Requirements

This utility converts an X12 interchange containing one or more functional groups, each containing one or more transaction sets, into XML instance documents. An instance document is created for each transaction set. Here's a summary of the required functionality.

• Inputs: A valid X12 interchange. The second input is a directory path where file description documents (as discussed in Chapter 6) relevant to the interchange may be found.

• Processing: An appropriate file description document is loaded for each transaction set in the interchange. An Element is created in the output document for each data element, each composite data structure, each segment, and each segment group. The organization of a transaction set is derived from a file description document. Data element content is converted from X12 data types to schema language data types as specified in the file description document. Empty or missing data elements do not create Elements in the output document. For each functional group processed, an XML representation of a 997 Functional Acknowledgment is created.

• Output: One or more XML instance documents, each in a single file. The root Element name is derived from the grammar in the file description document. The file name is formed by appending the transaction set control number to the root Element name and adding the extension .xml. The documents for each functional group are placed in a separate subdirectory. The subdirectories are named according to the sender IDs and group types in the GS segment. The 997 Functional Acknowledgments are created in the passed output directory and named as discussed below.

You may recall my earlier comment that I would focus primarily on the basic functionality required in most trading situations. Although Functional Acknowledgments are capable of reporting syntax errors, they are most often used only as return receipts and are required in most trading situations. Functional Acknowledgments are clearly beyond the scope of file format conversion, but for this utility to meet the minimum requirements for most trading situations we must be able to generate them. Note, however, that we will generate them only to indicate acceptance (that is, receipt) of a group and not to report errors.