> - Assuming folks use one of the tools Bryce mentions, would the creation > of XML versions of X12 documents be for internal or transmission > purposes? (After all, the primary point of the EDI, I believe, is/was > transmission.) >
Whenever I've implemented XML in an EDI solution, it was for both. There was an internal reason for making the document XML. There were also external reasons (i.e. a SME trading partner did not use X12 and requested an XML document). > - Also, given that at least XMLSpy is pretty much a tool for anything > that uses XML syntax, would the conversion of the EDI to XML result in a > one-to-one replacement of the data elements in the EDI document > (effectively little more than a substitution of one syntax for another)? > (Alternatively, could it be that everyone plans/wants to do their own > personalized conversion which will likely be incompatible with everyone > else's personalized version?) > XML has a really good transformation language called XML Stylesheets (or XSL) so whenever we translated from EDI to XML is was usually just a one-to-one replacement, since A) that was easier and B) it was faster. In fact, that's exactly what xmlLinguist does, a one-to-one transformation. After that transformation, we applied a stylesheet to get the document into whatever format we needed next. For a good example of this, look at http://www.sysonyx.com/xml-to-edi-850. In that scenario, PayPal sends a notification when someone makes an order (say from an eBay store). We need to translate this into an X12 850 document. I've found it much easier to use XSLT to get the document from one proprietary format into one that looks much closer to X12. Then use a custom tool (in this case xmlLinguist) to get the document into X12. PayPal XML -> 850 XML -> 850 X12 However some tools like Mercator or MapForce would skip that middle step. IMHO, those tools aren't as easy to learn most XML programmers already know XSL, so why make them learn yet another transformation language? > --> Assuming the XML is a one-for-one replacement, I still have no > answer to one of my original questions posed (admittedly repeatedly over > the last few years): what does this sort of replacement buy us? What do > we gain? > The main purpose is to leverage off of already existing technology and skills. Most XML programmers know XSL, so why not use it? XSL 1.1 could not work with text documents as a source (though XSL 2 can, but IMHO it's not a very elegant solution). So you need some kind of tool to get the X12 document into XML format, preferably a tool that does it in an intelligent manner (i.e. adds hierachy to the document). > --> If, alternatively, we are doing customized reformatting, do we > instead open the can of worms posed by lack of standards? (Not trying > to say that EDI ever fully solved this problem, though it has always > been one of it's primary goals.) > Of course, but *usually* when you're transforming an X12 document into XML, it's for a purpose, one that was already defined by someone/something else. Most of the times when I've done EDI to XML translations, it's been for the following reasons: - Trading Partner requested it - A Program fed us XML (as in the case of PayPal) - A Program we're working with has an XML import (and thus the fields are already defined) So while there may be a "lack of standards", it's more we have our standard but the various spokes on our wheel don't support it. So we transform our standard into something they prefer and for everyone else, we can continue to use our standard. Bryce K. Nielsen SysOnyx, Inc. (www.sysonyx.com) Makers of xmlDraft, the Smart XSD Editor http://www.sysonyx.com/products/xmldraft ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get to your groups with one click. Know instantly when new email arrives http://us.click.yahoo.com/.7bhrC/MGxNAA/yQLSAA/OIFolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ... Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Job postings are welcome, but for job postings or requests for work: <JOBS> IS REQUIRED in the subject line as a prefix. Access the list online at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L RSS feed is: http://rss.groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/rss Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
