I wrote to Michael Moore telling him where to find the EDIFACT
directories so that he could interpret XML/EDI which used the EDIFACT
reference designators as element tags. Now, Mac Kloberg, of Liebherr
America, Inc., wants to know where the X12 standards are available on
the web.
Dear Mac:
The X12 standards are copyrighted by DISA, at http://www.disa.org/, on
behalf of the ASC X12 organization. Unlike UN/CEFACT which makes the
EDIFACT directories freely available, X12 has heretofore maintained that
the X12 standards publications are an important source of revenue and
supposedly does not allow its publication on the Web. The logic is that
if the "raw" ASC X12 standards - with no "value-add" - were freely
available, it would cut into the sales of the X12 manuals and CD-roms.
As I told Michael, if you already have FORESIGHT's EDISIM suite of EDI
productivity tools, then you can save some time because all of the X12
and EDIFACT directories are built into our EDI standards viewer. For
more information on EDISIM, please visit our web site or contact
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Alternatively, you could look at existing EDI guidelines, or "subsets,"
of X12 and EDIFACT messages. FORESIGHT Corporation's Resources Web-Page
has links to dozens of sites containing viewable Implementation
Guidelines or Specifications (ICs or MIGs). Just go to
http://www.foresightcorp.com/ and select "Resources." From there, select
"Guidelines, Maps, and Documents."
But if you're "serious" about mechanizing XML/EDI based on wrappers
around EDI (I put quotes around serious only because if you have the
same problem Michael has, why not use EDI - as it is - instead of
XML'ifying it with wrappers!), then you might consider using
"machine-readable" renditions of the X12 and EDIFACT standards.
Let me introduce you to igML - the Implementation Guide Markup
Language. A number of EDI software vendors, including Paperfree, Extol,
FORESIGHT, Dynamic Web, RTCI, Perwill and XML Solutions are working
together to develop a new XML based mark-up language for the rendition
of EDI implementation guidelines and standards. igML will serve many of
the same purposes as SEF, IMPDEF and DIRDEF, with important extensions.
Those interested in XML/EDI with wrappers might find the concepts behind
igML useful. For example, Michael, given the <UNB03> tag in his XML/EDI
data file, would be able to use an igML rendition of an EDIFACT standard
to extract the name of the field and its characteristics. Because igML
is in XML itself, Michael could stay within the XML "paradigm" in his
program, and avoid hard-coding much of the information which comes with
the EDIFACT directories. Likewise, a complete X12 version-release can
be rendered in igML.
So, EDI software companies especially, and just about anybody else who
has a need to develop XML data-driven programs for X12 or EDIFACT, will
be interested in igML. To see the igML DTD Version 1.0, please go to
http://www.foresightcorp.com/igmldev/, right click on the DTD name, and
download with a "Save As."
igML is not a complete solution for X12 to XML conversion - we're merely
using XML mark-up to encapsulate all the information contained in an EDI
guideline or standard directory - kind of an XML version of SEF or
IMPDEF. We have a couple of samples you may find interesting: a partial
directory of EDIFACT D99A omitting the interactive parts and some of the
tedious boilerplate, and of ASC X12 004010, omitting again the
interactive directories and the external code sources.
We even have a sample C++ program, complete with "free" source code (and
an executable for those who don't want to be bothered with messy details
like compilation and linking!), which demonstrates navigating igML
renditions of EDI guidelines and standards using DOM. I believe that
American Coders, at http://www.americancoders.com/, is planning to
incorporate igML in their DEDIOUX "Dynamic EDI Objects Using XML" Java
package, also.
Please join us in developing a vendor-neutral igML. We have a mailing
list where we collaborate - the igmlDEV (Implementation Guideline
Mark-Up Language Development) listserve. Please send
SUBSCRIBE igmldev <your e-mail ID>
in the body of an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To send
messages to the listserve, simply address e-mail to the IGMLDEV Mailing
List at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
William J. Kammerer
FORESIGHT Corp.
4950 Blazer Memorial Pkwy.
Dublin, OH USA 43017-3305
(614) 791-1600
Visit FORESIGHT Corp. at http://www.foresightcorp.com/
"Commerce for a New World"
==========================================
XML/EDI Group members-only discussion list
Homepage = http://www.xmledi.org
Brought to you by: Online Technologies Corporation
Home of BizServe - www.bizserve.com
TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send email to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Leave the subject blank, and
In the body of the message, enter ONLY: unsubscribe
Questions/requests should be sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To join the XML/EDI Group complete the form located at:
http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/Floor/5815/mail1.htm
