ProductsSchemaAgentViewing MapForce Schemas

Altova SchemaAgent provides powerful capabilities for visualizing the relationships between XML-based files, including those used in Altova MapForce data mapping projects.

Altova MapForce® 2008 is a visual data mapping, conversion, and integration tool. With powerful data integration capabilities, MapForce allows you to design data mappings between any number of XML, database, flat file, EDI, and Web services data structures. In MapForce, you create data mappings in a visual manner by dragging connecting lines between source and target data structures, which are represented in boxes, as shown below. The design you create is saved in a MapForce design file (.MDF). Once you’ve created your mapping, you can execute the data transformation in MapForce or generate a software application to perform recurrent transformations.

Example of data mapping in Altova MapForce:

To present you with a complete, accurate representation of how XML Schemas and XML instance documents are used and linked throughout your organization, SchemaAgent® 2008 allows you to display MapForce mapping design files in its design pane. When XML Schemas are utilized as the source and/or target of a MapForce mapping, SchemaAgent displays the mapped nodes used in each schema. When an XML instance document is associated with a schema used in the MFD, SchemaAgent displays its structure, as well, in the design pane.

Support for viewing MapForce mapping design files in SchemaAgent® 2008 gives your organization the ability to visualize, manage, and document your entire XML information architecture in one place, in an intuitive, straight-forward manner. This greatly reduces the complexity of managing the multitudes of XML-based files that often exist in a given organization – or even in a single XML-based project. Armed with the ability to visualize all elements and relationships, you can effectively standardize on and reuse critical components. Managing schemas, XSLT files, and WSDL documents as a whole also reduces the occurrence of errors that appear when a change in one file affects another unexpectedly.

To view the schemas associated with a MapForce data mapping design in SchemaAgent® 2008, simply drag the desired MapForce (.MFD) file from the SchemaAgent explorer pane onto the design pane. SchemaAgent represents the MapForce mapping with a yellow title bar and lists the source (input) and target (output) data structures in the mapping.

When an input or output data structure is an XML Schema, SchemaAgent displays the mapped nodes as well as the associated child and parent nodes. Then, by simply right clicking the title bar of the MapForce mapping display, you can insert all the schema and XML instance structures referenced in the MapForce mapping onto the design pane. Just like viewing any XML Schema in SchemaAgent, you’ll be able to see all the nodes and component details for each schema. SchemaAgent also connects mapped nodes to the schemas that define them with dashed lines so you can immediately ascertain which nodes in the source and/or target schemas are involved in the MapForce mapping.

SchemaAgent allows you to save the design to a file to document the schema relationships and reference at a later time. You may also save the SchemaAgent design as an image.

In addition, if you have Altova MapForce® 2008 installed on your computer, you can view the actual MapForce mapping directly in SchemaAgent. This allows you to get an immediate picture of how all the XML, database, flat file, EDI, and/or Web services data formats are utilized in the mapping. The mapping view also displays any data processing functions used to manipulate the data within the mapping. You can even take advantage of the MapForce output preview feature to execute the mapping in SchemaAgent and view the results with one click.

In the few moments it takes you to drag in the MapForce file and right click to insert the referenced schemas, you can visualize the nodes involved in a given mapping as well as all the details about the associated schemas. You can even view the actual MapForce mapping directly inside the SchemaAgent design pane to learn about all the data sources and processing functions used. SchemaAgent gives you an accurate picture of your XML infrastructure in a matter of seconds, giving you the knowledge you need to efficiently manage, edit, and reuse schema components in a productive, error-free manner.

Experience the power of SchemaAgent for visualizing how your schema assets are utilized throughout your organization – download a free 30-day trial today!