data you specify on the Flat File Definition tab in the Flat File Schema Editor. For a description of the fields, see “Step 1: Add and Configure the Flat File Schema” on page 36.

Document Structure

Document The structure of the flat files that adhere to this flat file schema. The information that you specify for DocumentStructure corresponds to the data you specify on the Flat File Structure tab in the Flat File Schema Editor. For a description of the fields, see “Step 3: Define the Structure of the Flat File Schema” on page 48.


Variable

Description

Ordered

String Whether the child records appear in the flat file in the order they are defined in the flat file schema.

RecordStructure

Document List Definitions of the records within the flat file. Variable

Description

Ordered

String Whether the child records appear in the flat file in the order they are defined in the flat file schema.

RecordUsage

Document Information about how the record is used, including either the dictionary reference for this record or the definition of the record.

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RecordStructure

Document List Child records of this record. This is a recursive reference to the RecordStructure defined in FFSchema/DocumentStructu re.

RecordParser

Document The type of record parser. In this IS document, specify only the one variable that corresponds to the type of record parser to use. That is, specify one of FixedLengthParser, DelimitedParser, VariableLengthParser, or EDIParser. For DelimitedParser, VariableLengthParser, and EDIParser, you do not need to specify a value; just have the variable in the pipeline.

DefaultRecord Reference

Document (optional) The dictionary name and entry name that identifies the default record for the flat file schema. If you specify a default record, when using the flat file schema to parse a flat file schema, the default record is used for any record that cannot be recognized.

Record Identifier

Document Where to locate the identifier to use to correlate a record in the flat file to a record definition in the flat file schema. Specify either the NthFieldIdentifier variable or the FixedPositionIdentifier variable: Use NthFieldIdentifier to identify the field in the record (counting from zero) that contains the identifier. Use FixedPositionIdentifier to identify the character position in the record (counting from zero) where the record identifier is located.

Undefined DataAllowed

String Whether you want the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service to generate undefined data errors when you use this flat file schema to convert a flat file to an IData object. Specify true if you want to allow undefined data and do not want the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service to flag undefined data errors. Specify false if you do not want to allow undefined data and you do want the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service to flag undefined data errors.

Document Areas


String List Areas for this flat file schema. An area is a way to associate an arbitrary string with a given record.

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FloatingRecord

String (optional) The name of the record that is defined in the schema as a floating record. Note: If the floating record has an alternate name, specify the alternate name.

Description

String Description of the flat file schema.

Flat File Generation Sample Services The sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema folder, which is in the WmFlatFileSamples package, contains sample services that illustrate how to use the services in the pub.flatFile.generate folder. The WmFlatFileSamples package is located in the Knowledge Base on the Advantage Web site.

sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:delimited Creates a flat file schema for parsing a delimited flat file. The created flat file schema references a flat file dictionary for record definitions, which this service also creates. The flat file schema will be created based on data in a .txt definition file. Each record in the .txt definition file contains comma–separated data. There are three types of definitions in the .txt file: RecordDefinition, which defines a type of record that is contained in the flat file. A RecordDefinition contains the following: RecordDefinition keyword Record identifier, which is the identifier for the record being defined ChildRecord, which follows a RecordDefinition and defines the child records of the previous record that was defined by a RecordDefinition. A ChildRecord contains the following: ChildRecord keyword Child record identifier, which is the identifier for the child record being defined. Repeat count, which is the maximum number times this child record can appear after its parent record FieldDefinition, which follows either a RecordDefinition or a ChildRecord. It defines the fields that are in the previous record that was defined by a RecordDefinition or a ChildRecord. A FieldDefinition contains the following: FieldDefinition keyword Field name, which is a brief description of the contents of the field, for example, name, address Field position, which is where the field occurs in the record


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The sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:delimited service parses the .txt definition file and loops over each RecordDefinition creating a flat file dictionary entry for each. Each record will contain the fields defined by the corresponding FieldDefinitions. Records will be nested as indicated by the ChildRecords. The first RecordDefinition defined in the .txt definition file will be considered the root node of the flat file document. All other records must be children of that record. If a record is listed in the .txt definition file as a ChildRecord only (and not defined as a RecordDefinition), that record will appear in the flat file schema, referencing a dictionary entry that does not exist. The WmFlatFileSamples\pub\sample\flatFile\generateFFSchema\delimited directory contains the following files to use with the sample: FFDefinition.txt, which is a sample .txt definition file that you can use as input to this service FFExample.txt, which is an example of a delimited flat file that can be parsed using the flat file schema created from the data in the FFDefinition.txt file.

Input Variables TXTFilename

String The name of the .txt definition file to parse.

SchemaName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file schema to create. An error is generated if this flat file schema already exists.

DictionaryName

String The name of the flat file dictionary associated with the flat file schema you are creating. The dictionary will be created if it does not already exist.

PackageName

String The name of the Integration Server package in which to create the flat file schema and dictionary.

RecordId

String The field number that contains the record identifier.

Delimiters

Document An IData object that contains the segment terminator and the field and subfield separators used by the flat files that the flat file schema will be used to parse. Variable

Description

record

String Character used to terminate records.

field

String Character used to separate fields.

subfield

String Character used to separate subfields.



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sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:fixedLength Creates a flat file schema for parsing a fixed length flat file. The created flat file schema contains record definitions rather than referencing a flat file schema. The flat file schema will be created based on data in a CSV definition file. Each record in the CSV definition file contains the following fields: Record identifier, which is the identifier for the record being defined. Field name, which is a brief description of the contents of the field, for example, name, address. Field start position, which is the position of the first byte to extract from the record. Field length, which is number of bytes in the field. The CSV file must be sorted by the record identifier. The sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:fixedLength service reads the CSV file and creates the flat file schema to parse a fixed length flat file. The WmFlatFileSamples\pub\sample\flatFile\generateFFSchema\fixedLength directory contains the following files to use with the sample: FFDefinition.csv, which is a sample CSV file that you can use as input to this service FFExample.txt, which is an example of a fixed length flat file that can be parsed using the flat file schema created from the data in the FFDefinition.csv file. Input Variables CSVFilename

String The fully–qualified name of the CSV definition file to parse.

SchemaName

String The fully–qualified name of the flat file schema to create. An error is generated if this flat file schema already exists.

PackageName

String The name of the Integration Server package in which to create the flat file schema and dictionary.

RecordLength

String The number indicating the length of each record defined by the flat file schema.

RecordId

String The number that indicates where in the record the record identifier starts.



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114

Appendix A. Validation Errors

Validation Error Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Validation Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120


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A. Validation Errors

Validation Error Contents When the validate variable of the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service is set to true and an object within the flat file does not conform to the flat file schema, the service generates errors when validating the flat file. If the service finds that an object is invalid, it returns validation errors in the errors output of the convertToValues service. Example of Validation Results

This errors array contains the following types of information about the errors that occurred in a record during validation. Each error in a record generates one entry in the errors array. For more information about the fields in the errors array, see “General Error Entries in the errors Array” on page 117. Each error in a child record also generates one item within the parent record, which appears nested in the error array in the variable childErrors. Errors with conditional validators can generate detail information about the conditions violated in a child errorDetails array, one entry in the array for each violated condition. The pub.flatFile:convertToValues service only generates details about violated conditions when the flag/detailedErrors input variable of the pub.flatFile:convertToValues


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service is set to true. For more information, see “Entries for Conditional Validator Errors in errorDetails Array” on page 117.

General Error Entries in the errors Array An entry in the errors array contains the following information. For information about errorDetails entries, see “Entries for Conditional Validator Errors in errorDetails Array” on page 117. Variable in errors

Description

errorPosition

Indicates where the error occurred within the parent element. For a record, this indicates the position of the record within the flat file. For a composite, this indicates the position of the field within the composite. For a nested child record, this indicates the position of the field within the record.

errorMessage

A brief description of the error.

errorCode

A number indicating the type of error. For a list, see “Validation Error Codes” on page 120.

reference

The name of the element in the flat file schema that contained the error.

badData

The value of the data that failed validation.

childErrors

(Array). Indicates that a field or subfield within the record or composite generated a validation error.

Entries for Conditional Validator Errors in errorDetails Array The errorDetails array includes detail information about the conditions that were violated when the following are true: When you set the validate and flag/detailedErrors input variables of the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service to true. –AND– The pub.flatFile:convertToValues service encounters errors with conditional validator The following shows a sample of the errors array that includes the errorDetails array, which contains details about violated conditions. See the table below the sample for more information.


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Example of Validation Results with Conditional Validation Errors

1

2

3

Portion of the array 1

errors

Description For a description of this portion of the errors array, see “General Error Entries in the errors Array” on page 117. When the flag/detailedErrors input variable of the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service is set to false, this is the only information generated in the errors array about violated conditions. When the flag/detailedErrors is true, the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service generates the detail in errorDetails array described below.


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Portion of the array 2

errorDetails

Description To provide information about the conditions that were violated, the convertToValues service generates an entry in the errorDetails array for each violated condition. Variable in errorDetails

3

errorDetails

errorPosition

Always zero; the errorPosition is not meaningful at this level of the errorDetails array.

errorMessage

A brief description of the condition that was violated.

errorCode


reference

Always null; the reference is not meaningful at this level of the errorDetails array.

badData

Always null; the badData is not meaningful at this level of the errorDetails array.

condition

The condition that was violated.

errorDetails

Details about how the condition was violated. See the description below.

The child errorDetails array contains detail about how the condition was violated. The convertToValues service generates an entry for each way the condition was violated. Variable in errorDetails


Description

Description

errorPosition

Indicates the position in the record that contains the field that caused the condition to be violated.

errorMessage

A brief description of the condition that was violated.

errorCode


reference

The name of the element in the flat file schema that contained the error.

badData

The value of the data that failed validation.

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Validation Error Codes The following table describes the validation error codes that you might receive when the validate variable of the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service is set to true and you are validating a flat file or testing a flat file schema. Error Code

Description

1

In the flat file schema, the Mandatory drop‐down menu was set to true for this element, but the element does not occur in the flat file.

2


3

Unexpected element. This field is not allowed in the record or composite in which it appears.

4

In the flat file schema, a length validator was specified in the Validator property for this field. The value in the flat file exceeded the maximum length specified.

5

In the flat file schema, a length validator was specified in the Validator property for this field. The value in the flat file did not meet the minimum length specified.

6


7

In the flat file schema, a code list validator was specified in the Validator property for this field. The value in the flat file was not listed in the flat file schema as a valid value.

8


9


10

In the flat file schema, a conditional validator was specified in the Validator property for this composite or record. The contents of this composite or record did not meet the conditional requirements. The errorMessage variable contains the number of the condition that failed. If you had a validation string of C010203R0405 and both conditions failed, the error message would state that rules 0 and 1 were violated. If only the second is violated, it states that the rule 1 was violated. If you require more detail about conditional validator errors, set the flag/detailedErrors input variable of the pub.flatFile:convertToValues service to true. For a description of the error details that convertToValues service generates when you set flag/detailedErrors to true, see “Entries for Conditional Validator Errors in errorDetails Array” on page 117.


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Error Code

Description

11

Indicates that this record is not defined anywhere in the flat file schema. You will receive this error only when you have not specified a Default Record or selected Allow Undefined Data where this record appears in the flat file. If you have specified either of these properties, you will not receive this error.

12

Indicates that this record is defined in this flat file schema, but it occurs in the flat file in a location prohibited by the flat file schema.

13


14

In the flat file schema, you specified a maximum repeat value in the Max Repeat property for a particular record. The number of record instances in the flat file exceeded the specified maximum number of repeats.

15


16

Within a record, this indicates that the record contains a composite or field error. For a composite, this indicates the that composite contains a subfield error.

17

A string could not be formatted into the intended format. A format service reported that the data could not be formatted properly. For information about field format services, see “Format Services” on page 66 of Chapter 3, “Creating and Editing Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries” of this guide.

18

Indicates that a conditional validation rule requires a field, but that field is not present in the data.

19

Indicates that a field is excluded by a conditional validation rule, but the field is present in the data.


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122

Appendix B. Flat File Byte Count Parser

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Handling Partial Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Stateful Encodings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127


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B. Flat File Byte Count Parser

Overview The flat file parser measures the lengths and positions of all records and fields in flat file schemas in  of bytes, not characters. Prior to Version 6.5, Service Pack 2, the parser measured all lengths and positions in characters. Note: This change does not affect s who currently parse flat files using single‐byte encodings because one byte equals one character. Thus, there is no functional difference between parsing bytes and characters. This parser s both single‐byte encodings (equivalent to character encodings) and multi‐byte encodings. With multi‐byte encodings, a byte count can differ from a character count since a single character can be encoded to multiple bytes. Both the convertToValues and the convertToString services  byte‐count parsing for multi‐byte encodings. In addition, convertToString now includes an optional setting that returns a document as a byte array instead of a string (see “pub.flatFile:convertToString” on page 90). Important! Multi‐byte encoded files must run on JVM version 1.4 or later. There is no change in the way in which the parser handles the following entities: Delimited fields and records. A delimiter may be a single character, but may not be byte based. Delimiter and release character extractors still extract the specified character from the input file based on a character position. The field length validator. The parser still uses the String.length() method to validate field lengths (in characters). However, the byte count validator validates the total number of bytes in a field. Important! The parser does not  the writing or reading of binary data (e.g., COMP‐3 COBOL fields), nor does it  multiple kinds of encodings within one file.

Handling Partial Characters The parser reads and writes only complete characters. Partial characters are characters that violate character boundary conditions, as described below.


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Reading Partial Characters The following table describes how the parser reads partial characters: Character Boundary Condition

How the Parser Handles the Condition

Reading a fixed position field that begins in the middle of a multi‐byte character.

The field starts on the next complete character. The partial character is ignored.

Reading a fixed position field that ends in the middle of a multi‐byte character.

The field ends on the previous complete character. The partial character is not included in the field.

Reading a fixed position record that begins or ends in the middle of a multi‐byte character.

If the bytes encode to an invalid character, an exception is thrown. Note: If the bytes that begin or end the record are encoded to a valid character, it will be the wrong character.

To illustrate a case where the parser reads fixed position records that begin and end in the middle of a multi‐byte character, consider the following multi‐byte encoding: 12121212

These eight bytes represent four two‐byte characters. If we specified a fixed length file with a record length of three bytes instead of two bytes, the parser would read this encoding as follows, producing an undesirable result: Record 1:

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Record 2:

212

Record 3:

12

Note that: Record 1 contains one character, formed by the first two bytes of the file. The last byte is a partial character; the parser ignores it. Record 2 contains one character, formed by the fifth and sixth bytes of the file. The character formed by the third and fourth bytes is lost because these bytes span Records 1 and 2, and cannot be properly decoded. Record 3 contains one character, formed by the seventh and eighth bytes.


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Writing Partial Character Encodings Partial characters present a similar problem when writing to a fixed length file. The parser considers all fixed position fields to be “self contained”. This means that all encoding information for a fixed position field is contained in the byte range specified for the field. Keep this in mind when writing multi‐byte encodings to fixed length fields because it is possible to specify a field or record that does not end on a character boundary. Consider a fixed length field that is 10 bytes, but the string for that field encodes to more than 10 bytes. In this case, the parser will truncate the byte array to fit into 10 bytes. This could result in the creation of invalid characters. Thus, the parser always truncates a string on a character boundary; only complete characters are written to the output file. The following table describes how the parser writes partial characters: Character Boundary Condition

How the Parser Handles the Condition

Writing a string to a fixed position field where the string is longer than the fixed position field (where it breaks at a character boundary).

Truncates the string to fit the field.

Writing to a fixed position field that ends in the middle of a multi‐byte character.

The field ends on the previous complete character. The partial character is not included in the field, and is replaced by one or more pad characters. For an example, see below.

Writing to a fixed position field in the middle of a delimited field that contains a stateful encoding.

Does not generate an error during creation of the file. Parsing the created file will likely result in an encoding error.

To illustrate a case where the parser writes to a fixed position field that ends in the middle of a multi‐byte character, consider the following multi‐byte encoding:

Field

Number of Bytes in Field

Character 1

Character 2

Field1

4

12

12

Field2

4

12

345

The parser encodes this multi‐byte encoding as follows: Field

Value

Field1

1212

Field2

12PP


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The parser encodes Field1 properly; it considers character 1 and character 2 to be complete characters. The parser encodes Field2 as follows: It considers character 1 to be a complete character Since byte 3 does not begin on a character boundary, the parser considers character 2 to be a partial character. It truncates bytes, 3, 4, and 5 because those three bytes would extend beyond the end of the field. It replaces these three bytes with two pad characters (represented by PP).

Stateful Encodings The parser can read any well‐formed document that adheres to the rules of the document’s particular kind of encoding. The parser can only write to files that have fixed length fields or delimited records. Note: Escape encodings behave similarly to stateful encodings. The parser truncates characters preceding the escape sequence so that the integrity of the escape sequence is maintained. Stateful encodings have two specific bytes that indicate when the record’s state has changed: | is a “shift‐in” byte that indicates a change from the normal state to an alternate state O (the character O, not zero) is a “shift‐out” byte that indicates a change from the alternate state to the normal state

Writing Stateful Encodings Consider a record definition with the following four‐byte fields:

Field

Start Position

End Position

A

0

3

Character value “AB” encodes to 5 bytes: |123O. The character “A” is represented by bytes 1 and 2. The character “B” is represented by byte 3.

B

4

8

Character value “C” encodes to 4 btyes: |45O.

Record Value

The parser encodes this record as follows: |12O|45O


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Notice that the parser truncated byte 3 (the character “B”) from the first field so that the field would fit within the four‐byte limit. This truncation occurred on the character boundary between the characters A and B, creating a properly encoded record. Note: A different method of encoding, using a “padding” byte, would have produced this result: |12345OP

where P is an added padding byte, to extend the record length to the required eight bytes. The parser does not use this method of encoding. Using this method, extracting the value for the second field produces: 45OP

The parser cannot properly write this byte sequence. All fixed position fields must be encoded as if they were a stand‐alone sequence of bytes. No stateful encoding information may be carried from one fixed position field to any other fixed position field. However, delimited fields may carry stateful information from one field to the next field. In contrast, delimited records may not carry stateful information from one record to the next record. Thus, delimited fields are not necessarily “self contained”, but delimited records are.


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Appendix C. Programmatically Creating Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Creating Flat File Dictionary Entries, Dictionaries, and Schemas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Modifying Flat File Dictionary Entries, Dictionaries, and Schemas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Deleting Flat File Dictionary Entries, Dictionaries, and Schemas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Sample Flow Services for Working with XML Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140


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C. Programmatically Creating Flat File Schemas and Dictionaries

Overview You can use the services in the pub.flatFile.generate folder of the WmFlatFile package to programmatically create, modify, and delete: flat file dictionary entries entire flat file dictionaries flat file schemas To specify the data for the flat file dictionary entries, entire flat file dictionaries, or flat file schemas, you can: Create the information in an XML file and execute a service you create that retrieves the XML data from the XML file, then invokes the appropriate services in the pub.flatFile.generate folder to make the changes in the Integration Server namespace. When creating the XML data, it should conform to the following XML schema: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\pub\FFGeneration.xsd

Create a service that maps the data to an IS document (IData object), convert the IData object to an XML string, and then invoke the appropriate services in the pub.flatFile.generate folder to make the changes in the Integration Server namespace. The IS document type to which the IData object must conform is provided in the WmFlatFile package: For a flat file dictionary entry or dictionary, use the pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary IS document type. For a flat file schema, use the pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema IS document type. The sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema folder, which is in the WmFlatFileSamples package, contains sample services that illustrate how to use the services in the pub.flatFile.generate folder. The sample services are the sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:delimited service and the sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:fixedLength service, which are described in “Flat File Generation Sample Services” on page 111.

Creating Flat File Dictionary Entries, Dictionaries, and Schemas To create a flat file dictionary entry, entire flat file dictionary, or flat file schema, you supply the data for the item you want to create; then invoke the appropriate service to create the item in the Integration Server namespace.


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Creating Flat File Dictionary Entries The following describes the basic steps to create flat file dictionary entries when using either an XML file or mapping data: Using this method

Follow this procedure

XML File

1

Supply the data for the entries you want to create by creating the XML file that contains the data and that conforms to the XML schema: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\ pub\FFGeneration.xsd

Mapping Data

2

Retrieve the contents of the XML file as an XML string. For more information, see “Creating a Service that Retrieves the XML File” on page 140.

3

Create the entries in the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:updateFFDictionaryEntryFromXML service.

1

Map the data for the entries you want to create to an IData object that conforms to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary IS document type.

2

Convert the IData object to an XML string by invoking the pub.xml:documentToXMLString service. When you invoke this service: Set the encode input variable to true. Set the documentTypeName input variable to pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary. For more information about the pub.xml:documentToXMLString service, see the webMethods Integration Server Built‐In Services Reference.

3


Create the entries in the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:updateFFDictionaryEntryFromXML service.

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Creating an Entire Flat File Dictionary with Data The following describes the basic steps to create an entire flat file dictionary when using either an XML file or mapping data. This procedure describes how to create a flat file dictionary that contains data. If you want to create an empty flat file dictionary, see “Creating an Empty Flat File Dictionary” on page 133. Important! The flat file dictionary you are creating must not already exist in the Integration Server namespace. If the flat file dictionary already exists, the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLAsFFDictionary service throws an exception. Using this method


XML File

1

Supply the data that includes all entries for the dictionary you want to create by creating an XML file that contains the data and that conforms to the XML schema: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\ pub\FFGeneration.xsd

Mapping Data

2


3

Create the dictionary in the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLAsFFDictionary service.

1

Map the data for all entries for the dictionary you want to create to an IData object that conforms to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary IS document type.

2


3


Create the dictionary in the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLAsFFDictionary service.

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Creating an Empty Flat File Dictionary The following describes how to create an empty flat file dictionary. If you want to create a flat file dictionary that contains data, see “Creating an Entire Flat File Dictionary with Data” on page 132. Important! The flat file dictionary you are creating must not already exist in the Integration Server namespace. If the flat file dictionary already exists, the pub.flatFile.generate:createFFDictionary service throws an exception. Follow this procedure 1

Create the empty dictionary in the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:createFFDictionary service.

Creating a Flat File Schema The following describes the basic steps to create a flat file schema when using either an XML file or mapping data: Important! The flat file schema you are creating must not already exist in the Integration Server namespace. If the flat file schema already exists, the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLASFFSchema service throws an exception. Using this method


XML File

1

Supply the data for the flat file schema you want to create by creating an XML file that contains the data and that conforms to the XML schema: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\ pub\FFGeneration.xsd


2


3

Create the flat file schema in the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLASFFSchema service.

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Using this method


Mapping Data

1

Map the data for the flat file schema you want to create to an IData object that conforms to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema IS document type.

2

Convert the IData object to an XML string by invoking the pub.xml:documentToXMLString service. When you invoke this service: Set the encode input variable to true. Set the documentTypeName input variable to pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema. For more information about the pub.xml:documentToXMLString service, see the webMethods Integration Server Built‐In Services Reference.

3

Create the dictionary in the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLASFFSchema service.

Modifying Flat File Dictionary Entries, Dictionaries, and Schemas This section describes how to modify an existing flat file dictionary entry, entire flat file dictionary, or flat file schema.

Modifying an Existing Flat File Dictionary Entry To modify an existing flat file dictionary entry, you first retrieve from the Integration Server namespace the dictionary entry that you want to modify. You make your modifications to the data; then invoke the appropriate service to write the changes back to


134


the Integration Server namespace. The following describes the basic steps to modify a dictionary entry either using an XML file or mapping data. Using this method


XML File

1

Retrieve the existing information for the dictionary entry from the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:getFFDictionaryEntryAsXML service and write it to an XML file. For more information, see “Retrieving Namespace Data to Write to an XML File” on page 141.

2

Update the data for the dictionary entry in the XML file. The XML file must conform to the XML schema: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\ pub\FFGeneration.xsd

Mapping Data

3


4

Update the dictionary entry in the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:updateFFDictionaryEntryFromXML service.

1

Retrieve the existing information for the dictionary entry from the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:getFFDictionaryEntryAsXML service. The data is returned as an XML string in the FFXML variable.

2

To convert the XML string in the FFXML variable to an IData object: a

Invoke the pub.xml:xmlStringToXMLNode service to convert the XML string to an XML node.

b

Invoke the pub.xml:XMLNodeToDocument service to convert the XML node to an IData object. When you invoke this service: Set the makeArrays input variable to false. Set the documentTypeName input variable to pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary. This creates an IData object that conforms to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary IS document type.

For more information about the pub.xml:xmlStringToXMLNode and pub.xml:XMLNodeToDocument services, see the webMethods Integration Server Built‐In Services Reference. 3


Map data to the IData object to make your changes.

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Using this method

Follow this procedure 4


5

Update the dictionary entry in the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:updateFFDictionaryEntryFromXML service.

Modifying an Existing Flat File Dictionary To modify an existing flat file dictionary, you first retrieve from the Integration Server namespace the item that you want to modify. You make your modifications to the data. Delete the dictionary from the namespace before invoking the appropriate service to write the changes back to the Integration Server namespace. The following describes the basic steps to modify a flat file dictionary either using an XML file or mapping data. Using this method


XML File

1

Retrieve the existing information for the flat file dictionary from the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:findDependants service and write it to an XML file. For more information, see “Retrieving Namespace Data to Write to an XML File” on page 141.

2

Update the data for the flat file dictionary in the XML file. The XML file must conform to the XML schema: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\ pub\FFGeneration.xsd


3


4

Delete the existing flat file dictionary from the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionary service.

5

Create the flat file dictionary in the Integration Server namespace again by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLAsFFDictionary service.

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Using this method


Mapping Data

1

Retrieve the existing information for the flat file dictionary from the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:findDependants service. The data is returned as an XML string in the FFXML variable.

2



b

Invoke the pub.xml:XMLNodeToDocument service to convert the XML node to an IData object. When you invoke this service: Set the makeArrays input variable to false. Set the documentTypeName input variable to pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary. This creates an IData object that conforms to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary IS document type.



4



5

Delete the existing flat file dictionary from the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionary service.

6

Create the flat file dictionary in the Integration Server namespace again by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLAsFFDictionary service.

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Modifying an Existing Flat File Schema To modify an existing flat file dictionary or flat file schema, you first retrieve from the Integration Server namespace the item that you want to modify. You make your modifications to the data. Delete the item from the namespace before invoking the appropriate service to write the changes back to the Integration Server namespace. The following describes the basic steps to modify a flat file schema either using an XML file or mapping data. Using this method


XML File

1

Retrieve the existing information for the flat file schema from the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:getFFSchemaAsXML service and write it to an XML file. For more information, see “Retrieving Namespace Data to Write to an XML File” on page 141.

2

Update the data for the flat file schema in the XML file. The XML file must conform to the XML schema: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\ pub\FFGeneration.xsd


3


4

Delete the existing flat file schema from the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFSchema service.

5

Create the flat file schema in the Integration Server namespace again by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLASFFSchema service.

138


Using this method


Mapping Data

1

Retrieve the existing information for the flat file schema from the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:getFFSchemaAsXML service. The data is returned as an XML string in the FFXML variable.

2



b

Invoke the pub.xml:XMLNodeToDocument service to convert the XML node to an IData object. When you invoke this service: Set the makeArrays input variable to false. Set the documentTypeName input variable to pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema. This creates an IData object that conforms to the pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema IS document type.



4

Convert the IData object to an XML string by invoking the pub.xml:documentToXMLString service. When you invoke this service: Set the encode input variable to true. Set the documentTypeName input variable to pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema. For more information about the pub.xml:documentToXMLString service, see the webMethods Integration Server Built‐In Services Reference.


5

Delete the existing flat file schema from the Integration Server namespace by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFSchema service.

6

Create the flat file schema in the Integration Server namespace again by invoking the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLASFFSchema service.

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Deleting Flat File Dictionary Entries, Dictionaries, and Schemas To delete a flat file dictionary entry, entire flat file dictionary, or flat file schema, you invoke the appropriate service. For this item...

Use this service to delete the item from the namespace

flat file dictionary entry

pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionaryEntry

entire flat file dictionary

pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionary

flat file schema

pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFSchema

Sample Flow Services for Working with XML Files This section shows sample flow services that show how to retrieve data from an XML file in the local file system and how to retrieve data from the Integration Server namespace that can be written to a file in the local file system.

Creating a Service that Retrieves the XML File The following shows a sample flow service for retrieving data from an XML file. Sample code for retrieving data from an XML file 1 2

3

Flow Operation 1

Description Invoke the pub.file:getFile service to retrieve the XML file from the local file system. The XML data must conform to the following XML schema: IntegrationServer_directory\packages\WmFlatFile\pub\ FFGeneration.xsd

For more information about this service, see the webMethods Integration Server Built‐In Services Reference.


140


Flow Operation

Description

2

Invoke the pub.string:bytesToString service to convert the file (in bytes format) to a String. For more information about this service, see the webMethods Integration Server Built‐In Services Reference.

3

Invoke the appropriate service to make your changes to the Integration Server namespace. In this sample, the flow service invokes the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLASFFSchema to save the XML data as a flat file schema in the Integration Server namespace. With the INVOKE saveXMLAsFFSchema flow operation selected, in the pipeline, map the output from the pub.string:bytesToString service to the FFXML input of the pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLASFFSchema service.

Retrieving Namespace Data to Write to an XML File The following shows a sample flow service that retrieves data from the Integration Server namespace that can be written to an XML file. Sample code for retrieving namespace data that can be written to an XML file 1 2

3

Flow Operation 1

Description Invoke the appropriate service to retrieve the Integration Server namespace data for a flat file dictionary entry, entire flat file dictionary, or flat file schema. In this sample, the flow service invokes the pub.flatFile.generate:findDependants service to retrieve the data for an entire flat file dictionary.


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Flow Operation 2

Description Invoke the pub.string:stringToBytes service to convert the namespace data (in String format) to a byte[]. For more information about this service, see the webMethods Integration Server Built‐In Services Reference. With the INVOKE stringToBytes flow operation selected, in the pipeline, map the FFXML output from the pub.flatFile.generate:findDependants service to the input of the stringToBytes service.

3

Add code to or invoke a service that you create to write the byte[] to an XML file.


142

Index

Index A access permissions, setting 73 alternate code sets, enabling use of 74 alwaysSortFields variable 74

B byte count validator, field 65

C character position field extractor 11 choosing services to receive flat files 79 code list validator 64 code sets, alternate enabling use of 74 composite defined 10 extractors 61 reusing definitions 18 concepts flat file dictionaries 18 flat file schemas 12 flat files 10 flat files ed 11 overview 10 conditional validators 62 configuration file alwaysSortFields variable 74 customizing 74 enableFormatting variable 66 spacePadJustifies variable 76 useAlternateCodeSets variable 74 eadableDelimiterReporting variable 75 configuring flat file schema structure 48 adding element definitions 49 adding element references 49 record definition properties 55 constraint types in flat file schemas 12 content handler, flat file 78


content type, flat file 78 conventions used in this document 7 converting flat file to IS document (IData) 27 converting IS document (IData) to flat file 31 convertToString service 90 convertToValues service 93 createDocumentType service 98 createFFDictionary service 99 creating flat file dictionaries 69 adding entries programmatically 131 programmatically 132 programmatically creating empty dictionaries 133 when to create 19 creating flat file schemas 36 configuring the structure 48 adding element definitions 49 adding element references 49 record definition properties 55 programmatically 133 setting up flat file schemas 36 specifying properties 41

D default records 18 deleteFFDictionary service 99 deleteFFDictionaryEntry service 100 deleteFFSchema service 100 deleting flat file dictionaries entries programmatically 140 flat file dictionaries programmatically 140 flat file dictionaries, managing dependencies on 72 flat file schemas programmatically 140 fomat services, managing dependencies on 67 delimited field extractors 11 delimited records 11 delimiter record parser defined 36 properties 39 delimiters, specifying 37

143

Index

delimiters, using readable and non-readable delimiters 75 diagrams flat file processing 24 inbound conversion and validation 26 outbound conversion 31 dictionaries, flat file creating empty dictionaries programmatically 133 creating programmatically 132 deleting programmatically 140 managing dependencies on 72 modifying programmatically 136 retrieving data for from XML file 140 dictionary entries, flat file creating programmatically 131 deleting programmatically 140 modifying programmatically 134 retrieving data for from XML file 140 documentation additional 8 conventions used 7 8

E EDI record parser 37 editing an existing flat file schema or dictionary 72 elements 10 reusing definitions 18 extractors 61

F ff.cnf configuration file alwaysSortFields variable 74 customizing 74 enableFormatting variable 66 spacePadJustifies variable 76 useAlternateCodeSets variable 74 eadableDelimiterReporting variable 75 FFDictionary IS document type 107 FFSchema IS document type 109 field defined 10 extractors 61 reusing definitions 18


sorting 74 validators 64 findDependants service 101 findReferences service 101 fixed length record parser defined 36 properties 40 fixed length records 11 flat file dictionaries creating 69 creating empty dictionaries programmatically 133 creating entries programmatically 131 creating programmatically 132 defined 18 deleting entries programmatically 140 deleting programmatically 140 editing 72 Flat File Schema Editor 19 identifying 20 modifying entries programmatically 134 modifying programmatically 136 retrieving data for from XML file 140 setting access permissions 73 flat file dictionary entries, retrieving data for from XML file 140 Flat File Schema Editor 19 Flat File Defintion tab 20 Flat File Structure tab 20 Properties 21 flat file schemas constraints content type 12 structural 12 syntax rule 12 creating 36 creating programmatically 133 defined 12 deleting programmatically 140 editing 72 Flat File Schema Editor 19 identifying 20 identifying records 14 modifying programmatically 138 retrieving data for from XML file 140

144

Index

setting access permissions 73 testing 68 validation 12 flat file interface See Flat File schema Editor flat files creating from IS documents (IData objects) 31 defined 10 mapping 27 processing 24 sending and receiving 78 content handler 78 content type 78 services for receiving 79 via a flow service 79 via a string variable 79 via e-mail 84 via file polling 84 via FTP 81 via HTTP 80 via Trading Networks 78 services 88 types ed 11 floating records behavior of 43 examples of, inbound parsing 44 examples of, outbound parsing 47 specifying in flat file schema 41 flow services, requirements to receive flat files 79 format services 66 creating 66 disabling 66 error messages 66 managing dependencies on 67 processing 25 FormatService service 88

G getFFDictionaryEntryAsXML service 102 getFFSchemaAsXML service 102 getedEncodings service 98


H handling large flat files 30 iterator variable of convertToValues service 94

I identifiers, record 15 identifying flat file schema records 14 identifying flat file schemas and dictionaries 20 inbound flat file processing 25 default records 18 diagram 26 how to 26 large files 30 mapping data 27 parsing 26 undefined data 16 validation error codes 12 validation error contents 12 IS documents (IData objects), creating from flat files 26

L large flat file handling 30 iterator variable of convertToValues service 94 length validator, field 64 listFFDictionaryEntries service 103

M mapping flat file data 27 modifying flat file dictionaries entries programmatically 134 flat file dictionaries programmatically 136 flat file schemas programmatically 138

O outbound flat file processing 31, 32 diagram 31 how to 31 parsing 31

145

Index

P parsers, record 14 parsing inbound flat files 26 outbound flat files 31 position field extractors 11 posting a flat file via HTTP 80 processing flat files 24 diagram 24 format services 25 inbound 25 default records 18 diagram 26 how to 26 large files 30 mapping data 27 parsing 26 undefined data 16 validation error codes 120 validation error contents 116 outbound 31, 32 diagram 31 how to 31 parsing 31 processing IS documents (IData) 27 program code conventions in this document 7 programmatically create empty flat file dictionaries 133 create flat file dictionaries 132 create flat file dictionary entries 131 create flat file schemas 133 delete flat file dictionaries 140 delete flat file dictionary entries 140 delete flat file schemas 140 modify flat file dictionaries 136 modify flat file dictionary entries 134 modify flat file schemas 138 properties of flat file schemas, specifying 41 pub.flatFile.generate:createDocumentType service 98 pub.flatFile.generate:createFFDictionary service 99 pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionary service 99 pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFDictionaryEntry service 100 pub.flatFile.generate:deleteFFSchema service 100


pub.flatFile.generate:FFDictionary IS document type 107 pub.flatFile.generate:FFSchema IS document type 109 pub.flatFile.generate:findDependants service 101 pub.flatFile.generate:findReferences service 101 pub.flatFile.generate:getFFDictionaryEntryAsXML service 102 pub.flatFile.generate:getFFSchemaAsXML service 102 pub.flatFile.generate:listFFDictionaryEntries service 103 pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLAsFFDictionary service 103 pub.flatFile.generate:saveXMLASFFSchema service 104 pub.flatFile.generate:updateFFDictionaryEntryFromXML service 106 pub.flatFile:convertToString service 90 pub.flatFile:convertToValues service 93 pub.flatFile:FormatService service 88 pub.flatFile:getedEncodings service 98

R record default 18 defined 10 identifying 14 reusing definitions 18 record identifiers 15 records with no identifiers 18 record parsers 14, 36 delimiter defined 36 properties 39 EDI 37 fixed length defined 36 properties 40 general properties 37 specifying delimiters 37 variable length, defined 36 records, floating behavior of 43 examples of, inbound parsing 44 examples of, outbound parsing 47 specifying in flat file schema 41 reusing element definitions 18

146

Index

S

U

sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:delimited service 111 sample.flatFile.generateFFSchema:fixedLength service 113 saveXMLAsFFDictionary service 103 saveXMLASFFSchema service 104 schemas, flat file creating programmatically 133 deleting programmatically 140 modifying programmatically 138 retrieving data for from XML file 140 sending and receiving flat files content handler 78 content type 78 overview 78 services for receiving 79 via a flow service 79 via a string variable 79 via e-mail 84 via file polling 84 via FTP 81 via Trading Networks 78 setting access permissions 73 setting up flat file schemas 36 sorting order of fields in composites and records 74 spacePadJustifies variable 76 submitting a flat file via a string variable 79 submitting a flat file via e-mail 84 submitting a flat file via file polling 84 submitting a flat file via FTP 81 submitting a flat file via HTTPsending and receiving flat files via HTTP 80

undefined data 16 updateFFDictionaryEntryFromXML service 106 updating flat file dictionaries entries programmatically 134 flat file dictionaries programmatically 136 flat file schemas programmatically 138 useAlternateCodeSets variable 74 eadableDelimiterReporting variable 75

V validation defined 12 error codes 120 error contents 116 validators 62 conditional 62 field 64 byte count 65 code list 64 length 64 variable length record parser, defined 36 variable length records 11

W WmFlatFile package contents 87 flat file services 88

X XML files, retrieving data from 140

T testing flat file schemas 68 Trading Networks, sending flat files to 78 troubleshooting information 8 typographical conventions in this document 7


147

Index


148

Flat File 3c3p6n

Overview 6h3y3j

More details h6z72

Related Documents 543cg

Flat File 3c3p6n

Flat File Testing 5i6y1j

Flat File System 95y2i

Flat File Validation 286o5m

Disadvantages Of Flat File System Over Dbms 165v3l

Flat Army f4d6f