edimatrix ltd 1993-2011 dmx overview orbit nov 2011

EDIMatrix Ltd 1993-2011

DMX OverviewOrbit

Nov 2011


Introduction

DMX Modular EDI System

A series of self-standing programs which can be used individually or combined seamlessly to make

the EDI system which suits your needs


Important Modules

DMXCONST - construction DMXTRANS - translation DMXERRAN - session report DMXSCHED - scheduler DMXGWAY - traffic analyser WINTASKS - batch file processor DMXPRINT - flat file re-formatter DMXREFRM - relational file re-formatter DMXEFAX - delimited file re-formatter


EDIFACT Interchange Structure

(U N G -U N E se ldo m use d)+ d a ta e lem en t+

d a ta e le m e n t: d a ta e le m e n t:

+ com po site+

T A G + seg m e n t '

S e gm e nt G ro up

G ro up

U N H - m e ssa g e - U N T

M e ssa ge M e ssa ge

U N G - F un c tio n a l G rou p - U N E

U N B - In te rch a ng e - U N Z


Segments & Groups

A segment has structure:

TAG+element+element:element+ ….. ’

Within a message sequences of segments can be marked as repeatable. They are then said to form a GROUP.


Data Element

Has properties such as:

Fixed/Variable length Maximum Length Alphanumeric/Alphabetic/Numeric content Mandatory/Conditional

e.g. A6 AN..35 N..14


Separators (Syntax Characters)

Components : Data Elements + Segments ’ Escape Character ?

BUT - can be re-specified by a UNA segment before the UNB


Compression - remove

Trailing blanks Leading zeroes Trailing decimal zeroes +element::+ becomes +element+ +element++’ becomes +element’ NOTE +element::element+ unchanged Sigh! These rules are often broken


Mandatory / Conditional

A Group, Segment, Composite or Data Element may be Mandatory or Conditional

The status of a composite structure is independent of the individual statuses of its components

Violations of these statuses are probably the most common fault in EDIFACT messages

SO - you need to understand them!


Other EDI Standards

Tradacoms - obsolete but widely used in UK X12 - the USA standard; seldom found in UK XML - use slowly growing; handled by

DMXEFAX … and some non-standard EDI types ... Delimited formats - handled by DMXEFAX SDF formats (VDA, BISAC, GENCOD etc.);

handled by DMXPRINT


A Simple EDI System

D M X E R R A N

W IN R U A

D M X 4 00 A P

D M X G W A Y

D M X C O N S T

W in ta skE X P O R T .T S K

W IN R U A

D M X E R R A N

D M X G W A Y

D M X T R A N S

D M X 4 00 A P

W in ta skIM P O R T .T S K

D M X G W A Y(arch iv ing)

S ch ed u le r


An Even Simpler System

D M X E R R A N

D M X C O N S T

D M X G W A Y

W IN R U A

D M X 4 00 A P

D M X E R R A N

D M X T R A N S

D M X G W A Y

W in ta skE D IR U N .T S K

S C H E D U L E R


Management Information Flow

•Converters•Converters

•Session Log

•Session Log

•ErrorAnalyser

•ErrorAnalyser•Gateway•Gateway

•Network I/F•Network I/F•Database•Database

•Renames•Renames


Outgoing DATA Flow

•Application•Application•Re-formatter•Re-formatter

•DmxConst•DmxConst


Incoming DATA Flow

•DMXTRANS•DMXTRANS

•DMXPRINT•DMXPRINT •APP

•APP

•Interchange Files

•Inhouse Files


DMXGWAY

Most of the operational functionality of a conventional EDI Gateway lies in the DMX converters themselves. The DMX Gateway is therefore primarily a Traffic Analyser whose function is to show you what has been happening in your system, and to tie together the various information sources available to you.


DMXGWAY

View EDI traffic using a query generator Update the traffic database Create and view archives Edit and maintain the database Easy links to all EDI system information


Information Sources

•Session Log

•Gateway Log

•Net I/F Log

•Control Log

•Gateway Reports•Gateway Reports

•Data Files

•Net Reports

•Gateway View•Gateway View


Converters

DMXCONST constructs EDI, DMXTRANS translates it

Mapping driven by a compiled table Operational control by a text control file EDIFACT, Tradacoms and X12; XML aware Very rich set of operational options Can be data-stream driven by using a profile Batch, server and service modes


Profiles

Switch the operational environment of the converter according to contents of the incoming data stream.

Based on Trading Partner Based on Message Type Based on Test status OR - based on complex pattern matching


Profiles

•You only need two profiles to cover all your EDI processing; one for

construction (DMXOUT.PRO) and one for translation (DMXIN.PRO).

Once operating under a profile the converter becomes data-driven, and

switches its environment automatically to respond to the

changing requirements made of it


Profile Logic

M essag e1 M essag e2

P A R T N E R 1F red

M essag e1 M essag e3

P A R T N E R 2Joe

M essag e1 M essag e4 M essag e5

D E FA U LTP A R T N E R

•?

•Use DEFAULT


Table Generation

•Table•Table

•Source•Source

•DMXTCOMP •DMXTDUMP

•DMXTEDIT

•DMXSCOMP

•DMXMKTRN


DMXTEDIT

Interactive Direct Quick Automation Edits, not creates Full sets of UNSM’s Intuitive ? EDI knowledge helps


Control of Conversion

•Converter•Converter

•Profile

•Includes•Codes

•CharConv

•Control File

•Command Line Parms


Control File Contents

Table Input File(s) Output File(s) Flags Moves Profile Semaphores Data

Errorlevels Codes Links Logging Seeds Includes Local Variables ….. More!


Flags

Format ... Error behaviour ... Residence ... Fast/Thorough Debug Imp/Exp Nesting Decimal Separator

Buffering Cache Sizes Profile Triggers Convert Characters Timeslicing Empty File Removal


Network Interfaces

Export - identify files to be sent Connect - call and monitor the network program Import - register incoming files and net reports Update traffic database


Network Interface

Desirable, but not essential! Needed for status recording in traffic

database All DMX network interfaces are

modifications of a single generic model The requirements of the network may need

to be considered at converter control file level


Network Communications

Program to dial a network, establish a session, and perform file transfers as dictated by the Network Interface program

Network specific. DMXCOMMS often used, with a script for the

particular network being accessed Expedite, FTPS and Putty also used Network determines facilities available


DMXCOMMS Features

Script-driven comms for Async & TCP/IP Normally used with standard scripts Can be used for most Internet protocols Can be used to create a server For secure comms use with Stunnel Cannot implement FTP, since it only

supports a single communication channel


Compiled Tables

Several programs in the DMX range operate using compiled tables; the information for them is prepared as a text file which is then compiled to a binary form more suitable for active processing by the program involved.

This is done to separate activities which can be performed off-line from those which are part of the ‘real’ processing.


DMX Compilers

Program Source Compiler Table

Profiling Profile.pro Dmxpcomp Profile.cpr

Dmxrefrm Formlist.rfs Dmxrfcc Formlist.rfc

Dmxprint Printlnk.pls Dmxplcc Printlnk.plc

Dmxefax Faxlist.fxs Dmxfaxc Faxlist.fxc


Application Interface

Intermediary file(s) - Inhouse files DMX can create and accept most formats,

providing they are not too crazy! Convenience for Application decides form Semaphores used to prevent conflicts Hierarchical tagged (flat) file often used Relational filesets also popular


Hierarchical Tagged Files

The most common interface file for applications consists of a hierarchy of different records, each identified by a unique tag.

The hierarchical structure tends to be very similar to that of the EDIFACT interchange

BUT - where the number of iterations of an entity is limited it can often be folded into the level above it.


Relational Files

Essentially equivalent to database tables Each repeating entity has its own file with

a discrete record structure Records in different files are linked by Keys Once again, if an entity has a limited

number of repetitions it is often folded into an existing file


DMX Converter Inhouse Files

Are hierarchical tagged files Re-formatting to and from relational files

can be achieved by the DMXPRINT and DMXREFRM programs

These programs have many other uses! The hierarchical tagged file is, in theory,

inferior to a relational fileset but is, in practice, normally better!


Re-formatters

Three different ones depending on input type; DMXPRINT, DMXEFAX and DMXREFRM

All can generate a variety of outputs; SDF, CSV, Reports, HTML, XML to one or more output files

All are template driven, and easy to modify All use compiled input file specifications Used for mapping without need of EDI awareness All have scripting capabilities DMXEFAX is the most versatile


Wintasks

Started out to provide a simple batch processing capability for Windows

Grew gradually over the years to give extra capabilities

Now has the power of a scripting language .. BUT Still tries to look like a simple batch file, because

languages are intimidating to many clients Windows now offers other scripting capabilities, so

it is not a compulsory component


Wintasks Features

Runs external apps - sync or async File movement, with logging IF/THEN/ELSE and FOR statements IFOLDER, IFGREATER, IFEXIST Labels, GOTO & GOSUB/RETURN Manipulation of local strings & integers Read from & write to files


Scheduler

•Runs the EDI tasks

•Monthly, daily, many times a day

•Versatile time window settings


Utilities

There are a lot of other handy DMX programs to support a system

Splitters, viewers, table tools ….. Too many to list!

edimatrix ltd 1993-2011 dmx overview orbit nov 2011

Documents

element element

tag element element

elementnote element

element unchangedsigh

dmxgwayview edi traffic

conventional edi gateway

simple edi systemedimatrix

nonstandard edi types