Copyright © William G. Cafiero, 2000 GE Information Services Page 1 Bill Cafiero 972-231-2180 [email protected] XML/EDI XML for Dummies XML/EDI XML for

Copyright © William G. Cafiero, 2000

GE Information Services

Page 1

Bill [email protected]

XML/EDIXML for Dummies

XML/EDIXML for Dummies



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Session Outline

This Session has four sections:

1. Introductory Section - What is our problem with EDI today?

2. Technical Section - The mechanics of XML

3. Current Development Section - What work is underway at the present

4. Example Section - Looking at XML for X12 based EDI

A good web site for general XML information is www.xmlinfo.com

A good web site for general XML information is www.xmlinfo.com



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Section 1 - The Issue

9.95 9.95

What the heck does this mean?

• Is it a length?

• Is it a weight?

• Is it a part number

• Is it a price?

You receive the following transmission...



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Context for Data

PO1*1*30*EA*9.95**VP*A-430\PO1*1*30*EA*9.95**VP*A-430\

Now it makes more sense. But why does it make more sense?

• We see the 9.95 in a context (It is a segment in an X12 purchase order)

• We have previously exchanged a set of rules for this context (e.g. the X12 Standard for the PO1 Segment)

• The rules tell us the 4th field in a PO1 segment is a price!

But if you receive the following...



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The Problem

Then what’s the problem?• Trading Partners need to make

prior arrangements

• Complex standards are required

• Most Applications can’t understand these rules so we need Translator software

• It’s really tough for SME’s



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XML

Price=9.95Price=9.95

Does this make more sense?

• It’s clearly a price, not a weight or length

• The label is human readable (SME’s!!!)

• We don’t need prior discussion of where the price is in a segment, or even what segments are

Suppose I transmit this instead...



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XML Highlights

Data that in X12 is defined by its position in a predefined structure is, in XML, given a label (tag) that describes the data in the transmission itself.

• We should probably agree on what the tags are

• We may or may not need to define how the elements are organized or structured

• The data may be transmitted in any communications protocol - it especially lends itself to the Internet

• The data may be from application to application or application to browser (human) or browser to browser or even browser to application

This is the essence of XML!This is the essence of XML!



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Section 2 - The Technical Stuff

Let’s look at the details of XML...Let’s look at the details of XML...

With thanks to the following XML “experts”:

Jen-Yao ChungDirector, Technical Office, Institute for Advanced CommerceIBM

R.T.CrowleySenior Vice-PresidentResearch Triangle Consultants

Larry DomerackiSenior ConsultantGE Information Services



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XML = eXtensible Markup Language

• XML is a standard open format for communities to develop their own structured mechanisms for marking-up text and data to facilitate the exchange and manipulation of documents among the community members

• XML and HTML both evolved from SGML– XML is NOT HTML on steroids

• XML focuses on document exchange• HTML focuses on document display

• All markup languages use tags “< >” and “</>” to markup the text and data to provide information about the information

• XML: designed to transfer structured text and data among systems in multiple organizations

• XML 1.0 spec is available at www.w3.org



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This is an XML document

<?XML version=“1.0”?><Basket>My Fruit Basket<Oranges count=”5”/><Apples count=”1”>Macintosh</Apples></Basket>



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Document Type Definitions

• Because we can create our own tags and document structures using XML, we need a mechanism for defining what the tags mean and what the valid structure is.

• A DTD is where we declare our specific elements tags.

• The DTD also is where we declare what

attributes each tag has

<!ELEMENT Basket ( Oranges | Apples | #PCDATA )+><!ELEMENT Oranges (#PCDATA)><!ATTLIST Oranges

count CDATA #REQUIRED>

PCDATA = Parsed Character Data



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Tags, Elements and Attributes

• Tags are labels that tells an application or other agent to do something to whatever is encased in the tags

<Price> is a “start” tag. </Price> is the closing or “end” tag

• An Element refers to both the tags plus the content (the stuff between the tags). E.G.

<Price> 9.95 </Price>

• Any tag can have an Attribute that takes the form of name/value pairs, <tagname attribute = “value”>

E.G. <BODY> ID = “Section 1” </BODY>

Note:

XML is case sensitive so that tags like <Basket>, <basket>, and <BASKET> are all different



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Viewing XML

What about displaying XML douments?• XML itself does not describe how a document is to be

displayed for human interpretation (i.e., screen, paper, audio)

• XML documents are just plan text files - you use a text editor to create and view them but there’s no formatting

• Cannot view formatted XML directly using version 4.x browsers

– Need to convert XML document to HMTL (or some other format)

• Internet Explorer 5 and Netscape Communicator 5 browsers will handle XML directly.



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Style Sheets

What is a Style Sheet?

• You can combine a style sheet with an XML document to display the document in a browser

• Style Sheets contain the rules that declare how the document’s information, contained within in the tags should appear or be interpreted by the user agent (browser, printer, text-to-speech converter, etc.)

• Style Sheets are like “templates and styles” in MS Word• Style sheets can be written in several languages

– Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) extensions to HTML– Extensible Styling Language (XSL)



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Implementing XML for EDI

• Much of today’s XML Software activity focuses on development of XML parsers

• Microsoft, IBM, Datachannel, Web Methods, etc., basically give away their parsers

• Most parsers are written in C++ and Java - objected-oriented languages

• The basic parser reads an XML document, and breaks it up into its elements and stores the information in a tree structure– It can only do this if the XML document is written to

comply with the XML 1.0 Specification– If it succeeds, then the document is considered “well-

formed”• Some parsers also can read in a DTD, and validate the

document against the DTD description.– These are called “validating” parsers



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XML Processing

HTML(e.g. Browser)

Other(e.g. Directly into

Application)

XMLData

Source

XSL Style Sheet

XS

LP

roc

ess

or

XM

LP

ars

er

DTD



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XML Parse Tree Example

Source DocumentBookshop.XML



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XML Parse Tree Example



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XML - Basic Concepts Summary

• XML is a markup language - version 1.0 by the W3C organization

• Markup Language is a set of rules that defines what the markup is, and how it defines the structure and content of the document

• A DTD (Document Type Definition) contains the markup rules for a particular set of documents - the tags, the elements and attributes

• To markup a document, use the rules from the DTD to label the data and text appropriately.

• Style Sheets contain the rules that declare how the document’s information, contained within in the tags should appear or be interpreted by the user agent (browser, printer, text-to-speech converter, etc.)



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Section 3 - Current Developments

Why use XML for E-Commerce?:

• XML bridges the gap between traditional EDI and Web-based applications.

• Most of high-tech industry has espoused XML:

– Virtually all new software from Microsoft, GEIS, Netscape, IBM, and others are going to be enabled to use XML.

• XML could make EC/EDI more available to the SME and other non-traditional EDI users.

Many approaches are under development:• BizTalk• CommerceNet• OASIS• EDIFACT• X12• etc.

Many approaches are under development:• BizTalk• CommerceNet• OASIS• EDIFACT• X12• etc.



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BizTalk

BizTalk (http://www.biztalk.org)

Microsoft has published a defacto “standard” for XML documents as BizTalk Framework v1.0

• The Framework lays down guidelines for encoding business documents using XML

• Documents described in approved schemas, pass validation tests, and published on www.biztalk.org can be called BizTalk Framework documents

• The documents must use the XML Data Reduced Subset (XDR)

• BizTalk messages typically contain one document along with additional information used by the application



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OASIS

OASIS (http://www.oasis-open.org/)• OASIS is the Organization for the Advancement of Structured

Information Standards

• OASIS is an international non-profit, vendor neutral consortium dedicated to accelerating industry adoption of application and platform independent formats based on public standards such as XML, SGML and CGM

• The consortium was founded in 1993 and was originally called SGML Open

• The consortium’s work complements that of international standards bodies such as the World Wide Web Consortium, with a focus on making these standards easy to adopt and practical to use in real-world open system applications

• OASIS members include Adobe, Boeing, Compaq, Commerce One, Dun & Bradstreet, Fuji Xerox, GCA, IBM, Microsoft, NIST, Novell, Reuters, Sabre, Software AG, STEP, Sun Microsystems, Xerox plus approximately 75 other companies



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Using XML for EDI

ASC X12:X12 has proposed a possible methodology for representing EDI semantics in XML syntax. The specific goals and objectives include:

• Preserve semantic identities regardless of position within the transaction set, appearance in different transaction sets, and version/release of the standard. Any semantic entity will retain a unique XML representation

• Provide a methodology for construction semantically significant tags

• Achieve a balance between uniform structures for X12-XML documents and interoperability between implementations

• Express transaction set structure explicitly with XML structure• Enable creation of “well-formed” XML documents



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Using XML for EDI

UN/EDIFACT (http://www.ebxml.org):

• There are currently no UN/EDIFACT documents to describe either a syntax or messages using XML

• UN/CEFACT and OASIS have formed a group called eb-XML to take expert advice and study means for using XML for conducting EDI internationally

• It can reasonably be expected any syntax and/or messages shall satisfy international needs rather than being merely a recast of the actions of other bodies

• The matter is progressing through the UN/CEFACT process now and should be resolved soon

• Close watch is being placed upon the X12 efforts in this area as a potential example of how a syntax might look



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CommerceOne, Ariba and RosettaNet

Other approaches

• CommerceOne Common Business language (CBL) http://www.commerceone.com

– Procurement and e-marketplace software

• Business description primitives like companies, services and products

• Business forms like catalogs, purchase orders and invoices

• Standard measurements, date and time, location, classification codes

• Ariba cXML procurement http://www.ariba.com

• Industry coalition driven

– Healthcare, finance, accounting, automotive

– RosettaNet http://www.rosettanet.org, OBI



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Object Orientated EDI

OO-EDI (“Future Direction of EDI” work in X12)• An Open-EDI approach using Unified Modeling Language (UML)

models and object orientated technology

• A vision of future EDI characterized by:

– Structured/predefined information

– No prior agreements

– No human intervention

– Independence from underlying IT systems

– Supports cross sectoral exchanges

• Opportunity to lower barriers to electronic data exchange by introducing:

– Standard business scenarios

– Services to support these standard scenarios

• Permit electronic processing of business transactions

– Among autonomous organizations

– Within and across sectors



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OO-EDI

Future OO-EDI Implementation

In-houseObjects

In-houseObjects

CommonBusinessObjects

OO-EDIScenarios(UML Models)

Distributed Object Transport(perhaps with XML)



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A Possible “Coming Together”

ebXML

Industry Consortiums

Core technology standards. XML, Schema, DOM, XSL, namespaces, linking, XHTML, RDF, XML Query Accelerating the

adoption of industry standards. 100+ member companies The XML Industry portal.

A vendor neutral XML schema clearinghouse. Info on how to apply XML in industrial and commercial settings

MRO Buying on the Internet

IT Supply Chain initiative

CBL

eXML XML/EDI

United Nations Centre for the facilitation of Administration, Commerce and Transport



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Section 4 - X12 Example

Using XML with X12 based EDIUsing XML with X12 based EDI



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Defining Tags for XML/EDI

What’s in a name?

• Tarheel Systems (DUNS 2736541) is making a shipment from one division of the company to another.

• Therefore, they need to be shown as the “shipper” in the transaction set or message.



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Defining Tags for XML/EDI (Cont.)

The X12 EDI Version:

• The N1 Segment

N1*SH*Tarheel Systems*1*2736541*07*SH



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The XML Verbose Version:

<N1-Name>

<EntityIDCode>SH</EntityIDCode>

<Name>Tarheel Systems</Name>

<IDCodeQual>1</IDCodeQual>

<IDCode>2736541</IDCode>

<EntityRelationCode>07</EntityRelationCode>

<EntityIDCode>SH</EntityIDCode>

</N1-Name>



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The XML Compact Version:

<XN1>

<X0098>SH</X0098>

<X0093>Tarheel Systems</X0093>

<X0066>1</X0066>

<X0067>2736541</X0067>

<X0706>07</X0706>

<X0098>SH</X0098>

</XN1>



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Using XML for EDI

A Sample X12 EDI transaction in XML:

• A fellow named John Doe from Battle Creek, MI decides to make a purchase using an X12-xml Purchase Order (TS850)

• He decides to purchase a hammer.• The hammer costs $35.73 from the catalog.• There is only one line item in the PO.• No taxes will be added.• No discounts will be taken.• This is just a simple purchase order.



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A Sample X12 EDI transaction in XML

<?xml version=“1.0”?><set850> <set850-1-010> <segST01>850</segST01> <segST02>9999</segST02> </set850-1-010> <set850-1-020> <segBEG01>00</segBEG01> <segBEG02>SA</segBEG02> <segBEG03>123456</segBEG03> <segBEG05>19981001<segBEG05> </set850-1-020> <set850-1-310-loop> <set850-1-310> <segN101>ST</segN101> <segN102>John Doe</segN102> </set850-1-310> <set850-1-330> <segN301>281 Apple Street</segN301> </set850-1-330> <set850-1-340> <segN401>Battle Creek</segN401> <segN402>MI</segN402> </set850-1-340>



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A Sample X12 EDI transaction in XML (cont)

</set850-1-310-loop> </set850-2-010-loop> <set850-2-010> <segPO102>1</segPO102> <segPO103>EA</segPO103> <segPO104>35.73</segPO104> <segPO106>GE</segPO106> <segPO107>Hammer</segPO107> </set850-2-010> </set850-2-010-loop> <set850-3-030> <segSE01>7</segSE01> <segSE02>9999</segSE02> </set850-3-030></set850>

As you can see, an EDI transaction in XML can be VERY verbose! (but the internet is “free” isn’t it)

As you can see, an EDI transaction in XML can be VERY verbose! (but the internet is “free” isn’t it)



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What’s Next?

The Path Forward in X12:

• The X12 White Paper was presented at the October 1998 X12 Meeting for review.

• An X12 Project Proposal was submitted for the creation of an X12 Technical Report as a reference model for representing EDI data elements in XML.

• The X12 Technical Report is targeted to be out of committee in June of 1999 after which it could be considered as an X12 Standard.

But, as we saw this week, it looks like X12 will support ebXML activities

But, as we saw this week, it looks like X12 will support ebXML activities



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Conclusion

Is XML the Answer for Future EDI?

• No single EC technology is an answer to everything in and of itself.

• Each form of EC from XML through traditional EDI to Imaging and Biometric ID Systems has a place in what we do.

• The answer is NOT here yet. We still have a very long way to go with all our technologies.

What is a Legacy System?What is a Legacy System?

One that works!