A Quick Solution for Complicated Functions

David McGahey
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Some data conversions require multiple steps to satisfy today’s complex data communication requirements. Altova MapForce 2011 lets you graphically combine a wide variety of mathematical, logical, string, and other specialized functions to build complicated "data equations" to get the results you need. If you’re working on a big, complicated mapping, if you’re using an unfamiliar function for the first time, or when your function creates an intermediate result that needs further processing, it is helpful to test your work each step of the way as you build. You can use a simple text file as a temporary target to see the output of your function under construction. Let’s say we want to add a date and time stamp to an existing mapping of an output file to record the time the data was generated. We can easily experiment with the MapForce now function in a new mapping that simply connects now to a text file. A function connected to a text file Clicking the Output button at the bottom of the mapping window shows us the immediate result:

Output of the now function Okay, that works, but maybe the consumer of the output file would like to see a more elegantly formatted version. We can work with various datetime and string functions and build a complicated function until our mapping looks like this: Complicated function to produce a string Or we could simply use the format-dateTime conversion function with a string constant to define the format: Using the format-dateTime function for customized output As we work, we can press the Output button at any time, until we are satisfied with a result that looks like this: Custom string for date and time If you don’t work with dateTime data types every day, it’s hard to write a format string on your first try that generates the desired result! After several attempts, variations, and consultations with MapForce Help, here’s the format we developed and stored in the string constant connected to the format input of the format-dateTime conversion function: String to define format for dateTime So far we used a text file that was defined as a basic CSV file with only a single field, but you can open the file Properties dialog and add fields or create a more customized output file. Properties settings for a simple text file One advantage of using a text file as the output target is there is no type checking of the function result, so the text file target lets you examine and verify the output of any function. In the screenshot below we created a mathematical function and added a second field to the text file target to map the result. Text file with two target fields Now the output is a single-row, comma separated result like this: Two fields in a simple text file If our ultimate target is going to be a database field or an XML element with an integer data type, then we can immediately see this mathematical function doesn’t produce the expected datatype. When you have perfected your function in the test mapping, you can simply select, copy, and paste it directly into your larger mapping. You can then connect the output of the function to your ultimate target. In the screen shot below our format dateTime function is mapped to an element in an XML schema that is defined as a string. Function pasted into larger mapping If this is a function you are likely to want again in the future, you can convert it to a User-Defined Function and save it in your library for convenient reuse. Altova MapForce Function menu You can even use a text file as a temporary target to build and test a complicated function right inside your larger mapping. In that case, your mapping includes multiple possible outputs. The eyeball button at the top right of each output file selects which output file is displayed in the Output window. Text file as a temporary target in a larger mapping When you select the text file as the Output preview, the MapForce execution engine does not process the larger mapping, only the function connected to the text file. This can be a huge time-saver when you just want to examine the function result and your larger mapping processes a large volume of data, or if you don’t want to risk inserting invalid data into a database, and in many other situations. Find out for yourself how easy it is to apply MapForce to your own data mapping projects! Download a free 30-day trial of MapForce.

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Directory Sync Tools: Move over little dog, a new DiffDog is moving in

David McGahey
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Altova DiffDog was originally launched in 2005 as a diff/merge tool with XML-aware functionality to help users identify differences between XML files. It even identifies files that are XML-equivalent but appear different in a text comparison because of spacing, line-ending, or attribute order variations. Altova DiffDog DiffDog has continually improved over time with many new features including:

DiffDog 2011 Release 3 adds a new simplified directory sync feature to its robust folder diff/merge functionality. The Synchronize Directories dialog now includes a button at the top to select a complete directory sync in a single step. Folder sync tool mode selection The Fully Synchronize feature produces an exact copy of the source directory, even if the target has newer versions of some files, and deletes files from the target that don’t exist on the source, making this choice a quick tool to backup complex directories containing many files and sub-folders. DiffDog provides a summary of all actions to be taken before any files are copied or deleted: Folder sync summary If you want to prevent a file being overwritten or deleted from the target directory, you can click Cancel, and then use the Manual Override feature to ignore or reverse the copy direction for any file pair. Folder sync tool Manual override option Pretty good trick for an app that’s older than 42 in dog years*, isn’t it? Find out for yourself how DiffDog can faithfully synchronize your directories – download a fully-functional, free 30-day trial! * Popular myth suggests that one calendar year for a software developer is equivalent to 7 years in the life of a dog. For a more complete discussion of canine lifespan, see the Wikipedia article titled Aging in Dogs.

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It’s Here – the Industry’s First Truly Portable XML Form

Niki Devgood
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Hopefully by now you’ve downloaded the 2011r3 versions of the Altova product line released last week. We’ve introduced a bunch of new features and functionalities that put even more power into the hands of IT professionals. (Note: If you haven’t already done so, you can download the latest versions of all of the tools in the Altova product suite from our Web site.)clip_image004One of the features we’re most excited about is the new Portable XML Form (PXF) file for StyleVision and Authentic. The PXF is a file into which all elements required to support a StyleVision design including XML Schemas, database connections, images, etc. can be embedded. Imagine the possibilities! In this post we’ll take an in-depth look at the PXF file format as well as some use cases.

When you create a design in StyleVision and then save it as a PXF file, all design elements including XML Schema and instance documents, SPS design files, XSLT, images, and other external files are embedded in the PXF. The PXF file can be transported, downloaded, copied, and saved like any other data file, meaning that developers no longer have to send or install multiple files to support a design. This is especially useful for integrating Authentic electronic forms into your projects – and consequently great news for business users. Authentic electronic forms created in StyleVision allow business users to edit databases and XML files without wrangling with database and XML syntax. The PXF file makes developing – and using – these forms even easier. Take, for example, the bane of many a business traveler’s existence – the expense report. Fortunately for the IT professional using Altova tools the expense report is a snap – a developer can create an eye-catching report that meets the business needs of the client by taking advantage of StyleVision’s many design capabilities. clip_image002 Once the design is complete, creating a PXF file is as easy as selecting Save As and toggling the Save as PXF file radio button. clip_image003 When prompted to select files to embed in the PXF, remember to check the output formats that end users will be able to publish content in. clip_image004 With all design elements now embedded in the PXF file, you can distribute the form easily and efficiently.

  • Is the expense form going to be integrated into a larger project? Send the PXF file to the development lead, who will be delighted at receiving a single file rather than a bunch of individual files.
  • Do business users need to access the expense form online? Rather than saving the XML Schema, instance documents, SPS, images, etc., to the server separately, simply put the PXF file on the server – everything needed to deploy the design is in the PXF.
  • Ready for QA to test it? Email the PXF to the team. They will be able to deploy it simply by opening the PXF in Authentic, just as a business user would. The schema is embedded in the PXF so you can rest assured that XML and database content is being edited and updated appropriately.
  • Are you dealing directly with the end user? Email the PXF to him – the Authentic Community Edition is free and easy to install so a business user can distribute the form and all associated files and data to relevant stakeholders across the organization.

The PXF is a boon to business users as well as developers. Depending on how you deploy the expense report, business users can access it via Authentic Desktop or in their browser with the Authentic Browser Plug-in. As he would with any Authentic form, an end user simply opens the PXF file in Authentic Desktop and can immediately begin editing or adding data. The associated XML file or database is updated automatically to reflect the changes. End users accessing an Authentic form via the Authentic Browser Plug-in likewise update XML and database data by entering and editing information in the form. clip_image005 The value of the PXF for end users is the same as for the developer – portability. Because the PXF file contains all of the files necessary to support the Authentic form, including the instance document, the business user can enter his expense data, resave the file, and then send the PXF to the accounting department. He can even email the PXF directly from the application. clip_image006 The PXF file also provides business users with the ability to publish content in multiple output formats. In our example the developer clicked HTML, RTF, PDF, and Word 2007+ in the Configure Portable XML Form (PXF) dialog box. A business user can instantly create an output document in each of these formats by clicking one of the output buttons on the menu bar. clip_image007 Here we’ve clicked the PDF button, generating a document that a business traveler can mail to the corporate office, keep for his records, etc. clip_image008 Although the portability afforded by the PXF significantly increases the value of electronic forms by simplifying the process of getting critical business data into XML, Authentic forms in general are an easy sell to business users. In addition to comprehensive editing capabilities, Authentic enhances the business value of electronic forms through features that include real-time validation of input data, industry standard XML templates, project management support, and dynamic layout based on user input. In addition to all of the functionality and editing capabilities Authentic offers, the application can compete on price – the Authentic Community Edition is free. We hope that you are as intrigued by the possibilities offered by PXF as we are. By providing developers an easy way to integrate electronic forms into their projects and a simple (and free) way for business users to distribute and publish information, PXF could radically transform the process of creating and editing XML and database content. This is a truly exciting prospect. For those of you not yet using our tools, this is a perfect time to give them a try. Click here to download free, fully functional trial versions of our software. They’re good for 30 days!

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Have you used the PXF form yet? How did you use it? Please share your story with other Altova users by commenting on this blog post. Think it would make a great case study? Email us at marketing@altova.com. We’d love to hear from you!

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Release 3 of Altova Software Version 2011

Erin Cavanaugh
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  New in Altova MissionKit 2011r3 PXF (Portable XML Form), XML digital signatures, and HIPAA data mapping are just a few of the many exciting new features we’ve introduced today with Release 3 of the Altova MissionKit 2011 and complete product line. Let’s take a look at some of those now. First…what on earth is a PXF?

What is PXF?

PXF is a new file format that – finally – makes editable XML forms truly portable. PXF files are configured in StyleVision 2011r3, where a developer creates a design that generates an interactive electronic form that can then be accessed and edited by non-technical business users in Altova Authentic (or in the Authentic View in XMLSpy). When the StyleVision design is saved as a PXF, the XML Schema(s), XML instance(s), electronic form, etc., are all embedded in the PXF file. The PXF can even optionally include the XSLT files autogenerated by StyleVision that allow the business user to publish his data in HTML, Word, RTF, and/or PDF – with a single click. After a PXF file has been created, it can be transported, downloaded, copied, and saved like any other data file. Portable XML Form Why PXF? The benefit of the PXF file format is that all the components required for editing XML content – and for the generation of output reports from Authentic – can be conveniently distributed in a single file. And, since Authentic Community Edition is a free product, PXF deployment couldn’t be more affordable. Authentic interface There are countless usage scenarios for the PXF file, but one example is to allow a business user to easily get important data into a valid XML document and send it back to the requester or to another department, such as HR or Accounting. The user receives a PXF file by email and opens it in Authentic. The XML file will be displayed in Authentic using the embedded StyleVision eForm design, and can be edited using the word processor-like Authentic interface with access to advanced interactive options, context sensitive entry-helpers, business logic validation, and more. The File | Save command saves changes to the PXF, i.e., the embedded XML is modified and saved. The File | Send by E-mail command makes it easy to send the updated PXF on to another user with a single click. In addition, when XSLT files associated with the SPS are included in the PXF, Authentic toolbar buttons let the user render his data in multiple formats for publishing or further communication. PXF takes the headache out of getting critical business data into XML – without sacrificing any of the benefits that XML brings to data integration and extensibility.

XML Digital Signatures

To address the growing need for security around XML transmissions, v2011r3 includes support for assigning and verifying XML digital signatures through the implementation of W3C XML Signature technology across multiple MissionKit tools. An XML Signature enables digital authentication for XML transactions by checking the integrity (whether the data has changed since it was signed) and the authenticity of origin (the identity of the signer). In contrast to other digital signature methods, XML Signature is uniquely suited to working with XML data because it includes measures for canonicalization, which involves signing the important data while ignoring inconsequential changes such as whitespace and line endings. In XMLSpy 2011r3, it’s easy to add an enveloped, enveloping, or detached signature to your XML-based files using either certificate e or password-based authentication. Create XML digital signature You can also verify signature(s) on files received. If the file changed at all since it was signed, verification will fail. Verify XML Signature Other MissionKit tools with XML digital signature support include:

  • MapForce 2011r3: When your data mapping project has XML or XBRL output, you can create an XML digital signature that will be added to output file produced when the mapping is executed.
  • StyleVision 2011r3: StyleVision designers can configure Authentic eForm output to allow XML instance files to support XML signatures.
  • Authentic 2011r3: When an Authentic eForm designed in StyleVision has XML signatures enabled, the Authentic user can sign XML data using an enveloped or detached signature as well as verify any XML signatures present when documents are loaded.

HIPAA Data Mapping

In addition to new features for Excel® data mapping and other enhancements, MapForce 2011r3 now includes native support for mapping HIPAA 5010 data. Health care enterprises that send or receive HIPAA information will be able to apply MapForce 2011 Release 3 to meet a number of requirements. Users of legacy healthcare IT systems that do not store data files internally in a format compliant with the latest HIPAA standard can use MapForce 2011r3 to map incoming HIPAA 5010 transactions to the enterprise internal format or database. Or, a MapForce mapping can be designed to generate HIPAA-compliant transactions for output from existing non-compliant data. If the enterprise wants to translate legacy healthcare data for internal storage in HIPAA 5010 format, MapForce 2011 Release 3 is the tool for that one-time transformation too! HIPAA EDI mapping Native HIPAA support adds to current support for HL7 (Health Level 7) and other EDI standards. Check out all the features added in the latest Altova release, and stay tuned for more details here on the blog.

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